Angel Blackwood

by Sophie Summers

  A growl down the passage has us pulling apart. I see Tyler stepping into the lounge area with a scowl on his face.

  I shift on my feet and Axel grabs my hand gently. “That’s the other brother right?” He asks.

  “Yeah,” I mutter, looking back to where he disappeared.

  An hour later we’re sitting down by the lake, stuffing our faces with takeout.

  “You staying in the pack house?” I mumble, shoving a few chips in my mouth.

  “No way. Your mate will skin me in my sleep if I sleep under the same roof as you,” He chuckles, taking a sip of soda then shaking his head. “Nixon said I could stay at his place. I got that chicks number from the diner, told her to pay me a visit later.” He lifts his eye brows suggestively.

  “Never gonna find me crashing in his spare bed again,” I say, whilst pretending to gag.

  “Who says I’m gonna fuck her in the spare bed? Nixon’s bed is pretty fucking massive, maybe I’ll tell her to bring a couple friends,” he says, looking away as if deep in thought.

  “Argh…” I throw a fry at him, “Nixon is gonna kill you.” He picks up the fry and eats it, while chuckling away.

  It turns quiet after that, so I lean back enjoying the view of the lake. Axel turns to look at me with a sad expression on his face.

  “What’s wrong?” I ask.

  “I heard about what happened to you. About the crazy fuck that took you.” His expression turns solemn.

  “It’s over, Axel. I’m home now.” I try to ease his worry.

  “No. It’s not over until we find that fucker and make him pay for what he’s done,” he grits out with a growl.

  “Couldn’t agree more.” Tyler’s voice makes both of us jump.

  He walks right up to us. Axel stands up tall so they’re chest to chest. Tyler is the same height as Axel, but unlike him, Tyler is more lean whereas Axel is pure bulk.

  They stare at each other for a while clearly linking to one another. Then Axel nods his head, looks down at me, rests a hand on my head and links to me, “You gonna be okay here alone with him?”

  I nod my head, giving him a small smile. “Goodnight, pretty girl,” he says. Just to piss Tyler off, he leans down and kisses my head eliciting a growl from Tyler who stands close by. I watch Axel disappear through the trees then turn around to see Tyler’s stiff jaw and black eyes staring at the same spot I was moments before, his hands fisted at his sides.

  I pat his leg and he quickly shakes his head before looking down to me.

  I pat the seat next to me. “Sit.”

  I notice his mouth twitch in an almost smile, just the mere thought of almost making him give me one of his breath-taking smiles has my stomach doing flips. He sits down close to me, his arms touching mine and his feet over the ledge of the dock just like mine.

  He clears his throat after a few moments. “How was your day?” He says, looking down into the water.

  “It was good. Yours?” I say, returning the small talk.

  “It was okay,” he mutters. Then it’s quiet again and I just can’t take it. Memories resurface and I let out a little laugh.

  “You remember that day we all came down to the lake? Most of the pack were here. It was such a beautiful day, everyone was so freaking happy.” I lift my head and find him smiling; he’s thinking about it.

  “I remember how close Talon and I were to drowning a few of our pack mates. You had this little bikini on and all your tattoos were on display. None of the guys from around here had ever seen a girl with as much as ink as you have. They weren’t even shy about their interest in you,” he chuckles. I stare at him with a smile on my face, he double takes when he sees me looking at him.

  “What?” He says, his eyes sparkling in the moonlight.

  “I’ve missed hearing that. I love the sound of your laugh.” At hearing this he lets out another chuckle.

  “I’ll promise to smile and laugh more often then,” he says. This time its me who giggles.

  “Only…” He continues looking at me lovingly. “Only if you smile and laugh more often too.”

  “Deal,” I say, lifting my hand to shake on it.

  He looks down at it and wraps his much larger, warmer hand around mine gently.

  “Deal.”

  We continue to chat about the attacks on the South Plains pack and he tells me other stories about my father and how often he usually goes to the rescue of the allied packs. We sit and chat like we’d never stopped being friends, like none of the bad shit that has happened has affected our relationship. I know in the back of my mind that we’re avoiding talking about the shit that needs to be resolved, but I’m enjoying his company too much to bring any of it up.

  He eventually grabs my hand, helping me up as we head back to the house. I expect him to let go of it once we come out of the woods and are amongst the other pack members, but he doesn’t. He holds my hand tightly, pulling me closer to his side as if he’s staking his claim and making it known to the other male wolves who I belong to.

  Only when we make it to my bedroom door does he let go.

  “Goodnight, Angel,” he whispers, looking down at me.

  “Night, Ty.”

  ****

  After having a shower and dressing, I climb into bed and try linking to my parents. They’re quick to respond, telling me all is fine and they’re handling the situation; they don’t elaborate. A few moments later I try link to Talon.

  “Talon. Talon, can you hear me?” I try reaching out for him. I think hard, thinking about him and his wolf. I eventually feel his mind allowing me entrance.

  “Angel?” I let out a deep breath hearing his voice.

  “I didn’t tell you I loved you when you left. I love you so much, Talon. Please be safe. I don’t know what I will do if anything happens to you.” I swallow the tears, hoping he doesn’t hear the worry in my voice. I want to be strong for him. I don’t need him concerned about me whilst trying to protect himself.

  “Baby, you don’t know how much I needed to hear that. I’m sorry for the way I left. I knew if I had to see your sad face one minute longer, I would have stayed. I love you too, Angel,” he says. I can practically feel the love resonating from wherever he is.

  “I have to go, baby. I’ll chat more in the morning,” Talon links.

  “I love you. Be safe.”

  I feel the connection break and the sense of unease immediately return. I think of Nixon and it only adds to my concern for my pack mates. I toss and turn for the next hour unable to fall asleep. I lay frozen when I hear the bathroom door being opened and closed. I turn when the bathroom door linking to my room opens sending light into my room.

  “I can practically hear you tossing and turning through the walls.” He closes the door behind him then steps closer to my bed. Lifting the blankets up, he says, “Scoot, I’m coming in.”

  I move away from his side of the bed, but not all the way to the other side. I want him near.

  I face away from him and I’m so thankful that I am because I can’t help but smile when he curls his body around mine, my back to his chest. He asks me to lift my head so that my head rests on his arm whilst his other arms rests on my lower stomach leaving no gap between us.

  “Everyone is going to be okay,” he whispers against the back of my hair.

  “I know,” I whisper back.

  “Tyler?”

  “Yeah?” His voice is rough.

  “Why don’t you use our bathroom anymore?”

  It’s quiet for a few seconds before he responds, “I can’t, it smells like you.”

  “Oh.” it hurts to hear that, but I don’t say anything out loud.

  “It’s not what you think, Angel. It’s just… It’s hard for me to be around it sometimes,” he says.

  I lay quietly looking at his hand in front of me. Slowly, I move my hand and lace my fingers with his. I feel his face moving closer to my hair and then hear him breathing in my scent. He squeezes my hand a little, then his thumb starts
moving back and forth on my hand.

  “I don’t like his hands on you,” he says. His voice sounding sleepy.

  “I know,” I whisper, moving my head enough so that my lips can reach his arm. I give him a small kiss, breathing him in before resting my head back down and closing my eyes.

  ****

  The next two days come and go. I spend most of my time with Axel if I’m not with Phoenix. Aside from climbing into my bed each night, I don’t really see much of Tyler during the day. I’ve been keeping in contact with Talon and my parents regularly. They haven’t told me much about what’s been going on and when I ask questions they’re quick to change the subject. The atmosphere around the pack house is tenser than usual, but I think it’s because the Alpha is not around. Jacob has been doing a great job of keeping control over the restless men who didn’t leave. I noticed this morning that security has doubled and I feel more eyes on me when I’m running in my wolf form.

  It’s late and I’m walking home after eating dinner with Axel at Nixon’s place. I walk past a couple unfamiliar faces from Caspian’s pack. They’re sitting on the porch stairs leaving only a little opening for me to step through.

  “Sorry. Excuse me,” I mutter, taking the stairs through the group of men.

  Nearing the top I feel hands wrap around my bare ankle. I look down finding a bulky man with shaven hair, good-looking obviously, but nothing at all like my mates.

  “So, you’re the Alpha’s girl?” He says, looking up at me whilst still holding my leg in his grasp.

  “She is… and if you don’t remove your hands from her skin, I will show you exactly what my Alpha told me to do should anyone hurt our future Luna.” Tyler’s growl is low and deadly. I look up to see him baring his canines at the man as he fixes him with a glare. I hear the rest of the crowd telling the stranger to let me go; eventually he does.

  “Angel, go get ready for bed,” Tyler orders. Even though it’s in my nature to want to argue with him for ordering me around, the anger coming from Tyler leaves no room for it. I quickly do as he says.

  CHAPTER 24

  I wake up in a pool of sweat and immediately know the reason why. It’s happening again. I run to the door that opens onto my balcony and fling it open.

  Oh no, a full moon. I’m on heat. I look around the room, but don’t see Tyler. Running into his room, I find he’s not there either. I can tell it’s either early morning or late at night, so I grab a bag and start throwing in clothes. I find the thinnest coolest sundress I can find and put that on. Grabbing toiletries and my car keys, I make a dash for the door. I know I’m running out of time as my temperature rises. It’s dangerous here with all these unmated males, especially the ones from Caspian’s pack. I need to get to Nixon’s treehouse and away from any men.

  I sprint down the stairs and bump into Jacob.

  “Angel? Where are you…” He lifts his nose into the air then slowly looks down at me with wide eyes, before taking a step back.

  I don’t wait for him to speak, I hurry past him towards the back door. I manage to make it out of the house without bumping into anyone else. Throwing my bags into the back seat, I reach for the front door when a huge body pushes against my back. I turn around and come face to face with the shaven headed man from earlier.

  “You smell so good,” he says, leaning in and sniffing my neck. I try pushing against his chest, but this only makes him lean closer against me, placing both hands on the roof of my car and caging me in.

  I try to resist him as he pushes against my body and dropping his hands to my hips, but the fact that him touching me has me cooling down considerably makes this a losing battle. I lean into his chest and feel the now cold air as he gently runs his fingertips slowly up my upper thighs lifting my dress with every movement.

  His one hand goes to my jaw and he lifts my face to look into his hungry brown eyes.

  “This is so wrong,” I mumble. He’s a stranger, yet I’m struggling to resist his touch.

  He moves his face closer to mine and I close my eyes waiting for our lips to touch, but it doesn’t come. The coolness his intimacy brought disappears and I’m immediately assaulted with a burning hot fever. I lean against the car for support, opening my eyes to find Axel and Tyler pulling away the stranger I was close to kissing seconds ago.

  “I’ll deal with him, take her and get away!” Axel yells, holding the man down.

  Tyler ushers me into the passenger seat and belts me in. I close my eyes and slouch in my chair as we pull away.

  ****

  We drive in silence. Tyler has the aircon on full blast and facing my direction, it’s helping a lot or that’s what I keep telling him. I actually think my mates presence is the real reason I don’t feel like I’m about to die. I remember how bad it was the first time with Nixon, it makes me so much more grateful to have Tyler here.

  He helps me out of the car and up the ladder into the treehouse. I don’t have the energy to even ask him how he knew where to go or how he’d got the keys. I flop down onto the bed, seconds later Tyler enters dropping my bag on the chair in the corner of the room.

  “Thanks for coming with me,” I say softly, looking up at him.

  “I’m sorry you have to go through this, Angel. If I could make it better then believe me I would.” He sounds pained as he says the words, but keeps a distance between us. Maybe this is just as hard on him; even if he doesn’t look all that fazed.

  I can’t help but blurt, “You can make this better. You know what you-”

  He quickly shakes his head, taking another step back until he’s in the door way. “No! I’m not having sex with you, Angel. You were able to last the week last time, you can do it again,” he growls, and then he’s gone.

  ****

  Two days pass and although Tyler has been there for me whenever I need him, he won’t do the thing I need from him; the thing that will make all this pain go away.

  The heat has come back full force. The fact that my mate is in my presence is no longer helping, its only making it harder because I want to jump his bones every five minutes. We hardly talk to each other unless necessary. I lay in bed all day and he sits on the porch most of the time. My wolf is constantly calling for him, my heart does too, but it’s pointless because he’s just not interested. My body feels like it’s on fire, the smell of my mate only incenses me.

  Tyler walks into my room to collect the plate that still holds my uneaten dinner. He looks exhausted as he sluggishly walks into the room. He’s only wearing a pair of boxers, I swear he’s trying to make this even harder on me.

  “You need to do something, Tyler. I can’t bear to do go through this any longer!” I huff rolling over on the bed trying to get comfortable. I’ve resorted to wearing a simple bra and panties, my clothing sticking to my sweaty skin had become insufferable. He avoids looking at me when I’m dressed this way. If I wasn’t so irritated with my mate right now, the fact that he doesn’t look at me would hurt my feelings. Right now though, I couldn’t give a fuck. I want this heat to go away right-fucking-now.

  “Not going to happen, Angel, so get that idea out of your head,” he says calmly, moving to walk out of the door.

  “Give me your phone,” I say, sitting up straight on the bed with my arm outstretched. Tyler walks out the room with my dishes and comes back holding his phone. I snatch it from him and search for Axel’s number.

  Axel picks up on the second ring, “Sup.”

  “Axel, I don’t wanna ruin our friendship so I’m not going to ask you to help me, but can you please give me Caspian’s number?” I glare at Talon as he freezes, turning around to face me.

  Axel laughs on the other side of the phone, “He still don’t wanna help you out, babe?” I look up at Tyler across the dim lit room. He’s still frozen in place, his shoulders rise and fall with every breath he takes.

  I say, “No, he doesn’t want to help me. I can’t take this anymore, Ax. I’m going to call Caspian, he’ll be more than willing to help m
e with my situation.”

  Tyler storms across the room, ripping the phone out of my hand. “Forget she even asked you. You inform Caspian about this and I’ll make sure you regret it,” he says, whilst scowling at me.

  He listens to whatever Axel is saying, I’m too weak to even bother eavesdropping.

  “I’ve got it,” Talon says. Then he’s listening again, never taking his eyes off me.

  He pulls the phone away from his ear and talks into the speaker, “I said I’ve fucking got it.” He presses a button and drops it on top of the dresser.

  He stands there suspended with an intense look on his face as he looks me over. I swallow and move backwards on the bed.

  “Oh no you fucking don’t.” He bolts forward, grabbing my ankle and bringing me closer to him at the bottom of the bed. I sit up and try to pull my foot away from his tight grip. This causes him to release my foot and grab my jaw, forcing me to look up into his shiny blue eyes.

  “You want this? You want me to make the burning stop?” He says softly in a sweet caring voice. I don’t answer, so he pulls my face closer to his as he leans down. Our lips are nearly touching and I can feel his breath on my lips as he speaks. “You want this? Answer me,” he says in a firmer voice.

  “Yes!” I say, leaning in for his lips. He pulls away ever so slightly and before I know it... I let out a huff of breath, I’m on my stomach with my cheek resting against the bed. I feel his hands on my ankles as he opens my legs. I start to panic when I hear him removing his boxer briefs. He climbs onto the bed behind me. I try to lift myself up, but his hand rests on my shoulder, his fingers touching my collar bone as he holds me in place. He leans forward and whispers against my ear, “You want this?”