The Chase Is On (Pack Everhart Book 1)

by Brooke Warren

  “Oh, hi.” I step back to get away from the warmth of his body. “I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean to invade your space.”

  Shit, I mouth, taking another step back. I can’t believe I just approached a man I don't even know and touched him without asking. What the hell has gotten into me?

  “I . . . uh . . . am going to . . . go.”

  “You can check me out anytime you like,” he chuckles, turning to face me.

  There are times—like this one—I look back on and realize how many seconds passed me by in which I could’ve left. I shouldn’t be here. I should already be in the bathroom.

  But it’s too late.

  As soon as his hypnotic grey eyes meet mine, my head grows fuzzy again, and instinct takes over. Desire roars to life, his scent fueling it higher.

  Mine.

  I’m pretty sure that came from my wolf, but . . .

  Our surroundings fade to nothing; my only focus is Ascher. I’m looking through my eyes but I’m not the one in control anymore. One second, I’m standing there, embarrassed but turned on, and the next, I’m wrapped around Ascher, who’s shoving me up against something hard and cold.

  Refrigerator, maybe?

  My lips part on their own, welcoming his. The kiss is powerful, sucking every bit of oxygen out of my lungs. The burning need for air is a distant thought because breathing is no longer a high priority.

  Consuming every part of him is.

  Tiny jolts of pain from his grip on my ass have me whimpering. I pull him in tighter as if there’s space left between us. The way he feels against me is electrifying, and I can’t get enough.

  His hand snakes up under my shirt, palming and kneading my breast. I arch into his touch, silently begging for more.

  Is someone talking?

  Guess I’m hearing things.

  “The eggs are burning.”

  That does sound like someone is talking—it actually sounds like Granger.

  Ascher tweaks my nipple, and a throaty moan escapes from my lips. Removing one hand from under my shirt, he brings it up and cups my chin, turning my face as he licks and nips his way down my jaw to a spot below my ear. My hooded eyes lock onto Granger and Milo, who are both leaning against the kitchen counter watching the show.

  “Shit,” I exclaim.

  How long have they been standing there?

  “Ascher.”

  “Hmm?” he grunts but doesn’t stop.

  I smack his shoulders and try pushing him off me. “Ascher, put me down,” I snap.

  He finally looks at me, the lust in his eyes clearing along with his primal side. Evidence of our actions is marked all over his face, though. Swollen lips, hooded eyes, and cheeks tinged pink. His hair is tousled, and there are scratches all down his shoulders and arms. I have no recollection of doing that.

  “What's wrong?”

  “Umm . . .”

  I turn my attention back to the other two guys standing in the room. Granger has his arms crossed over his chest. Is that a twitch at the corner of his mouth? Milo’s hands are in his pockets, but the bulge in his pants is hard to miss.

  Oh my . . .

  Thoughts of Milo naked dance across my brain, rekindling the fire roaring inside me.

  “Claudia.”

  Granger’s voice cuts through my haze again, and the rational side of my brain flickers on, bringing me back to reality.

  “I . . .” Have no idea what happened.

  Ascher sets me back on my feet. The touch of his hands on my thighs reminds me that I’m only wearing a shirt. His friend’s shirt, at that.

  Fucking hell.

  I groan inwardly, putting space between Ascher and me. My eyes dart between all three men before falling to the floor. I made a mistake coming here. All of this has been a mistake. I shift on my feet, ready to bolt when Granger speaks again.

  “There are towels in the closet across from the bathroom.” I can’t get a clear read on him. Is he mad that I just made out with his friend, or does he find this amusing?

  “Take your time. Breakfast will be ready soon.” Ascher smiles like nothing happened between us.

  Am I the only one freaking out?

  “Sure. Thanks.” I pick up my bag and dart down the hall to the bathroom, locking myself inside.

  Ascher

  My cock is rock hard. I don’t think I’ve ever been this hard before. It throbs in pulses to the beat of my heart, and Claudia’s scent is not helping. I gaze down at the tent I’m sporting in my sweats. I could be a model for one of those dick-stimulating pills.

  Whimpers and cries fill my head. My wolf is upset that she’s left the room. Me too, buddy. I know there’s something I’m supposed to be doing but focus eludes me for the moment. My body is humming with need, and it’s taking all my self-control not to tear off after her.

  It was like last night all over again but on steroids. As soon as we locked eyes, everything blurred except her.

  I’d like to know what the hell was happening because I seriously feel like I’m losing it.

  “The eggs aren’t salvageable,” Granger informs the room.

  Looking down at a pan full of overcooked, partially burnt eggs, I can’t find the will to care about breakfast at the moment. I chuck the pan in the sink and brace my arms on the edge.

  Breathe.

  Closing my eyes, I inhale and exhale slow, steady breaths, but all I can smell is her.

  “I need some air.”

  Without sparing my friends a glance, I head out onto the balcony. Holding on to the railing, I let the fresh air blow away every last speck of her essence, clearing my head in the process. The view of the city below, this time of day, is truly beautiful to behold. The dawning sun casts its rays, but the night’s shadows still lurk in corners, giving the city a serene feeling—like the calm before the storm—before people and cars swamp the roads, taking the beauty with them.

  “You good?” Granger asks.

  My head falls, shoulders slumping. Wolf’s out of the bag now, so to speak. I knew I was drawn to her when I met her, but my need for her today is much worse. Guess last night wasn’t a fluke.

  I don’t know what to do.

  “Yeah. Better.” I turn to see him and Milo watching me carefully like they’re trying to anticipate my next move. I know I lost my shit in there, but jeez.

  “I know this is the part where I make a smartass comment, but I’m wigging out right now.”

  I rub my hands down my face and then through my hair, wracking my brain for a way to explain myself. But no matter how much I try putting my thoughts into words, I can’t get them to come out of my mouth. Too afraid that I’ll sound like a certifiable nut job if I admit them out loud. It shouldn’t be this hard. They’re my best friends.

  I turn back around, unable to stand their judgmental eyes any longer. They can burn a hole into my back instead. “So . . . how bad did it look?”

  Granger comes and stands next to me. “Truth? Same as when I first met her.”

  His confession has me whipping my head to the side, gaping at him. “Seriously?”

  Granger tucks his hands in his pockets and tilts his head at me like he’s choosing his next words carefully. “I feel like I should be jealous or angry right now, but I’m not.”

  I mull over his words, thinking back on all my interactions with her while they were around.

  Well, that’s . . . odd.

  “Neither am I. What does that mean?”

  Sure, we’ve shared women between us, but we’ve never reacted to a female the way we have with Claudia. If Granger and Milo feel even half of what I do, then we’re charting unknown territory.

  “I have a theory.”

  Both Granger and I face Milo, who’s leaning against the door with his arms crossed, posture relaxed.

  How can he be so calm? This is not a time to be calm. We should all be freaking out together. I lean toward him, waiting on his lips to start moving, but they never do. Dammit, his eyes are glazed over. I hate
it when he does this shit. He starts to say something and then stops, like his train of thought gets derailed halfway through.

  I wave my hands in front of his face. “Hey. Spit it the fuck out already.”

  He blinks a few times like he just fell back to Earth. “I’m surprised neither of you has figured it out already.”

  “This isn’t the time for you to be a dick.” I narrow my eyes.

  His lips purse. “Try to keep an open mind. Don’t lose your shit like a little girl.”

  I balk. “A little girl?”

  “Yeah. Kinda like you’re doing now. Your voice rose a few pitches.”

  I run my tongue over my teeth. Asshole’s got jokes, it seems. I open my mouth to fire back when a hand clamps on my shoulder. I suck in a gulp of air. “Whatever, man.”

  “She’s your mate. Fated mate, actually. Well, I’m almost positive she is.”

  Don’t freak out.

  Don’t freak out.

  Okay . . . I’m officially FREAKING-THE-FUCK-OUT.

  Like someone punched me square in the chest, all the air in my lungs rushes out.

  Am I in an alternate universe?

  That must be it because there’s no way he spoke the truth. That’s impossible. No one meets their fated mate. They’re practically a myth because of how rare the phenomenon is.

  But what if it is true? Fated mates could explain why I wanted to grab her and make her mine the first time I laid eyes on her. A vivid image of me picking her up and backing her against a wall flashes in my mind.

  Oh yeah, that’s hot.

  “Why do you have a goofy-ass grin on your face?”

  Milo sighs. “I knew this would happen.”

  Shaking the image out of my head, I hide my frown, sad to see it go. “Nothing. Sorry.” I cough and clear my throat. “So . . . I have a mate?”

  “Yes, but I don't think she’s just yours.”

  My brows furrow but Granger’s the one who asks the question I want solved. “What do you mean, ‘not just his’?”

  “I believe she’s yours as well, and mine. Based on my interest in her, as well as my wolf’s.”

  “How . . . how is that possible? Doesn’t this sound, I don’t know, bat-shit crazy?” I throw my hands into the air.

  “It’s extremely rare, yes, but how else do you explain our reactions? From what I’ve read, this is the most likely explanation.”

  Milo’s words roll around in my head.

  I have a mate.

  Not just any mate, a fucking fated mate.

  And so do my best friends.

  This is a lot of information to process at one time. “What do we do now?”

  Granger pulls a hair tie out of his pocket and knots his hair up into a man bun. I never understood the appeal of long hair, but he pulls it off without looking girly. Besides, the ladies love it. I’ve heard them giggle and whisper about how he looks rugged yet classy at the same time.

  “There’s not much we can do. The most we can offer is friendship at this point.”

  “Friendship? Really?” I scoff. There’s not a single fiber of my being that wants to be friends with her. “How exactly do you think that’s going to go? I’m hanging onto a shred of control around her as it is—and don’t think I didn’t hear her moans and cries of pleasure last night. I’d have given anything to be you.”

  “Granger’s right,” Milo argues. “We just met her. She has plenty of problems to solve right now and doesn’t need us confusing her even more.”

  “‘Confusing’? What’s the big deal? If she is truly our mate, shouldn’t we, I don’t know, do something about it?”

  “Did you forget about the asshole we met last night? And now you wanna throw three mates on top of that? Have you even considered how torn apart she might feel, after being with Granger and then you?”

  Fuck, when he puts it like that . . .

  My chest constricts and a wave of sadness crashes down on me at the thought of her leaving and never seeing her again. The pressure continues to grow when I think about that guy Bryce doing something to hurt her.

  Screw that.

  I just found her; I’m not ready to let her go. For the first time in my life, I’ve met the one person who can complete me, make me feel less like a shell of a man. I’ll do whatever it takes to keep her safe and show her that we can be good for her.

  “Fine. Let’s get this Bryce issue figured out.” The sooner, the better.

  Granger sighs.

  Milo shakes his head. “He still doesn’t get it.”

  I ignore them both and head back inside with renewed energy and purpose.

  Time to cook breakfast for my mate.

  Claudia

  “So full,” I groan, setting my fork down and pushing my plate away.

  There’s no room left in my stomach for even one more bite. I subtly glance around the table, observing the men’s differences and similarities.

  None of them are mated, but they can’t be single. They’re beyond perfect specimens, and from what I’ve gathered so far, they have good hearts, too. Any female could consider herself lucky to be with any one of them.

  Since they’re talking amongst themselves about pack business, I take the opportunity to memorize each one of their faces. This way, I can secretly fantasize about them later. I think I deserve a harmless infatuation. I’ve put up with enough crap, lived a mostly lonely life. Nothing wrong with dreaming about something I can’t have.

  “Did you get enough to eat?” Ascher asks.

  “Yes. Thank you. It was amazing. Where did you learn to cook like that?”

  His whole face lights up. “My grandmother taught me. She told me men should learn how to cook for their females since our mates care for the children and household. I wasn’t happy about being dragged into the kitchen as a boy, but as time went on, I found that I enjoy cooking, and I’m good at it.”

  His story is touching. It makes me realize that I missed those opportunities growing up. He’s so lucky that he got to experience a loving family and now he has those memories to cherish. I choke up but refuse to bend to the threat of my pricking tears. When he starts cleaning the table, I jump up to help.

  “I got it. Why don’t you sit back down and relax.”

  “Please, let me help. I don’t feel right letting you wait on me.”

  He nods and loads the dishwasher while I gather the rest of the dishes off the table. The act seems habitual, yet foreign at the same time. It’s been a long time since I’ve lived with anyone or even stayed the night at someone’s house. Leaving my home for a night makes me uncomfortable, and the same goes for people staying with me. I like my space and privacy, but this apartment somehow doesn’t feel stifling or awkward.

  I do a quick check on my wolf, who’s been quiet for a while. She’s resting, which is not her usual routine. Huh. She must still be tired after last night.

  “When will you be ready to leave?”

  Granger looks up from his phone. “Any time you are. Have you talked to Hannah yet?”

  “No. I’ll call her on the way to my place.” Wiping my hands on a dishrag, I check to make sure we didn’t miss anything. The kitchen looks spotless. “Let me get my stuff and then we can leave.”

  I grab my bag from the room, and when I return, I make my way over to Ascher. The smile on his face grows the closer I get. No one has brought up our kiss in the kitchen, but that hasn’t stopped me from thinking about it. Heat infuses my cheeks—again.

  With slow, hesitant steps, I awkwardly close the distance between us. I don’t know why I want to hug him, but I do. “Thanks again for breakfast.”

  “You’re very welcome. It was nice meeting you.”

  “Would it be okay if I hug you?” I ask softly.

  “Absolutely, Dollface.”

  Dollface?

  I scrunch my nose.

  “What’s that face for?”

  “No to the ‘Dollface.’”

  “Hmm. Okay, what about babe?”
<
br />   “Please, no.” That’s what Bryce calls me. Just the reminder has a shudder moving through me.

  “Okay, what about Champ?”

  I shake my head.

  “Sport? Umm . . . Scout? No? Okay, what about Scooter?”

  I crack up laughing. “‘Scooter’? Really?”

  “That’s what I’m going with since you laughed.”

  “Scooter it is, then.”

  “You still owe me a hug.”

  He opens his arms, and I step into his touch. The perfect way his body fits against mine doesn’t go unnoticed. Like Granger, there’s a sense of safety in his embrace. He kisses the top of my head, then pulls away. A hollow ache in my chest grows at the loss of him.

  I turn to Milo and immediately my eyes drop to the floor. There’s something about him—I can’t quite put my finger on it. Effortlessly, he has a dominant air about him. In response, a flush breaks out over my chest and neck.

  I force myself to look at him. I don’t want to be rude. “Thank you for your help last night.”

  “You’re welcome.” A small smile curves his lips, the lip rings teasing me.

  Oookay. Definitely time to leave. “Bye.” I stop next to Granger. “Shall we?”

  “After you.”

  My first instinct after stepping into the hallway is to retreat and hide, but I wrestle the urge down. I’ve got to get home and pack as quickly as possible if I want a head start on Bryce. That’s not the only issue I need to sort out; figuring out what to tell Hannah has a new layer of anxiety weighing me down. I can’t just ghost her. She deserves an explanation. I just don’t know what to say.

  We reach Granger’s car and I toss my stuff in the back, then hop into the passenger seat. Granger slides into the driver’s seat, pausing before looking at me.

  “You sure you want to go home?” The worry on his face cracks my barriers.

  “Yes. I’ll be fine,” I lie.

  Bryce’s presence in town means I’m not safe anymore, and neither is anyone around me. Granger’s jaw ticks like he’s holding back a reprimand. “I do appreciate your concern, but this is my issue, and I need to handle it my way.”

  “I know there are secrets you can’t tell me, just like I know he’s more of a threat to you than you want me to believe. We can protect you, though. We have the resources and skills to look after you.”