by A Lonergan
Tracey leaned over and grabbed my hand in hers and then I smelled it. My wolf smelled it. I knew immediately it was guilt. She was feeling guilty over this happening again. I squeezed her hand in mine before I continued. “Then he pressed his teeth to my neck and something wasn’t right. I felt like everything was wrong.”
Tracey’s brows pulled together as her eyes looked at my neck. My neck still hadn’t healed and the blood was still wet there. “That isn’t normal. You said you didn’t feel a mate’s bond? He shouldn’t have tried to claim you like that. Something is definitely wrong.” Her eyes flicked to the Manor in front of us and there was Rafe’s mom. She held up a little towel and a first aid kit. “As soon as Rafe left to follow you,” She stopped and I pondered on her words. Rafe had followed me from the party. “I came back here. There was no use in me following too. I don’t like to watch other people and I figured Rafe was just going to check on you. He screamed down the Alpha link and I knew something wasn’t right.”
“Wait,” I held my hand up to her. “You didn’t leave before us?”
Tracey blinked slowly and shook her head. Her curls bounced with the movement. “No, I was waiting on you. I wasn’t even the one that noticed you were gone from the party. It was Rafe.”
Carden had lied. Why wasn’t I surprised? I blinked then blinked again as I tried to process all of this. The Manor was empty as we walked into it. Save for, Alice, Rafe’s mom. She sat at the large dining table, watching and waiting. Her mouth was set in a grim line as she watched us approach. Alice nodded once and Tracey threw herself into one of the chairs at the table, I did the same. I startled hard as a pitcher of lemonade appeared in front of us. Two glasses were already half full. Tracey shrugged with a small smile on her face.
“Perks of being a witch, I guess.”
Alice smirked. “You’re more wolf than witch.”
Tracey leaned back as she sipped from the glass. She didn’t say anything back to Rafe’s mom and I didn’t know what to say either. So I just sat there and stared at the pitcher as the ice cubes melted. Exhaustion pulled at my brain but all I could do was stare.
Alice broke through my mindless stupor. “We should probably clean your neck.”
I only blinked at her as she got up with a first aid kit and came to my side. I didn’t say anything as she cleaned the blood from the side of my neck and then put a bandage over it. “The wolfsbane is probably preventing you from healing.” Her eyes flashed to Tracey and my friend grimaced.
“Did I do something wrong?” I had to ask, I had to make sure. I knew I had already done something wrong by trusting another wolf bad boy. But who could blame me? Maybe these men were just a bad batch. I sighed as Alice thought over her words carefully.
“No, but Tracey knew better. We don’t permit wolfsbane outside of the pack lands. This is how bad things happen. All you need is a little in your system and then small superficial wounds won’t clot. Wolfsbane has many good uses but sometimes the younger wolves forget that it can also kill you. Thankfully, Granny is the one that mixes all of our alcohol so I trust that there is no lethal amounts in it, but still. It renders us vulnerable all the same.”
Tracey pressed her lips together.
I jumped as the front door slammed open. Rafe leaned in the doorway and my heart stopped. He was a bloodied mess from his head to his toes. His clothes were shredded and offered him little modesty. His tattoos extended well past his arms and to his chest and what looked to go down his abdomen. How much pain had he endured for his art?
“He was a rat,” Rafe spat. “The glamour fell away from him as soon as I bit into his skin and tasted the magic in his blood.”
I swallowed before I inhaled hard. Rafe was injured and it wasn’t healing.
Alice’s spine straightened. “What of Carden? Where is he?”
Rafe’s smile was ruthless and full of malice. “I dropped him off at Granny’s.” Like it was something innocent but the look of horror on Tracey’s face told me everything I needed to know. Granny wasn’t going to take it easy on my date.
“Glamour?” The question slipped past my lips. I was still reeling from Tracey magically poofing lemonade into the room. How much more could I take? How long would it take before nothing surprised me anymore?
Rafe swallowed and I watched as his sharp jaw tilted up. His eyes searched my face before they painstakingly ran down my neck and snagged on the bandage there. I could have sworn molten rage filled his gaze before he blinked and looked away. What was his game? “The tattoos, the piercings, and whatever else had you attracted to him wasn’t real.”
My mouth went dry. His jaw clenched as his eyes roved over me again. I looked away. I didn’t care. I didn’t want his attention, I didn’t need him to avenge me. I didn’t need anything from him, not now and not ever. “He had strong magic in his blood. This was a ploy.”
“Where is the rest of the Bruiser Pack?” Rafe’s mom asked. I just couldn’t get past the part where everything in this night had been fabricated and not real.
Rafe ran his tongue over his teeth. “I spoke with Gamble already. They’re leaving and they’re leaving their traitor with us.”
I had thought I had heard Rafe angry, I thought I had seen his many faces and masks. But I wasn’t prepared for the icy tone in his voice.
Then I remembered. “You were watching us. Are you a voyeur or something?” I pushed my fingers into my hair. “Why can’t you just stay away from me?”
A growl sounded from behind me and I jumped as Alice spoke in a booming, growly voice. “I know he isn’t your Alpha but he saved your life. He didn’t have to. That wolf was likely out for blood. You should be thanking Rafe.”
I took a deep breath. I wasn’t going to back down. I wasn’t going to be gaslighted. I had a right to be upset. Rafe had already taken so much from me. He wasn’t going to take my voice too. I shoved my chair away from the table and stalked to him with my finger raised. “I don’t care who you are. You have violated my trust countless times and now this. Let’s not even get started on why I am even here. I am here because of you and I don’t want to be.” Tears burned my eyes as I jabbed him in the chest. I ignored the feel of his warm firm chest as I did so. “I didn’t ask for any of this. Excuse me if I am trying to just live a normal life. I didn’t ask for a Mate’s Meet or whatever that is. I just happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time. Again.”
Chapter 32
Jade Rivers
I didn’t care about what anyone said as I marched out of the Manor and looked for my car. The moisture that had been burning my eyes was now spilling over. My shoulders shook as I realized that I didn’t have my car. That I had ridden with Carden to the party and then with Tracey back to the Crimson’s property. I couldn’t call this pack lands. Not yet. They weren’t my people. Even if Rafe had saved my tail. I couldn’t admit to anything yet. My senses were starting to come back stronger now that the wolfsbane was leaving my system. I could almost feel my neck patching itself back together under the bandage. I swiped at the tears under my eyes and stalked to the line of the woods. I wasn’t going to ask any more from this pack. I wasn’t going to continue to inconvenience them. There was nothing left for me to do but go home.
Exhaustion continued its assault on me as I trudged through the darkness. I could practically smell the roasted tofu and knew that my senses would bring me home. I had to learn to trust this extra part of myself, even if it was foreign. I was thankful for a moment that I had worn Converse.
The hairs on the back of my neck stood up. I knew he was there before he said anything. “What do you want?” I whipped around.
Rafe left the shadows of the trees behind me and shoved his hands into his pockets. He had changed and was no longer in torn clothing. “These woods aren’t safe. I wanted to make sure you got home.”
“Why do you care?” I turned back around and continued in the direction of my home. It couldn’t be that far.
“I did save your ass tonight
, I would like to see that all of these cuts, bruising and pain are worth something. If you die after I went through all of that, what’s the point?” He snickered but I could still smell the blood on him. It wasn’t Carden’s.
“You aren’t healing,” I kept walking. If he wanted to talk he would have to follow me.
“No, wolfsbane will do that to you and whatever other magic he had in his blood. I could hardly get out of my wolf form once I got him down.”
“I didn’t see you drinking tonight,” I hadn’t thought the Alpha would have put himself in such a compromising position.
“You didn’t see a lot of things tonight.” His voice was clipped and he was right but how was I supposed to know my date was glamoured?
“My senses healing has come back, why hasn’t yours?” I knew the answer before he muttered it.
“I drank a lot more than you did.”
I nodded my head, unsure of what to say now. But then he surprised me. “I’m sorry for watching. I didn’t mean to. I don’t trust the Bruiser Pack and I wanted to make sure you were safe.”
“I didn’t pledge to your pack.” I shrugged. It didn’t make any sense. I didn’t want to think that I needed him to keep me safe, but after tonight, there was a part of me that was relieved he had shown up. What would have happened if he hadn’t?
“No, you didn’t, but I turned you and I feel responsible. I just wanted to make sure. My instincts are never wrong. If he hadn’t put his teeth on you and you hadn’t told him to stop, I would have left. I want you to know that.” His voice was soft, almost a whisper. “I wouldn’t have stayed.” I looked at him then. His eyes were a soft honey and his head was mostly angled away from me. His jaw was clenching and unclenching.
“I don’t understand you, Rafe.”
“I just want to keep you safe.” Then he was gone and I couldn’t wrap my mind around the conversation we had. There hadn’t been any anger or fear. I sighed as I walked around the fence that labeled my yard. I tried to rub under my eyes to make sure no makeup was smeared there but they would know.
I was walking up the driveway when the front door opened. My mom was the first to rush out. “Are you okay?”
They had seen the smudged mascara on the cameras. I nodded my head as her arms wrapped around me and I smelled home. My shoulders relaxed as I took a deep breath. She smelled like oats and honey. Everything that kept me calm and right. My dad was out the door next and my heart lurched at the sight. My stomach did a flip-flop when I noticed the shotgun grasped between his hands. I let out a wheezing laugh as I looked between my helicopter parents. I shook my head as my mom’s arms squeezed me back into a tight embrace.
“Did he hurt you?” My dad’s voice boomed as my mom escorted us into the house. Her small hands rubbed up and down my arms. I wanted to bottle up the comfort and save it for later. Deep inside of me, I knew I was going to need it.
Chapter 33
Rafe Crimson
The bark on the tree dug into one of the cuts on my arms as I leaned into it. Jade’s light was on in her bedroom and the curtains fluttered in the wind. I had been surprised when I watched her open the window but then her eyes had found mine in the darkness and I wondered if she had done it to locate me. Her wolf was growing stronger each day and eventually, she would be able to find me without much effort. I didn’t hide that much but in the beginning, I hadn’t wanted her to know I was watching.
I was always watching and I hated myself for it.
Chapter 34
Jade Rivers
Saturdays were my favorite. It meant I could sleep in, I didn’t have to worry about much and my parents were extra cheery. They had another vacation on the horizon and were going to be extra chatty about it. I stretched my arms wide over my head and smiled sleepily. My parents hadn’t left me alone all night, and even when they had left me alone, my mom peeked into my room several times throughout the night to make sure I was okay.
I had explained the tears the best I could. I got my hopes up for a boy that wasn’t worth it. I had wasted my time on someone that just didn’t care if he hurt me. Which wasn’t a lie but also wasn’t all of the truth. I didn’t mention that I had cried over my humanity being taken from me or that I had to see the villain every single day or the fact that I was lying to them at every turn. I couldn’t explain that I cried over the part of me that knew I needed to move out but I didn’t know how I possibly could. I had to be honest with them but what would I say? They loved taking care of me and I knew they would never be ready for the day that I had to move into the real world but that day was quickly approaching.
My sleepy smile disappeared as I kicked the blankets from my legs and rose from the bed. I looked at the clock and the good mood I had woken up with disappeared. It was five A.M. In what lifetime did I enjoy waking up this early? I could practically feel my wolf purring. It seemed like she loved waking up early.
The hot spray of the shower was the only thing that brought me relief. I stayed under the water until the showerhead pelted me, with what felt like, ice. I shivered and stepped from the tub.
My phone rang from my bedside table and the sound of it shocked my, once again, sensitive senses. I clicked it onto speaker while I pulled my clothes on.
“How are you feeling?” Tracey’s voice was soft as it blasted through my room.
“I have had better mornings,” I muttered.
“Granny got some information out of Carden,” I could hear the hesitation in her voice like she wasn’t supposed to tell me any of this. Like she was considering what else she would tell me.
“Do I need to come by?” I didn’t want to. That was the last thing I wanted to do on my Saturday but I would do it. I wanted answers. I needed them. Why would he pretend and then why would he hurt me like that? There had been zero signs leading up to it.
Tracey blew out a breath into the speaker and I winced at the sound. “Yeah, that would probably be best.”
My parents were in the kitchen making a vegan hash when I came down the stairs. The smell of it turned my stomach. I had considered eating breakfast with them but not anymore. “Good morning, honey!”
I smiled at them tentatively. “Good morning,” I had my bag slung over my shoulder already.
“Where are you headed this early?” My dad asked as he put his iPad down and then his reading glasses beside it.
It was time to rip off the bandaid. “I need to go to the city and apply for some internships.”
My dad blinked and then my mom chuckled. “You have another year of college.”
I shrugged. “My ambassador told me that I needed to apply.”
“Is that the smartest idea? You have everything taken care of here.” My father’s salt and pepper brows pulled together in the center.
I sighed. I should have known better. They weren’t going to let me do this easily. “Yes, but eventually I will have to take care of myself. I will need to get a job and my own place to live.”
My mom put her hand over her chest like it pained her to hear these words. It probably did but there was nothing I could do about it. I had to grow up eventually. “That isn’t true. We have loved taking care of you. We have more than enough money to do so too.”
I pressed my fingers into my temples and rubbed the skin there. “I have loved every second of you taking care of me and I appreciate it more than you could ever know.”
“But?” My dad encouraged and my mom shot him a death glare.
“But, I want to be able to take care of myself. I want to have friends and responsibilities. Maybe even a cat.” Internally I was laughing to myself. I would probably never get a cat but I knew it would rub my mom the wrong way. She was allergic and had always wanted me to have a pet. Little did she know.
Mom looked away from me to her uneaten hash. “I hate that we never let you get one.”
I leaned forward and put my hand on hers. “I can have one if I get my own place.”
Dad nodded like it made sense like my argume
nt had moved him but I wondered what he would counter with later. I had to be convincing on this. “You’re not our little baby anymore, even though we want you to be. I want you to be self-sufficient in this world. I need you to be. We won’t be here forever, you’re right but I want to look into these places that accept you for interning. Only the best for my little girl.”
Tracey was waiting for me at her Granny’s. My chipper friend was exceptionally somber today. Whatever they had found out wasn’t good. I turned to go into Granny’s cottage and Tracey’s hand on my arm stopped me. “You don’t want to go in there.”
I shrugged her touch off. I could smell the blood in the air, I knew what I was going to find on the other side of the door. My fingers wrapped around the brass doorknob and the door swung open. On the back wall of the home was Carden. His hands were chained up and away from his body. His legs were spread and chained to the floor. The Carden I was looking at wasn’t the Carden I had gone out with the night before. His face was a bruised and bloody mess. He was shirtless and a sheet covered the lower half of his body. I took a tentative step forward and the smells in the room assaulted me.
Blood, piss, vomit, and something else. Something that smelled much worse than the others. I covered my nose and my mouth with my hand as Granny came out of a room on the left side of the cottage. Her thick hair was pulled away from her face and she wore a plain dress. She looked like she had stepped out of the 1700s. She didn’t look at me as she spread out items on the floor in front of the wolf.
“Why is he naked?” My voice came out in a squeak. The last thing I needed to be was concerned. My fingers itched to touch the sensitive skin on my neck. It had healed enough for the bandage to come off, but it was still fresh in my mind. I shivered.
Tracey leaned against the doorway. “He wouldn’t shift back last night, even after Rafe beat him. Even after Rafe wrapped his teeth around his neck.”
