by B M Griffin
Demetri laughed at her back and she could feel his chest shake against her, as he held her so tightly. “Yeah, that’s not happening, Jared, but A+ for effort.”
Jared was flexing his fists and his eyes were running over her and Demetri, and Megan was certain he was trying to figure out a way to get her out of Demetri’s grasp, without her being hurt. As tightly as the knife was being pressed against her throat, she was certain that any sudden movements would send the blade slicing through her flesh, and things would not end well for her. Considering Jared did not make a move toward Demetri, he must have come up with the same conclusion.
“What the fuck do you want, Falin?” Jared barked.
Demetri clicked his tongue and moved his face closer to Megan’s. When he spoke, she could feel his breath on her cheek, and it took every last bit of her willpower to keep her from jerking herself away from him; knife to her throat be damned.
“Did you forget to share my message with your boyfriend, Megan?” Demetri chastised.
“I told him what you said.” Megan hated the way her voice cracked when she spoke. Demetri might have had her at a disadvantage, but the last thing she wanted was to feed his ego by sounding like a frightened damsel at his mercy.
“My pack knows your dumb ass plan to try to get Shayla and Adam back on your side, Falin,” the way Jared said Demetri’s last name, it sounded like he was cussing. “Too bad for you, Shayla and Adam killed Kevin the last time he came after our pack. Even if it’s true and he’s back, we will just take him out again. Nobody’s interested in being one of his lackeys. Best thing you can do for yourself is crawl your ass back to the hole you came from, or you’ll wind up dead like him.”
“That’s where you’re wrong, my friend. Kevin can’t be killed, not by you or your hot-to-trot wolves, Shayla and Adam. He’s evolved to something far more powerful than any of us, and if you want any chance at saving your girl here, then you need to do what you’re told. Hand over our pack members, and be sure Shayla and Adam come along, too. Kevin’s got big plans for them.”
“Not happening,” Megan piped in, before Jared could say a word. “You can kill me if you want, but he isn’t going anywhere near my friends.”
“Megan!” Jared snapped, then he turned his attention back to Demetri. “Don’t even think about hurting her.”
“I’m just one person, Jared,” Megan pleaded. “I can’t ask you to trade so many people just to save my life. Let me protect them the way they’ve been protecting me.”
“Wow,” Demetri said. There was a sense of awe in his voice, and the pressure he’d been asserting on her throat with the knife actually subsided slightly. “I’m impressed, Ms. Shafer. You’ve got real balls; I admire that in a female. Maybe we could arrange something different just between the two of us.” He ran his free hand down the outer swell of her breast and she heard a low rumble coming from his throat, then he pressed his body closer to her backside. “I assure you I can make you feel things that your little boy toy here could never even imagine.”
“I’m going to kill you!” Jared roared.
Demetri laughed, but Jared’s outburst had been enough to distract him and the hand which held the knife, lowered just a bit more. Megan took the opportunity, small as it was, to try to break free. Lifting her right leg, she bent it at the knee, then kicked backward as hard as she could, while being awkwardly caught in Demetri’s hold. She aimed for the spot she knew would hurt him the most, and when he screamed, she knew she’d met her intended target.
“Agh! You fucking bitch.”
His grip loosened, but not enough. When Megan jerked away from him, the knife sliced across the base of her throat, and the pain made her stumble and fall to her knees. Jared lunged forward, slamming into Demetri. Megan gripped her throat, trying to apply pressure to slow the blood that was flowing from her neck. She could hear Jared and Demetri fighting, and judging by all the growling, she had to assume they’d both shifted into their wolf forms. She couldn’t keep up with who was winning, as the two of them looked like a massive ball of fur and teeth.
Megan tried to get up, but she was suddenly feeling weak and it was becoming harder for her to keep her eyes open, but she was determined to stay awake for Jared. She needed to know if he was okay; that he was safe. Just before she lost the battle with her heavy lids, Shayla and Adam came running into her house. Shayla dropped to her knees at Megan’s side, and something behind her was glowing like bright blue flames. Just before Megan lost consciousness, she heard a loud shrieking yelp come from behind Shayla, then nothing.
CHAPTER ELEVEN
Jared
Everything happened so fast. Megan drove her heel backward into Demetri’s balls, loosening his grasp on her, and as soon as she was out of the way Jared jumped Demetri, taking him to the ground. He could see Megan fall to the ground, smell her fresh blood thick in the air, but he couldn’t get to her. He had to deal with Demetri first. If he even thought about turning his back to see to Megan, Demetri would have the chance to kill them both.
When Jared heard Shayla’s voice in his head hope filled him for the first time since he saw the wolves who’d broken down Megan’s front door. “We’re here,” she spoke in his mind. “You need to get back. Adam’s going to take Demetri out fast.”
When Jared heard their footsteps on the front steps he jumped back from Demetri, making room for Adam. Adam rushed into the house, already shifted and his wolf was a fiery, blue flash when he ran past Jared and straight into Demetri. The asshole never stood a chance. The moment Adam dug his canines into Demetri’s flesh, Demetri was overcome by Adam’s flames, and in seconds the wolf Jared had been fighting minutes earlier was nothing more than a pile of gray ash at Adam’s feet.
“Get over here!” Shayla yelled from her crouched position next to Megan.
Jared’s heart stopped for a few beats when he turned and his eyes landed on the blood surrounding Megan. He quickly made his way over to Megan and dropped to his knees next to Shayla at Megan’s side. “Megan,” he croaked.
“She’s lost too much blood,” Shayla said despite it being obvious with just one look at her.
“We need to call an ambulance,” Jared said. He leaned over her and lightly touched her face.
Shayla put her hand over his and waited for him to look at her. “Jared, you know we can’t do that. Look at this place. How will we explain it?”
“I don’t care! All that matters is that she’s okay.”
“That’s what I want too,” Shayla spoke softly. “That’s why I think you need to bite her.”
“Now is not the time for that, Shayla! What the hell are you thinking? She needs a doctor.”
A strong hand gripped his shoulder and he turned back to see Adam glaring down at him, with his free hand clenched beside him. “I know you’re scared, but you need to watch how you talk to my wife,” he said between gritted teeth.
“She’s dying!” Jared roared. “And she,” he jabbed his finger in Shayla’s direction, “is worried about cops and is talking nonsense.”
Shayla got in his face and shoved his chest that time. All of the sadness that had taken over her features was gone and she looked pissed. “I want you to change her you, idiot! Making her one of us might be the only thing that can save her at this point. I know you hear her slowing heartbeat. We’re running out of time while you freak out, so either bite her now or I’m going to do it.”
“She’s right,” Adam said, the anger gone from his tone. “The change could save her. Even if we call an ambulance, I don’t think they’d get here in time.”
Jared turned back to Megan. He leaned over her and kissed her cheek, then he buried his face in her hair. “I’m so sorry. So sorry.”
“Jared,” Shayla’s voice was soft and full of emotion. Megan was her best friend and Jared knew that she was just as scared as he was. He’d been an ass yelling at her when he knew she was only trying to look out for her friend. “You need to do it now, before her heart gets any
weaker.”
Gently, Jared moved her hair away from her face and uncovered her neck. He allowed his canines to distend, then as gently as he could, he pressed his teeth into her throat, giving his werewolf venom time to travel into her bloodstream. She didn’t wake up or stir in the slightest. Jared pulls away slowly, not wanting to leave a bad scar, and licked the wound from his bite.
He watched her for what seems like forever and she never moved, never offers any sign that she is going to be okay. “She’s not responding. What if it didn’t work?” Jared didn’t recognize his own voice; it was shaky and he had to force every word passed his lips because he didn’t want to consider what it would mean if he’d been too late.
“What if I waited too long?” he choked out. Tears were running down his face, but he didn’t care. All that he cared about was Megan.
Adam bent down beside him and gave his shoulders a comforting squeeze. “Come on, let’s get her out of here. We won’t know anything for at least a few more hours, and you don’t want her to wake up here. She should wake up somewhere safe, with you and her new pack.”
He knew what Adam was trying to do; trying to ignore the dire consequences of what it would mean if Jared had not been quick enough, if Megan never woke up again. Adam was trying to be the half glass full representation of life in a room full of death. Jared appreciated it, truly, because even if he was overwhelmed with fear and guilt that he might have been too late to save her, he needed to know that there was someone who believed she was definitely going to pull through. He needed to believe that she would survive, and Adam’s words helped him hang on to that hope.
****
Jared slammed his fist into the wall on the opposite side of the hallway the moment he exited the bedroom where Megan laid, tucked into the bed, and still not awake. More than eight hours had passed since Demetri Falin and his jackass buddies had broken into her place, and Jared had failed at the one thing that should have been his foremost priority—he hadn’t protected her, and now he had no idea if she was going to survive.
“She’s going to be okay.”
Jared didn’t look up when Shayla approached. He couldn’t look her in the eye, not while he was lost in his head over not protecting her best friend. She was holding out hope for now, but if Megan didn’t survive, he would never be able to face her knowing it was his fault.
“We don’t know that,” he said without looking at her. Instead, he kept his eyes glued on the hole his fist had just created in the wall. “She still hasn’t woken.”
Shayla put her hand on his back, trying to draw her attention to him, but he just dropped his head and let his eyes fall to the floor. “Jared, you know better than I do how the transformation works. The longer she sleeps, the stronger she will be when she wakes up as a wolf.”
When he finally found the will to look at Shayla he knew that she could see he’d been crying. He could feel how puffy his eyes were, and he had no doubt that his eyes were red from all the tears he’d shed at Megan’s bedside. “How can you be so sure she’s sleeping because she’s going through her transition and not just in a coma or something?”
Shayla squeezed his arm. “Because that’s what I’m choosing to believe. She needs us to be strong for her, Jared. To hold out hope that she’s going to come out of this stronger than ever.”
Jared really let her words seep in and he knew that she was right. He needed to pull his shit together and be there for Megan. Supporting her instead of assuming the worst. “She was so brave,” he said after a moment. “When she saw the three wolves going after me she never hesitated to try to save me, even though she had to know they could have easily taken her down. Then, when Demetri had that knife to her throat, she kept her cool and was willing to give herself up to save our pack, and to make sure you and Adam never had to be faced with turning yourselves over to Kevin. She risked it all to take him down.”
Shayla wiped the tears that had begun flowing down her face. “I knew she was strong. She’s always been strong, stronger than me for sure. She will pull through this, Jared, and when she does I’m sure we’re all going to be in awe of just how powerful she becomes.”
Jared gave her a tight hug. “Thanks, Shayla. Megan’s lucky to have a friend like you, and so am I.”
“I think we’re all pretty lucky to have each other.”
CHAPTER TWELVE
Megan
There was a warm body beside her and a heavy arm stretched across her torso. When she opened her eyes, she turned her head and saw that Jared was lying in bed next to her. It was dark in the room but she could still see him as clear as day. He was fully dressed and, despite being asleep, his face was drawn and there were deep stress lines marring his forehead. Megan reached over to him and lightly ran her fingers over his face, trying to smooth the worry away. She had a gut feeling she was responsible for the anxiety that was pouring out of him even as he slept. She had no idea whose bed they were in, or how long it had been since they were attacked in her home, but she was just grateful to see that Jared was okay. She never would have forgiven herself if something bad happened to him because he was trying to save her.
She didn’t want to wake him because she could sense how exhausted he was; she had no idea how or why it was she could feel his wariness the way she could, but she knew without a doubt it was Jared’s emotions she was experiencing. She tried to remember something, anything from the time after she’d jabbed the heel of her foot straight into Demetri’s poor excuse for balls, but everything after that was fuzzy. Whatever had happened, they had escaped and she felt better than ever.
Megan paused in her own thoughts; she did feel better than she’d felt in her life, and stronger, too. When she really started to pay attention to her body, she realized that she felt different, like she could take down an entire NFL defensive line without breaking a sweat. Her mind went back to the fact that she could see Jared clearly even though the room they were in was pitch black. Looking around the room she realized she could see everything. It was like the lights were on despite, the fact that it was obviously dark.
She laid still, her mind running through a million thoughts a second. She wanted to wake up Jared to ask him what had happened so badly, and when she finally heard his voice, she was relieved he’d finally woken up.
“Please, let her be okay. You’ve got to be okay, Megs. I love you.”
She quickly turned her head to look at him, a bright smile on her face hoping that it would put his worries at ease to see she was fine, but his eyes were still closed. “Jared,” she whispered softly, but he didn’t respond. His breathing was still deep and steady. Megan whispered his name once more and he still did not stir.
When a small snore escaped his throat, she knew he had not woken up, but how had she heard him talking? Rolling back over, Megan stared up at the ceiling, taking in the ceiling fan and every blemish in the ceiling above the fan.
“Please wake up, Megs. I know you don’t want it, but I swear I’ll never let anything happen to you again.”
Megan jerked her head back toward Jared, but his eyes were still closed, although now his eyebrows were drawn tighter together than before. Reaching over, she ran her hand up and down his arm trying to wake him. “Jared, honey, wake up.” She bent her head toward him and kissed the worry lines on his forehead before bringing her lips down to place a kiss on his mouth. It only took a second before she felt his lips move against hers, then his arm around her drew her closer and she ran her hand around to the back of Jared’s head, driving her fingers through his hair.
After a minute, Jared pulled back and his eyes ran all over her face, taking her in like he couldn’t believe what he was seeing, couldn’t believe that she was really awake and kissing him. “Megan,” her voice was rough, thick with the emotions she could tell he was trying to hold in, the hope he was afraid to grab on to. “I’m not dreaming, am I?”
Her lips curved up in a small smile. “No.”
“Oh, thank God.” He pulle
d her into his arms, wrapping them both around her tightly, and he buried his face in her neck. “I was so afraid I hadn’t been fast enough, that you might just be in a coma or something and that you weren’t going to wake up.”
Megan pulled her head back and lifted her hands up between them so she could take his face between her palms. “I’m okay. Actually, I feel better than okay. I feel stronger than ever, and,” she glanced around the room, then back at him, “I’m pretty sure I have like x-ray vision or something now.”
Jared laughed. “Well, it’s not exactly x-ray vision. We can’t see through walls or anything like Superman, but it’s definitely better than 20/20.”
“We?” Megan was confused. How could he know what she was experiencing?
“You probably don’t remember. You were out of it before I bit you.”
Automatically she brought her hand up to her neck. There was a slight marring of the skin just above her shoulder blade; a place where the skin was raised, like a scar. The recognition hit her like a lightning bolt. “I’m a werewolf now, aren’t I?”
Jared nodded and answered, “Yes, although your transition isn’t complete yet. Not until your first shift. That usually happens within the first hour after you wake up from the transition induced sleep.”
Megan thought over the things Shayla had shared with her about her own transition. Her eyebrows drew up, and a bright smile spread over her face, and she shot up in bed. Jared immediately sat up next to her and took her hands. “Jared, I think I read your mind or something.”
Jared raised an eyebrow in question.
“I thought you were awake, talking to me, but when I rolled over to tell you I was okay you were still sleeping.”
His eyebrows drew together. “What did you hear me say?”
“You were worried about me. Begging me to wake up and be okay. You said you know that I don’t want you to protect me, but that you would never let anything happen to me again.”
