by Alisa Woods
She sighed again. The lust in her eyes had cooled ten degrees. “Why not just give her to the family? They’ve wanted nothing more than to have her back all along. Or, hell, run away with her! Are you so territorial that you’d rather die than have another wolf’s magic in her blood?” She wrinkled up her nose at this, like he had suddenly turned into a distasteful beast that might soil the carpet.
Jak just shook his head, mystified. Did he really need to explain his reasoning to this witch? “Why do you care?”
“Performing dark arts is a tricky business,” she sniffed. “And a deadly one. Why are you so eager to die, little wolf?”
“I don’t want to die.” He ran a hand through his hair and stepped back farther. This witch was confounding him. “I’d like nothing more than to run away with her. But as long as she’s tied to her mate, she’ll never have the things she deserves.”
Circe shrugged. “She could still have pups. What does it matter if they’re not yours? So to speak.”
Jak growled and took two menacing steps toward her. He stopped before reaching her when her look changed from annoyed to glacier cold. She could kill him if she wished. And now that she wasn’t, for some reason, clawing at him for sex, she just might do it out of frustration.
He dialed back his own frustration and said softly, “I would happily run away and spend all my days loving her. I would like nothing more than to make a family with her. But in the end, it would all be for selfishness. Because Mace wouldn’t stop hunting her. And one day, he would find her—then he would claim not only her, but her pups too. Our babies…” Jak swallowed down the thickness in his throat then looked away to hide the water glassing his eyes. “He would have every right in pack law to claim them all. I would die before I let that happen, but I might not be able to stop it. Arianna would always live in fear of that.” He took a breath and looked back to Circe, whose face had opened in surprise. “This way I can ensure that it never comes down to that. No matter how much I want her for myself, the most important thing is to simply get her free from him.”
Circe pressed her lips together, but Jak could tell something had changed. There was a look on her face, a concerned look, that made the sharpness of her features soften.
She nodded slowly. “You may not think much of witches, little wolf, but even we are not so heartless as to stand in the way of something so… noble.”
He raised his eyebrows. “That sounds suspiciously like a compliment.”
She scowled at him. “Something you will not speak of again and will take to your grave.”
He smirked. “Of course.” But the smile was fleeting. “Will you do the spell, Circe?”
Her scowl darkened. “Yes. But it’s not something we can do in my office. And you’ll need to be in wolf form at the end. I prefer not to dispose of human bodies.”
Jak swallowed, the reality of that sinking in. “Understood.” Then he blew out a sigh of relief and gestured to the desk. “I’m still not sure why we’re not…”
“Having amazing sex on my desk?” She smirked and eyed his body. “Make no mistake, little wolf, it would have been one of the best experiences of your life.”
He cocked his head to the side. “It seems I’ll never know.”
She let out a wistful sigh. “It would have been delicious. But you were much more fun to bed when you weren’t quite so nobly rescuing the woman you love.”
He frowned. He had no idea such things mattered to witches.
She folded her arms. “Hecca would say I’m foolishly romantic. I think she’s just had one too many dark-art spells worm their way into her heart. But regardless… I’ll help you for the same reason I agreed to help Arianna’s family from the beginning. Because I don’t like to see a woman held captive and turned into a slave of the worst sort.”
His eyebrows hiked up. He did remember her saying that before, but now that he had a moment to think about it, he could see that Circe had been trying, in her own way, to free Arianna all along.
Just like him.
He tipped his head to her. “You and I might have more in common than I ever suspected, little witch.” He gave her a small smile and stepped forward, close enough to touch her, but he didn’t. “Thank you.” Her eyes widened as he gently pressed a chaste kiss to her cheek. When he pulled back, that pinkish tone was coloring her face again. He surprised even himself with how genuine his smile was.
She shook her head, as if the whole thing was hopelessly foolish, then reached for her phone lying on the desk. “It’s a damn shame to have to do this spell, little wolf. A damn shame.” Then she tapped something up on the phone and spoke into it. “Have they arrived yet?” She paused to listen. “No. I’ll meet them in the reception area when they get here. I’ll be out in just a moment.” She hung up the phone.
Jak’s pulse quickened. “The family?”
She nodded. “They’ll be here soon. But we can’t do this at Morgan Media.”
He nodded, ready to get down to business. “Understood. But first I need to talk to them. I need to make sure they can take care of Arianna after I’m gone.”
Circe nodded, biting her lip. “Arianna’s a lucky girl to have so many people love her so thoroughly.” She gestured to the door. “It seems fitting that you should all meet before she loses one of you.”
Jak didn’t think he would ever feel actual gratitude toward a witch, but there was no denying the warmth in his gut with those words. He nodded, then strode toward the door of her office. The warm feeling lasted exactly three seconds—until he opened the door to a different and decidedly more furious witch. Hecca’s dark-eyed glare was like a physical force. Jak stumbled back across the threshold, nearly bumping into Circe.
Hecca quickly turned her fury on her sister. “Circe, why is our receptionist on the lookout for a pack of wolves coming to meet you?” She gave Jak a disgusted look. “And what is he doing here again? I thought we were done with this business.”
Circe breezed past Jak, hooking her arm through his along the way. She fluttered her fingers at Hecca. “Nothing for you to be concerned about, sister dear.”
Hecca was hot on their heels.
Circe sauntered toward the front, towing Jak with her.
“The fact that you don’t find this concerning,” Hecca hissed, “is exactly why I’m concerned.”
Circe whirled on her sister, and the humor was gone from her face. “I’m having a little fun, Hecca. Be a dear and don’t ruin it.”
Hecca wrinkled her nose up in disgust. “With all of them? For the love of magic, Circe, you’re taking this obsession of yours with these… dogs… a little too far.”
Jak let out a low growl, playing along and bolstering Circe’s cover. Slipping out for a wolfy orgy wasn’t exactly an unbelievable lunchtime activity for Circe, if he had to take a guess.
Hecca narrowed her eyes at him. “Don’t growl at me, wolf. Not in my own coven. Not unless you want to end up as ash.”
Circe tugged him closer, protectively. “Get your own playthings, Hecca.” She said it loud enough for the entire office to hear. They certainly had everyone’s attention.
Jak tried not to flinch as Circe ran her hand up his arm, squeezing his muscles lasciviously as she went. Hecca’s disgust turned to loathing, but before she could start spitting spells at them, Circe turned them away and sauntered toward the front of the office again. Jak peeked back, but Hecca wasn’t following after them anymore. Circe cuddled up to his side as close as she could get, her hand still roaming and getting a good feel.
Jak dipped his head to hers and said softly, “You enjoyed that, didn’t you?”
Circe smirked just before they reached the frosted-glass doors of the office. “Whipping Hecca into a froth is one of life’s small, sublime pleasures.”
Jak chuckled they stepped across the threshold into the reception area. Soon he would meet Arianna’s family… and, if all went according to plan, his fate as well.
Arianna paced the small confines
of Sarra’s living room, from the weathered leather couch spilling out stuffing to the shelves filled with art books at the end near the studio. She’d had three cups of tea already, and she and Sarra had lapsed into a heavy silence. They were waiting for Jak to return from whatever “errand” he had to run, but Arianna couldn’t help feeling something had gone wrong. Every moment he wasn’t calling inched up her back like a glacier of dread.
While Arianna paced, Sarra calmly read the newspaper.
Arianna glanced at Sarra’s phone. It had been an hour since Jak called. “Something has happened,” she said without slowing in her pacing.
Sarra didn’t look up from her paper. “Nothing has happened.”
Arianna didn’t have a phone—Jak had given her one, but Mace had taken it—or she would have called Jak already. What errand could he possibly have to do that was more important than getting out of Seattle? Or reuniting with her family, now that she knew they were looking for her? At least, she thought they were looking for her—Jak hadn’t been sure. Maybe that was the errand? Was he finding out if it was true? And even if it was, he said it wasn’t safe to go there… that it was the first place Mace would look for her. Which was no doubt true. Something about the phone call Jak had to make sent him off on this mysterious errand… was he going after her family to keep them safe?
Her nerves were stretched so tight, she was about ready to snatch up Sarra’s phone and call Jak herself. It called to her from the spot where it sat on the rickety kitchenette table next to Sarra’s tea mug.
“What did Jak say about this errand he’s running?” Arianna asked for the third time.
Sarra sighed but still didn’t look up from her paper. “Just that it would take an hour and he would call when he was done.”
“It’s been an hour.”
“It’s been thirty-four minutes.” Her voice was tight. Arianna couldn’t tell if she knew more than she was saying or if she was just getting annoyed with Arianna. Which she could understand: Jak was Sarra’s ex, and here she was, having to babysit his new lover. Arianna bit her lip as she paced. She hated to make it worse for Sarra, but worry about Jak and what he was up to was making her wolf stomp and snort. She was about to crawl out of her skin with it.
Arianna clenched her fists as she paced. “He’s gone and done something stupid, Sarra.”
Sarra turned the page of her paper. “Most of the things Jak does are stupid.”
Arianna grabbed a chair at the table, turned it around, and sat backward in it. “He’s gone after Mace. I just know it.”
“Who’s Mace?”
“My alpha.” Arianna gripped the back of her chair to keep from popping back up and pacing again.
Sarra finally looked up from her paper with an inscrutable expression. “That would be stupid, even for Jak.” But then the corners of Sarra’s mouth turned down. She had to be thinking it was possible, too.
“Maybe he’s going to slip back into the estate and attack Mace while he’s still recovering.” Arianna choked up. “Oh God, Sarra, what if he gets himself killed? I almost lost him once already…” Then she had to stop because tears were about to spill, and she had no time for that.
Sarra put the paper down and reached out to lay a hand on Arianna’s white-knuckled ones. “Whatever he’s doing, Jak’s planning on coming back to you. He said he would call: he’ll call.”
Arianna glanced at the phone on the table. “Let me call him. Please.”
Sarra sighed and pulled her hand back. She seemed to wrestle with the idea for a moment, then slid the phone toward Arianna. “Go ahead. Tell him I’ve got better things to do than wait around for him.”
Arianna gave her a grateful smile then snatched up the phone. Sarra was quickly becoming one of her favorite people. Jak’s number was the most recent incoming call, so she didn’t have to troll through Sarra’s phone book. Arianna was glad at least for that—she felt bad for all the imposition they had already made on Sarra’s life.
Arianna pressed the phone to her ear, drumming her fingertips rapidly on the table top as it rang.
And rang.
And rang.
Finally it went to message. She hung up without leaving one.
“No answer,” she said, her voice tight.
“He’s probably busy doing whatever he’s doing.” Sarra went back to reading the paper.
Arianna jumped out of the chair and paced again, the phone clutched in her hand. “He’s in trouble. I know it.”
“If he was in trouble, he would have picked up the phone.” Sarra gave an elaborate sigh, setting the paper down again. “Jak’s a smart man. He knows you’re here, waiting. He’s not going to leave you stranded. He just has something to do that he doesn’t want you mixed up in.”
Arianna stopped her pacing. “That only means it’s dangerous.”
“Or that he can take care of it better on his own. He said he would tell you all about it when it was done.” Sarra’s eyes narrowed. “Do you trust him?”
Arianna took a deep breath and let it out slowly. “I do. I swear, I trust him with my life, Sarra. I’m just not sure I trust him with his.”
Sarra frowned. “Yeah. I know what you mean.” She shook her head and studied the pitted tabletop for a moment. “We’ll just have to wait until he calls. Then we can stitch him back up or pick up the pieces or whatever he needs.”
But that sparked an idea in Arianna’s head. She shook the phone at Sarra. “My family is looking for me.” At least, she hoped that was true. Even if it wasn’t, she should alert them that she had broken free… and that Mace might be coming there next.
Sarra cocked an eyebrow. “You have a pack?”
“It’s just my brothers and my mom. We’re hardly a pack. That’s why Mace was able to capture me so easily. We were outnumbered.”
Sarra scowled, but Arianna was already pulling up the phone’s numberpad to dial. It had been a long time, but she had Marco’s number memorized.
“If they’re looking for me,” Arianna said, “they might be nearby. If not, they need to know I’m out. And that Mace might be looking for me at home. At the very least, I can tell them where I am. They can clear out, maybe stash my mom somewhere safe, and come get me. By the time Jak calls, they’ll be on their way. Whatever his plan is, they can help.”
Sarra was back to frowning again. “Are you sure that’s what Jak wants? Maybe involving your family in this isn’t the way to go.”
Arianna looked up as the phone started to ring. “They’re involved whether they want to be or not. And I’m not leaving Jak alone in this.”
Sarra nodded in approval. “It would be better to have a few more fangs around, in case this gets ugly. Besides, I don’t like where this is heading.” She held up a hand. “But I do not want them coming here! The last thing I need is a parade of wolves through my door. I don’t want people to think I’m back in the business again. Got it?”
“I promise,” Arianna said quickly as the phone rang again. “We’ll take it somewhere else. I’ll arrange a meet.” Her heart started to pound at the mere thought of seeing her family again.
The phone picked up. “Hello?” It was tentative—of course, her brother wouldn’t recognize Sarra’s caller ID—but it was definitely Marco’s voice. It felt so good to hear it again.
“Marco! It’s me, Arianna.” Her voice was breathy with excitement.
“Arianna?” He was still tentative. “Why are you calling on this phone?”
“It’s a long story.” Arianna glanced at Sarra. “I’m in Seattle. But I’m not at the Red wolf estate. I ran away and—”
“Holy shit, it’s really you!” Marco’s voice took a swing up, enthusiasm kicking in. “Are you okay? How did you get out? What the… Arianna, oh my god… Mom is going to be so happy.”
“I know!” She could hardly get the words out, she was grinning so hard. “I can hardly believe it myself.”
“What happened?” he asked, the hope in his voice warring with concern. “A
re you free of him, sis? I mean… is he…”
“No, he’s not dead.” Arianna blew out a breath. “And that’s why I’m calling, actually. You and Kalis and Mom need to go somewhere safe. Mace is going to come looking for me, sooner or later. And I need your help, Marco.”
“Of course. Whatever you need. We’re practically in Seattle anyway...” She could hear Marco whisper something, covering the phone with his hand. After a moment, he was back. “Kalis is calling Mom. I’ll have her go to Robertson’s ranch for a while. He’ll keep her somewhere safe until this is handled.”
“Oh good.” The tension in her body stepped down a notch. She always knew Marco would make a fine alpha someday… and in the six months since she’d been gone, he seemed to have grown into it even more. She could hear it in his voice. “Wait… did you say you’re almost to Seattle?”
“Yeah.” He seemed to hesitate a moment. “We’re on our way to visit some witches.”
“What?” Wolves and witches didn’t mix. Not that she’d ever met one, but it was like a sixth sense… not to mention all the horror stories she’d heard growing up.
“We were desperate, Ari.” That was what her father had always called her.
It made her choke up even more. “You were trying to get me back, weren’t you?”
“Every day since the moment that bastard took you.” He growled out each word.
Now she really was going to cry. She turned away from Sarra’s curious gaze and said softly, “Oh, Marco. I’ve missed you guys so much.”
“I know, sis. But it’s going to be over soon. We’re coming for you. Just tell me where you are.” His voice was full alpha-mode now, and it made her heart sing.
Arianna wiped her face, pushing away tears she didn’t have time for. “I’m in a safe place, but you can’t come here. Let me meet you somewhere. These witches… they were helping you, right?”
“Yeah,” Marco said, hesitation back in his voice. “There’s one that’s… well, she’s different. Decent. For a witch, I mean.”
“Maybe I can meet you there,” Arianna said.
