The Loner (Daughters of Destiny Book 1)

by K. R. Grace

  I grabbed my bag and my jacket before opening the door. He was dressed in jeans and a thin blue long-sleeved shirt despite the frigid temperatures.

  “Ready?” He gave me a tender smile as he held out his hand to me.

  “Bye, Mom!” I called back and then followed him to his Jeep.

  Before opening my door for me, Drake spun me around, cupping my face right before he took my breath away with a heated, possessive kiss. God, I was hopeless where this boy was concerned. All too soon, he released my lips, drawing me into his arms so he could bury his nose in my neck. He took in a deep sniff, his body relaxing with the action. “Mornin’, baby. Did you sleep good?”

  “Yeah, but it would’ve been nice to wake up with you.” I sighed as I clung onto his waist.

  “I didn’t want to wake you, but when your folks started moving around, I knew it was my cue to leave. Not sure how you could explain an oversized Wolf sleeping in your bed.”

  “What was that all about, anyway? I mean, not that it wasn’t nice, but why did it feel like you were…I don’t know. It kind of felt like you were stuck like that.”

  “For another time.”

  “Ugh, here we go again!”

  He only took my hand and squeezed it. I was glad we were on speaking terms again, but I was tired of him hedging with me. Didn’t he trust me?

  “Just trust me when I say you are safe, okay?”

  Oh, sure, I’m supposed to trust you, but it’s okay for you to not trust me. It doesn’t work that way, buddy.

  “Can you do something for me today?”

  “What?”

  “Try to organize something with Onyx and Wayley for Friday night.”

  “What, why?” I’d hoped he and I could do something together on Friday.

  “Because, I need to be out of town, and I don’t want to worry about you.”

  “Do you have cause to worry about me?”

  He didn’t answer. I let out something that resembled a growl and slammed my fist down on the door handle. Given my lack of strength, the dang thing hardly moved.

  “Just promise me you’ll do it.”

  “No, Drake, I’m not going to promise anything. I’m so sick of you telling me half-truths and leaving me in the dark because you somehow think you’re doing what’s best for me. Well, newsflash, the only thing you’re doing is pissing me off!”

  Drake swerved off to the side of the road and cut the engine. For several moments he stared out at nothing before finally turning to look at me. His hair was down and the tips were still damp from his morning shower. The smell of his soap, citrus and pine, swirled around me, making it hard for me to stay mad. His Adam’s apple bobbed as he struggled internally with something.

  He reached over the console and cupped my face in his large hands. All the air left my lungs as I fell headfirst into his penetrating gaze. His eyes lowered to my lips, making me lick them in anticipation.

  Please, kiss me!

  I needed this. I ached for that connection with him. Even my nuclei were crying out for him to bridge the tiny gap between our mouths and make me forget my name, let alone why I was ticked at him.

  “I can’t tell you why I have to leave, Star. You just have to accept it.” His warm, minty breath spread across my face. I took in a deep breath, mesmerized by his nearness.

  “Are you seeing someone else?” I hated how my voice squeaked. If he’d just kiss me already, I wouldn’t be able to think up junk like that.

  He released me and leaned back against his chair with a thunk. His shoulders slumped as he looked down at his hands clenching the steering wheel. “No, you’re it for me.”

  So much for that kiss.

  “Give me something. Please. I’m tired of being in the dark about everything.”

  Drake ran his fingers through his hair as he turned to look at me. “The reason why I was stuck like that last night? It’s an Alpha thing.”

  “Huh?”

  Pink tinged his tanned cheeks as he stared out his window. “When a female the Alpha desires to mate with is, ah…” he paused to clear his throat, “in heat, God, this is embarrassing.” He let out a ragged breath, running his fingers through his hair…again. I was surprised he still had hair left as much as he’d been doing it for the past ten minutes.

  “Drake?” I pressed on. Part of me thought I knew what he was trying to say, but I needed to hear the words.

  “It’s the Alpha’s job to take care of his mate. At night the urges are stronger, making the need more…potent I guess is the right word. He can’t rest until he’s either mated with her or she is no longer in heat.”

  At first I wasn’t following. Then, my eyes grew wide as realization dawned. “You mean I made you like that?” I could feel my cheeks flaming. God, this was beyond embarrassing. He’d been stuck as a Wolf because the Alpha in him needed to have sex with me because I was ovulating? Someone shoot me now!

  “Like I said, I need you to be busy Friday night. It’s hardest to resist the first and last nights. Don’t ask why, ‘cause I don’t have an answer.”

  “Since I’m not a Wolf, how would, um, how could…” I trailed off, my mind unable to wrap itself around the concept.

  “Nothing can happen until you’re a Wolf, Star. That’s why I have to keep my distance.”

  “Gottcha. Then fine, I’ll make plans for Friday.”

  He cleared his throat before he re-started the car. “Thank you.”

  I spent the rest of the ride staring out the window, trying to come up with something to do. Every time I had an idea he would say, “No, not good enough” or “That can’t be fun.” I gave up trying to think with him and just enjoyed the short silence before he parked the Jeep in his usual spot in the back lot.

  We walked inside holding hands. I expected us to split as soon as we made it to my locker, but he waited patiently while I stowed away my books and grabbed what I’d need for first period. He stayed with me until we stood beside the door to the chemistry lab.

  He didn’t say anything. Instead, he kissed me lightly on the lips before he turned and walked away. I took a second to appreciate the view of his backside before walking into the classroom. Wayley was already there waiting for me, and I decided to give her the chance to decide on what we should do.

  “Hey Wayley, got any plans for Friday?” I asked as casually as I could despite the fact I didn’t normally do this sort of thing.

  “Well, actually, no. Got something in mind?” She perked up in her seat. It was the first time I noticed she’d become more subdued around me. Maybe I was rubbing off on her. That thought almost made me snort.

  “I thought you, Onyx, and I could do something together.”

  “That sounds like fun. What were you thinking of doing?”

  “I don’t know. I was kind of hoping you’d have some ideas.”

  “Let me talk to Onyx. She’s the planner. We’ll come up with something.”

  Happy, Drake?

  ~*~*~*~*~*~

  He wasn’t in band.

  Coward!

  I thought of a million different reasons for his absence but none of them seemed to fit. After class was over, I pulled out my phone, prepared to call my mom and ask for a ride when I spotted him leaning against a row of lockers near the back doors of the school.

  Where have you been? I glared at him as I walked in his direction.

  He straightened but offered no apologies.

  I followed him out to his Jeep in silence. I tried to clear my mind and think about nothing. While I was struggling with my seatbelt, it dawned on me that thinking about nothing was still thinking about something because I was in the act of trying not think about anything. This whole mindreading thing was messing with my head.

  He pulled into my driveway and shut off the engine.

  “I know you want explanations,” he said, not looking at me.

  I settled for studying his strong profile. His hair was much shorter than it’d been this morning. He’d shaved the side
s and left only a little bit on top. I missed his long hair.

  I wasn’t sure why, but his jeans and black hoodie seemed out of place. I’d gotten accustomed to his tight black shirts, I guess. My mind went back to our time on the swing. His Wolf form seemed to fit better than his human form. That realization made me sad.

  “I want to be honest with you about everything, but you already know too much as it is. I won’t risk your life, Star.” He glanced over at me. “You’re too precious to me.”

  “If I might be in danger, don’t you think I have the right to know so I’m not caught with my pants around my ankles?”

  “You can’t prepare for this. You’ll be dead before you realize it.” His tone was bleak, and his eyes went dim as he spoke.

  Fear closed my throat, and I felt an anxiety attack creeping into my chest. “What about you? Couldn’t you die because of this?”

  “Possibly. Shifters can kill each other, but the Creator must allow it. If anyone else attacks me, I heal too quickly for their wounds to off me. Watch.”

  He pulled out a pocketknife from his back pocket and flipped out the blade. He slowly pressed the tip into his skin and dragged it from the crook of his elbow down to his wrist. I cried out at the sight of him inflicting pain on himself, but anything else I planned on saying never made it out into the open because I was stunned into silence. Although the metal originally made an incision, before he moved it another inch, the mark was gone. When he was finished, it looked like nothing had ever happened.

  “So, will you ever die?”

  “Yes, like I said before, when the Creator says it’s my time.”

  “What does that mean?”

  “I have to fulfill my purpose on earth before I can move on.”

  “Your time isn’t up, is it?”

  He chuckled, “No, but there for a while I thought it was.”

  “Is the Wolf pack causing your problems? Is that it?”

  “No, this is far worse than an overprotective pack of wolves.”

  “Please tell me, Drake. I can’t afford not to know.”

  “Star…” he didn’t say anything else, but I saw it in his eyes. There was some force keeping him from telling me. No matter how much I begged, he couldn’t let me in.

  “I just hope you don’t regret your silence. You say you care about me, but if you never let me into your heart, how can I ever give you mine?” I sighed and grabbed my bag to leave.

  “Wait, just wait a minute. It seems like all we ever do is end on bad terms,” he growled.

  I clutched my bag to my chest as if it were a shield.

  “I need you to understand I will never hurt you. I will destroy anyone or anything that tries to lay a hand on you. Do you understand me? You’re safe with me.”

  “But you aren’t always with me.”

  “I’m always closer than you think.”

  “That’s such a cliché,” I scoffed to hide the fact his words comforted me.

  “It’s the truth.” He shrugged. “You should probably get inside. Your mom is peeping out the window.”

  “Honestly, they think I’m suicidal,” I sighed and went to open the door.

  “Grieving…yes…suicidal…no,” he said, stopping my movements.

  “Sometimes I wonder which is worse, being the one living or the one dead.” I stared out at the field.

  “The one still living, always.”

  I turned and looked into his understanding eyes and something clicked inside of me, as if the final puzzle piece fell into place. I wasn’t sure what it was exactly because I was still trying to see the whole picture, but I knew at that moment something changed inside of me where Drake was concerned.

  “Bye,” I croaked around the knot in my throat before climbing out of the Jeep.

  Thanks.

  ~*~*~*~*~*~

  Drake picked me up the next day, but rather than taking a left out of my community to go to school, he made a right. He never asked. He just assumed I’d be okay with whatever he was doing.

  “What’s going on? Forget something?” I asked when I realized we were headed toward his house.

  “No, just thought we could both use a day off.” Okay, so maybe he was right just this one time.

  I was excited at the thought of spending an entire day with Drake. No interruptions. No parents sticking their noses in our business.

  Drake reached over and took my hand and squeezed it, giving me a goofy smile.

  This time, I was prepared for the bumps. I still slid around in my seat, but my death grip on the “oh crap” bar kept me mostly steady. We dodged trees, bouncing over roots, and slid into turns like a motocross racer. Not once did we travel on a road of any kind.

  When we came to a stop, I looked at the cabin and couldn’t shake the emptiness exuberating from it. It was as if it literally screamed the absence of human life.

  “Where’s Meliena?”

  “At the community college. She likes to take classes every now and then.” He gave me the “how did you know she wasn’t here” glare. In all honesty, I didn’t have a clue. It was just something I sensed.

  We both got out of the SUV at the same time, and I followed him around the house. The sky was overcast, but the wind wasn’t as fierce as it’d been the past few days. A large barn emerged into view. I couldn’t help but quirk my head at the sight of it. What the heck did a Wolf store in a barn? Dinner?

  Drake effortlessly opened the massive wooden doors, which I had to admit was kind of hot. I’d expected farm equipment or bales of hay or possibly even animals waiting for their death. I definitely didn’t expect to be greeted to a swank car garage. Everything that wasn’t a vehicle was encased in chrome. Tools and machines were neatly stored along the walls, and there was a massive black leather couch in the center of the room. For viewing pleasure, maybe? The concrete floor glowed like a recently groomed ice skating rink. The cars on display in the room were shiny, like coins fresh from the mint.

  “These are my babies,” he said as he crossed his bulging arms with pride.

  I had no idea what any of the cars were, but I definitely recognized them as being the best of the best. There were ten vehicles, all in pristine condition. One car looked like it had to be one of the very first cars ever made. It had a button leather bench seat and a crank in the front. The only car I personally recognized by make and model was the newest one, a 2012 Lamborghini. It was bright yellow and looked every bit as fast as it was. I gravitated toward it. The car was all kinds of sexy. I barely breathed for fear of messing something up. The place was seriously cool, and seriously unexpected.

  “This is my newest addition.” Drake said as he moved to stand right behind me. He wrapped his arms around me, pulling me until my back was snuggled up against his front.

  “How in the world can you afford it? Aren’t they like two hundred and fifty grand or something like that?” I stood a respectful distance from it.

  “Yeah, but you save up a lot of money when you’ve been on the earth as long as I have,” he shrugged. The movement felt weird in this close proximity.

  Of course. Maybe he made some smart stock investments?

  “Want to test her out?”

  “We’re in the middle of the woods. She might get a scratch.”

  “Trust me. She’ll be fine.”

  I bit my lip in indecision as I tilted my head back to look up at him. “I don’t know, Drake. Your driveway is pretty rough.”

  “Who says we’re taking the driveway?” He smirked, releasing me to push a button on a panel mounted on the metal wall behind him. A loud pop sounded, and then the floor to our right began to drop. I gasped and jumped back, like a total dork. The ground finally came to a stop, making a ramp leading to an underground tunnel.

  “Welcome to my kingdom.” He tossed me the keys, which naturally deflected off my hand and crashed onto the floor.

  “Way to go, slick,” Drake chuckled.

  “Hey, you know I’m athletically challenged.” I m
umbled as I bent to retrieve them.

  “Let’s take her for a spin.” Drake gave me a devilish grin that made my knees go weak.

  “I can’t drive a stick shift,” I panicked, knowing all foreign sports cars were manuals.

  “I’m a good teacher.”

  I scuffed my converses on the pavement to make sure I didn’t damage the interior with my muddy feet before getting in the car. I stared blankly at the keyless dash until Drake leaned over and the engine purred to life at the press of a button. I hadn’t driven since the accident. The vibrations in my hands as I held onto the wheel both terrified and excited me.

  “Now, put the car in first and let up on the clutch. Just ease down the ramp. You’ll be fine,” he instructed.

  The gears crunched and the car lurched forward as I slowly maneuvered us down the ramp. Once the ground leveled out, I braked to take in my surroundings.

  We appeared to be in some underground cave. Stalactites and stalagmite speared up and down all around us. The air was cool, and the smell of musky earth tickled my nose.

  “Drake, where are we?”

  “Just follow the tunnel to the right. I’ll explain everything once we get there.”

  I hesitated as I studied the dark tunnel entrance illuminated only by the car’s headlights. I was going to get us killed trying to do this. The car wasn’t made for mudding in a cave. And I definitely wasn’t coordinated enough to operate a stick shift on dry land, let alone on the highway to Middle Earth.

  Drake brought my knuckles up to his lips for a brief kiss. “I have faith in you, Star. Just put her in first and go slow.”

  I looked into his trusting silver eyes for a few more moments. Then, on a silent prayer, I shifted into first and the car began to roll.

  “Great, isn’t it?” Drake asked and squeezed my hand. It was only then that I was aware of our fingers locked and resting on the gear shift. I, of course, made no effort to remove it.

  “You have no idea,” I sighed and felt a tear slide down my cheek. I might have only been going five miles an hour, but I was finally driving again. God, the freedom!

  The tunnel was wider than I originally thought. The cave walls sparkled under the beams of the car’s headlights. Several times I caught myself drifting too close to the sides because I was mesmerized by the new world around me.