Releasing the Wolf (The Rossi Pack Book 1)

by Aimie Jennison

  I glare at him bent over double, cupping his groin in his hands.

  “Don’t. Ever. Touch. Me. Again!” I spit each word with as much command as I can muster. I walk around him giving him a wide birth, not daring to take my eyes off him and I collided straight in to a rock hard chest.

  It’s so well built that I rebound off it instantly and brace myself expecting to hit the deck, until strong hands grip my biceps and hold me steady on my feet. I look up at my saviour with a smile and open my mouth to say thank you for not letting me land on the floor. The words die on my lips as I catch sight of The anger on Danny's face. He doesn’t even acknowledge me, his focus is on Tim.

  “That fucking pervert,” he shouts, pushing me aside to get to Tim.

  Using my werewolf strength I grab his forearm and hold him in place. “Leave it Danny.”

  “I saw what he tried to do you, Frankie,” he says not taking his eyes off Tim, who’s still trying to get his breath back. A knee in the groin is good self defence, even against a werewolf. I’ll have to remember that, you never know when it might come in handy.

  I turn his face to with my free hand on his cheek, forcing his eyes away from Tim. “Then you’ll have seen what I did to him in return.”

  “Have you got a problem? Are you jealous it wasn’t your arse I was feeling?” Tim snarls having obviously gotten his breath back, and seemingly edging for a fight with Danny. My panic rises, hearing him closer behind me than he should be, causing me to spin around to face him. The last thing I want is an angry wolf at my back. I don’t know Tim well enough to know how far he’ll take this, but I’ve seen too many of Danny’s fights to know it won’t end good once it starts. I take a deep breath, swallowing down my fear before I make this situation worse.

  “Is there a problem here? Tim? Frankie?”

  Hearing Jesse’s commanding tone allows me to sigh in relief. “No, it’s sorted now isn’t it guys?” They both grunt in agreement, causing me to think whatever this is, it isn’t over. Not for a long shot. Jesse’s appearance has bought us a reprise and I’ll take it, Tim would never start anything with Jesse around. And if Tim behaves, I’ll be able to handle Danny. I glance at him and realise the only way I can really calm him down is to get him out of here. Which means my plans for Jesse have to be postponed, no matter how much I want on talk to him. Who am I kidding? I don’t want to talk to him. I want to kiss him senseless. I want to wrap myself around him, with nothing between us. Unfortunately I’ll have to wait a little longer to give him no doubt about who I’ve chosen as my mate.

  Gareth approaches Danny placing a gentle hand on his shoulder. “Hey Dan, You alright?” He knows how to read Danny’s body language, as well as I do. Danny might look calm on the outside but he has tells, like the fingers twitching to make a fist at his side.

  I answer before Danny has a chance to open his mouth. “I’m not really feeling up to partying. Do you two mind leaving early? We’re staying at the apartment tonight and I need to show you where it is.”

  Dan and Gareth both nod in reply. “Yeah, sure thing, Frankie,” Gareth says.

  I glance at Jesse wistfully, not really wanting to leave him without letting him know my decision.

  “We’ll wait for you outside Frankie,” Gareth states, no doubt having seen something on my face, as he grabs Danny by the arm and tugs him towards the door. I love that guy!

  Forgetting about Tim, I step up to Jesse so were inches apart. My wolf sensing him, stretches inside me reading her energy towards him. Jesse strokes the back of his knuckles down my cheek, and with my wolf so close to the surface it feels as though he’s running his hands through her fur. I grab his hand, holding it in place against my cheek, not wanting him to end the contact.

  “Are you going to be ok with him?” Jesse nods his head in the direction Gareth and Danny had just left, not taking his eyes off mine. “Danny seems like a hot head. Are you and Gareth going to be able to handle him?” The concern in his voice causes my stomach to somersault, making me feel like a loved up teenager.

  It brings a smile to my face. “I knocked him back, earlier. He’s jealous of the other guys, I can’t exactly explain pack touch to him.”

  He drops his hand from my cheek. “If you need me, you’ll call.” The command behind his words comes through loud and clear.

  Deciding to set things between us straight before I leave, I gave him what I hope is a wicked smile and step up as close as I can before our bodies touch. I hold his eyes with mine to make sure I have his attention. The heat I see in them tells me that I do. Licking my lips I drop my eyes to rake over his lips. “I’ll be round bright and early in the morning to collect on our deal.”

  His hand brushes through my hair and snakes around my nape possessively. “It’s gone midnight. So technically you could collect now,” he says through a growl.

  I let my hands roam up his chest and around his neck, allowing a finger to stroke over his pulse as I contemplate his offer. “What I have planned will take a lot longer than the minute I’ve got, until Danny gets restless and all hell breaks lose.”

  His lips are suddenly on mine. I hadn’t even seen him move. His tongue licking my lips, at my teeth. A ferocious kiss, a mass of tongue, lips and teeth. He pulls away leaving my lips feeling bruised and swollen from the fierceness. “Go… Quick. Before I change my mind and don’t let you leave.” He steps back releasing my body from his grasp.

  The sudden distance makes me feel cold and lonely. “Jes—” I start, not liking this distance.

  “Go!” The growled command cuts off my words.

  I take note of the tension in his body and see the wolf in his eyes. Tony’s joined us. His desire running over my skin and the scent of it filling my nostrils. My eye sight becomes stronger as my wolf comes forward, and I know its her eyes he’ll see on my face.

  The room falls quiet as other pack members turn in our direction, clearly feeling whatever is going on between the two of us. I realise my time is up, I need to leave. I start for the door, only making it a few steps before stopping and turning to look at Jesse once again. I don’t want to leave with the pack smelling his desire and thinking I’ve turned him down. I can already see Tracey heading in his direction, no doubt ready to offer him comfort. She is not going to comforting him.

  No woman is going to comfort him. My wolf growls at the thought. She wants to show everyone that he’s ours and none of them can touch him. Ever. I want to agree with her, but she wants to take him here and now in full view of pack, making them all witnesses to our mating. Unable to agree with that I debate with her internally in the split second while I’m looking at Jesse. Deep down, we both know we can walk out the door right now and he would set anyone that offers themselves to him, straight. Still, we both can’t ignore the need to do something.

  I allow my body fill with desire, hoping its enough that everyone can sense it. “Tomorrow, Jesse… Tomorrow I’m going to have you, how I’ve wanted you from the very start and I can’t promise I won’t bite.”

  Jesse stares at me, staying frozen to the spot. The desperate look in his eyes and the tension I can see pulsing through his body, tells me how hard he’s fighting to not come after me. A deep rumbling emanates from deep within his throat and I know I’ve pushed him too far. If I don’t get out now my wolf might just get her wish of having him with an audience.

  Turning, I leave the bar at a steady pace, forcing myself not to run. Running would cause his wolf to chase me. To hunt me. As I make it outside with no one following me I send up a silent prayer to whomever may be watching over me. Lately I’ve been thinking of Grams, but with Joey passing so recently and the pack connection between us, I can’t help but feel that maybe it’s him watching over me now.

  “Frank, what’s happened? You look…” Gareth starts, seeming to struggle to describe how I do look.

  Danny steps forward, arms out, as though to catch me if I fall. “Uneasy,” he suggests.

  Gareth nods. “Yeah. Uneasy is c
lose enough.”

  My heart’s pounding in my chest but I swallow it down and start down the pavement that leads to my apartment, calling to them over my shoulder. “Nothing. I’m fine.” My answer’s too sharp and quick, we all know I’m lying.

  I unlock the door to my apartment, expecting to find the place a mess since the last time I was in here had been when I left Carter in bed to go to the cemetery. I haven't really had time to think about coming back to this place, not with everything that’s happened since that day. It feels like a lifetime ago. Hell, it is a lifetime ago - I’m no longer the person I was back then. Being stabbed to death and turning into a werewolf will do that to you.

  The door’s barely open an inch before I’m hit with what feels like a sledgehammer to the chest. In reality it’s Joey’s scent. He must have been here sometime before he died. As I open the door wider I understand why. The room is immaculate, Joey had cleaned up after my night with Carter. Swallowing the lump in my throat I focus on trying to keep the padlock on my tear ducts. I force my feet to keep moving, by entering the room and leaving the door open for Gareth and Danny to follow me. I hear the door close behind us as my eyes fall on the note propped up against the coffee canister. I recognise the neat print that was Joey’s, just as the padlock containing my tears unlocks. Grabbing the note, I hold it against my chest.

  The need to be alone hits me and I glance around, being in an studio apartment with two guys makes finding that time a challenge. I head for the only place I can close myself away. The bathroom. “I’ll be back in a minute. Make yourself at home” I say over my shoulder as I lock myself in the private space.

  I sit with my back against the bathtub, hugging the note as if it’s Joey himself, and I’m able to keep him safe from Rick causing his death. I initially tried to read the note, but seeing the words, ‘Hey Frank’, caused all the other words to blend together in a blurry blob, thanks to the tears that just don’t seem to have an off switch.

  A gentle knock on the door pulls me out of my trance, and the sudden ache in my arse as I shift on the floor leaves me wondering how much time has passed.

  “Frank. It’s me, can I come in?” Danny’s voice whispers through the door.

  Taking a deep breath I wipe at my tears and check my appearance in the mirror. I don’t want to have to explain anything to Danny. I fold the note and slip it into my bra, before opening the door.

  Chapter Twenty Nine

  Nate

  Watching Frankie leave the bar, I can’t help but be glad that she has the sense not to run. Jesse’s fighting his wolf’s urge to chase the prey he desires as it is. If she was to run, someone would end up dead. It would either be Kelly and I, trying to stop Jesse from taking her right there in the bar, or it would be Frankie’s Ex, Danny. After watching how he reacted to Tim and his grubbing hands, I’m certain that there’s no way that Danny would just stand by and watch Jesse take Frankie in front of everyone. Having felt Danny’s aggression when he was ready to launch at Tim, I can’t leave her in his company for long. He may only be human but I’m sure he’d be able to do plenty of damage before she’d be willing to take him down. The need to protect Frankie is too strong, after two minutes of counting the seconds pass I take a step forward the dominant wolf in me, deciding we can’t wait any longer before following them.

  A hand taps my shoulder and I feel Jesse’s energy running along my skin. “Nate, would you mind…” Jesse gestures towards the exit.

  “I was just about to go anyway. I know you said he’s human and Frankie could handle him, but I get an uneasy feeling about him,” I admit, bowing my head in submission. I shouldn’t be going against my Alpha’s previous wishes.

  Jesse ruffle his hair playfully. “I feel it too. I’d go myself, but I can’t… not after that.”

  I meet my Alpha’s eyes with a grin, knowing exactly why he can’t follow them. “I’ll stay out of sight. Unless he starts trouble.”

  Without waiting any longer, I follow Frankie’s scent, Knowing she’s had a big enough head start. Joey had shown me Frankie’s apartment not long before he’d died, so as the first big drops of rain hit the floor I don’t worry about losing her scent.

  Standing outside Frankie’s apartment door, I listen to her tell Gareth and Danny to make themselves at home. Her sorrow is screaming through the pack bonds. I know the cause is Joey, I can smell his scent too. My wolf is urging me to go inside, to comfort her. But I know that if I go in there now it would send Danny off the rails. The sound of a door closing and the guys talking to each other tells me she’s most probably locked herself in the bathroom. I sit with my back against the wall next to the door and settle in for a long night. After about fifteen minutes, a repetitive snore fills the silence. One of the men must have fallen asleep.

  A quiet hour passes before I hear a knock on wood and Danny speaking softly. I sit up straighter and focus all my attention on the room behind me, as a door opens and Frankie speaks. The need to hear what’s happening in Frankie’s apartment, forces me to allow my wolf to step forward and take over enough to increase my hearing. I stand and prepare myself to be ready to enter if I’m needed.

  “I still love you, Frankie,” Danny begs.

  “Danny, we’ve had this conversation,” Frankie says her voice sounds full of sadness.

  “Frankie, give us a chance.” Danny’s pleading tone is gone and replaced with anger.

  I hear footsteps, but can’t tell if it’s both of them or just one. “Danny, no. I haven’t done anything to cause you to think there would be a chance. Lets just forget about this and go to sleep before we wake Gareth up. I’ll take the floor.”

  “We won’t wake Gareth, he’d sleep through an earthquake. If that’s all that’s stopping you…” There’s a bang, like someone bumped into something following Danny’s words..

  Frankie makes a scared noise. “Ah! Danny, get your hands off me. We aren’t doing this…EVER.” Her voice turns from scared to angry by the end of the sentence. Tension runs through me as I listen and wait, knowing I can be in there in a split second if it sounds like she can’t handle it herself.

  “Danny!” I hear a fist contact flesh and hope it’s Frankie throwing the punch.

  “Bitch! You hit me. You’ve broken my nose.” I almost laugh at how shocked Danny sounds. The slap of skin I hear followed by a female grunt of pain, sobers me instantly.

  No one should lay a hand on Frankie. Unable to listen anymore, wolf and man both agree it’s time for action. I barge the door with my shoulder and as expected it doesn’t resist.

  Chapter Thirty

  Frankie

  I look at Danny in shock as my cheek stings from his slap. The door bursts open and Nate’s scent fills the room. His angry energy is tingling against my skin. Danny has me pinned to the wall, his hand up my skirt and his mouth on my neck, oblivious to the fact that someone had just broken down he door.

  Nate tugs Danny off me. “Are you deaf? She said, no,” he yells in Danny’s face.

  Nate grunts and I instantly feel his pain through the pack bonds.

  My mind scrambles trying to work out what’s happened. I see a knife sticking out of Nate’s chest, right where his heart should be. I can’t believe what I’m seeing. I scream. “Nate!”

  Gareth appears out of nowhere and pulls at Danny, trying to get him off Nate. “Get off him, Danny.” His voice jumps up an octave, and I can only assume he’s seen the knife. “What the fuck have you done?”

  Danny releases Nate and he drops to the floor, the hold Danny had on him being the only thing keeping him upright. Danny turns his attention on Gareth and saves him across the room. “You don’t wanna fight me, Gareth. You won’t win.”

  I drop to the floor next to Nate. My eyes roaming over him while I try to think of what I should do to help. The sound of a knife scraping out of the holder on my kitchen side catches my attention and I turn to see who has the knife. My eyes fall upon them as Danny lunges at Gareth and I watch in horror as the knife s
lides across Gareth’s throat. He drops to the floor a hand clutched to the wound on his neck. This Danny isn’t the Dan I once knew, he might kill someone in the ring by accident but he’d never kill someone cold blooded like this.

  My wolf paces inside me. She wants out and she wants blood. Not Nate’s or Gareth’s, even though the room is filling with the scent of their blood. No. She wants Dan’s. He doesn’t deserve to live, not after we just watched him kill Nate and Gareth.

  One second I’m me, crouching next to Nate, the next I’m shifting in mid air. I turn into a full wolf just as my teeth rip into Danny’s throat. Shaking him as he’s held in my jaw, rips him to shreds. I can’t help but enjoy the feel of his warm blood pouring down my throat, and the meat of his flesh tearing between my teeth. The thought that this should be bothering me runs through my head for a second before the satisfaction of the kill takes its place. There’s so much blood, it’s pouring out of my mouth and pooling on Gareth, who is laid underneath the two of us. Fresh meat.

  A howl from behind me pulls me out of my frenzy causing me to spin around, ready to attack and to protect my kill. “Please Frankie. You’ve killed him. We’re all safe,” Nate pleads between jagged breaths. Nate!

  In an instant, I’m back to my human self and falling beside a barely breathing Nate. The knife still stuck in his chest. I reach for my pocket where my phone would be, if I had clothes on. Thinking about a phone makes me register ringing coming from Nate’s jeans pocket. Seeing the bulge belonging to his phone, I reach my hand into his pocket, trying not to move him about too much. Managing to tug it out I answer, not bothering with a hello. “Nate has a knife stuck in his heart. He’s losing a lot of blood and not healing.” Panic rises inside me just saying the words. “Do I take it out or will he bleed more? It might be silver.” I can hear the terror in my own voice. Nate’s hand finds my free one squeezing it comfortingly. He’s got a knife in his chest and he’s trying to comfort me.