by Renee Rose
“I really don’t know how.” I don’t. And I know he’s going to blame me when it doesn’t work.
“So, why is she our prisoner?” Trey pushes.
I stiffen at the casual way he asks, as if taking prisoners is par for the course.
“She talked,” Garrett mutters.
“You’re scaring her.” Jared puts an arm around me and lightly rubs my shoulder. “She’s shaking like a leaf.”
“Do not touch her.” Garrett’s growl makes my stomach drop to my feet. His eyes glow silver in the mirror.
Jared removes his arm.
Trey shifts in his seat, putting a few inches between me and his big body. “Yes, sir.”
“Understood, boss,” Jared echoes.
They look like punks, but they sound like they’re in the military.
Garrett’s not done. “If either of you touches her I will smash your faces in, got it?”
Neanderthal. These guys are total Neanderthals. But my entire body flushes, and some part of me enjoys his possessive threat. Or is it just protective? Either way, it puts a warm, squirmy feeling in my belly.
“So, if she tries to escape, I’ll just stop her with my invisible forcefield,” Trey mutters.
“Are you really talking back to me?” Garrett demands. His fingers are white on the steering wheel.
“No, sir.” Trey exchanges a glance with Jared, raising his eyebrows slightly, as if to say, “What’s with him?”
I breathe a little easier after seeing this exchange.
“Amber has a friend.” I tense all over again at Garrett’s words. “Her name is Foxfire. She was at the club.”
“Miss Pukes-alot? I remember,” Jared says.
“Call Tank and tell him to keep an eye on her.”
“What?” I blurt before I think. “No.”
“Yes—”
“Foxfire’s harmless. She thinks Werewolves is the name of your motorcycle gang or something. I swear, she won’t tell anyone.” My voice rises to match my level of desperation.
“You told someone about us?” Trey asks. The way the temperature drops in the car, I realize how serious this is. I’m in big trouble.
“I had a vision. It slipped out. Don’t take it out on Foxfire.”
“No harm will come to your friend,” Garrett promises. “I swear on my wolf.”
“I just need her address.” Jared pauses mid text.
I shake my head. Tears burn my eyes. Stupid, stupid visions. Stupid werewolves. I didn’t ask for any of this. “Please,” I whisper.
“Amber.”
I meet Garrett’s eyes in the mirror.
He says nothing more, but his look demands I yield into his inflexible will. Maybe I have Stockholm syndrome. With a sigh, I tell them Foxfire’s address.
“She’ll be okay,” Garrett assures me.
“Yeah, don’t worry,” Trey adds.
We drive in silence for forty minutes, until we pass the sign for the Mexican border. A jolt runs through me when I see it. Am I really going to leave the country with these wolves?
“Amber, look at me.” Garrett taps the rearview mirror until I meet his eyes. “No trouble,” he warns. “Do not call attention to us in any way. Don’t speak unless you’re asked a direct question. Do not give them any cause to stop us, understand?”
I tighten my lips. My heart races. I’m in serious trouble. Kidnapped by a lethal pack of wolves and taken to Mexico. Am I ever coming back? Lawyer Amber would never allow herself to be taken out of the country by near strangers. She got a top score on the bar exam. She’s not stupid. At what point did I check in my brain and start thinking with my vagina? I don’t let anyone push me around, hot werewolf, or not.
“Are we clear?”
I force myself to nod, before looking away. I need to think of something, quick. This is nuts, and I’ve spent a lifetime trying to keep Crazy Amber out of my life.
Our car inches forward in line. When we reach the little concrete hut, Garrett turns off the car, signaling that we all need to get out to bring our paperwork inside. He claps a large hand on my shoulder as we walk forward.
Inside, he continues to direct me. I fill out the tourist visa form, and bring it forward when the man behind the counter motions to me.
“Disculpe.” I pray Garrett doesn’t speak Spanish. His grip tightens as I rush on. “Tengo un problema…”
A rumble comes from Garrett, low but distinct. A warning.
I gulp down my words. What the hell am I doing, anyway?
“Em...dónde está el baño?” I ask for the bathroom instead of explaining my problem. and Garrett eases his grip.
The man points toward the Damas sign on the restroom.
I bob my head. “Gracias.”
When the man hands the paperwork back, I head to the restroom, Garrett on my heels.
“I’ll be right out,” I tell him.
Inside, I explore my options. Like many buildings in Mexico, the little concrete structure is simply made, with screen-less windows near the ceiling that hinge open. It’ll be tight, but I might be able to fit through the small opening. I stand on the toilet and hoist myself up, throwing my leg toward the window. I fall short and drop back to the ground, panting.
Come on, Amber. You can do this.
Another try, and I manage to hook my ankle over the edge of the open window. My heart races like a hummingbird’s as I inch my leg through to the knee then hang onto the top of the stall and swing my other leg up. Slowly, I push my body forward, on an angle to fit through the narrow passage. I have no idea what’s outside. Probably a border guard with a machine gun who will assume I’m a criminal. But I speak Spanish. I can present my case. No, better to not incriminate the werewolves. I’ll just tell them I don’t feel well and need to get a cab back to Tucson or something like that. Someone here will gladly take my money.
I wriggle and turn, propelling myself through the window. Sucking in a breath, I lay my middle across the narrow ledge of the window.
A hand closes around my ankle, and I scream, jerking and smacking my head on the ceiling. I twist to see who grabbed me, but my own body blocks my view. I try to kick free, and for a moment, I almost succeed, but then two hands grip my hips, lifting me from the perch and pulling me out.
Garrett. Only a shifter is this strong.
I slide down his hard, muscled body. Landing on the ground, I face two hundred pounds of disgruntled male. “What did I tell you about running from a wolf?”
My nipples are hard from dragging down his chest. His clean scent lures me in, reminding me of the night he carried me up to his apartment and spanked my ass pink. I must be nuts, because half of me hopes he’ll punish me that way again. I draw in a shaky breath. “It was worth a try.”
He quirks a brow, slipping his arms around me and pulling me close to his hard frame.
I stifle a moan.
“Listen, I know I’m an asshole to drag you down here. I know you’re freaking out. But you can’t run away from me. My wolf will chase, and that could be dangerous for you. Besides, I need your help.” He stabs his fingers through his hair, leaving it rumpled.
His emotions are palpable to me. I never considered myself empathic in addition to clairvoyant, but with him, it seems I am. “I-I don’t even know where we’re going.”
He brushes a lock of hair back from my eyes. “We’re going to San Carlos, where my sister disappeared this morning. She’s a werewolf, too, and she vanished into thin air.”
“But... who can kidnap a werewolf?”
His jaw tenses, but he draws in a slow breath and exhales. “I don’t know. But we need to find her. Soon.”
The image of a terrified wolf lying on her side, surrounded by men flashes before my eyes. Ice floods my veins.
Garrett is telling the truth.
~.~
Garrett
I toss Jared the keys. “You drive.” I lead Amber to the backseat and climb in beside her.
I pull out my phone and open th
e photos on it, scrolling through until I find one of my sister and show it to Amber. “This is Sedona. She went out for a run on the beach and didn’t come back.”
Amber looks at the picture and nibbles her lip. “You think I’ll be able to figure out where she is?”
“Will you just see if you get anything? Anything at all?”
She stares at the phone but doesn’t seem to be looking at the picture. Her eyes are unfocused.
I force down a stab of frustration and wait.
Finally, she says in a shaky voice, “What if I see something you don’t want to know?”
“What do you see?”
She looks past me out the window, a haunted expression in her eyes.
“What?”
“I saw a white wolf, on her side, suffering. Surrounded by men.”
My wolf nearly breaks out of me. My whole body shakes with the almost change. My growl vibrates through the car.
I blink, but when I look over, Amber’s almost in Trey’s lap.
“Stay quiet, eyes down,” he whispers to her.
Why the fuck is she in his arms?
I reach out and haul her into my lap. “I said don’t touch her.” My voice is choked with wolf.
“You scared her, boss.” Trey keeps his own eyes lowered, his voice quiet and even. “Don’t fight him,” he warns Amber, and I realize the little human is struggling in my arms.
I ease my grip. “Sorry.” One last inhale of her signature Amber scent, and I let her slide off my lap to her seat.
She starts to raise her gaze but drops her eyes again, holding still like a rabbit who thinks she can’t be seen by the hawk above.
I unclench my fists and reach out to stroke her hair.
She doesn’t move. “I told you. No one wants to know the things I see.”
“No, I do.” I’m about to apologize again, when I catch the scent of her tears. My wolf whines and backs down. It’s almost a relief not to feel the power of the animal clamoring for freedom. As my brain and logic return, I’m flooded with sympathy for this sweet human who obviously considers her gift a curse. How she’s suffered for this skill. The need to protect and care for her outweighs the danger facing Sedona, which I can do nothing about at the moment. I cup her chin with a gentle touch and lift her face. “You’ve seen a lot of things you wished you hadn’t,” I guess, keeping my voice soft, sympathetic.
Her eyes fill with fresh tears. “Yeah.”
“Tell me.” I sift my hand through her hair, releasing more of her scent. I don’t want to drag her through bad memories, but I know she doesn’t share much of herself with others. Maybe getting it out would help.
She shakes her head, shoulders slumping. “All kinds of things. Werewolves, for one thing.” Her lips twist into a wry grimace.
“Yeah, I think we’ve covered that.”
“I saw my high school English teacher’s husband beating her up, the rape of a friend. I see people’s traumas, their worst secrets. It’s a fucking curse. I have a recurring dream of a puppy standing in blood.” Tears fall down her face. “And every time I have it, someone dies. First my dad. Later, my mom. Then a social worker. When I was little, I thought I made it happen.”
I slide my arm around her shoulders and pull her in close. “I’m sorry, sweetheart. That’s terrible.”
She sniffs. “Yeah. I only see bad things—” she breaks off, staring at me, her eyes wide, and all the air leaves the Range Rover.
“You think I’m a bad thing?” I guess, my organs turning to stone.
She swallows and studies the tattoo on my hand.
Maybe I am bad for her. Fuck. The fact that she knows about us puts her at risk from any vigilante pack member who gets nervous about her. The fact my wolf wants to mark her with his teeth puts her at risk of being shackled to me for her whole life or, worse, dying from infection or bleed-out.
But I’m not going to let anything bad happen to her. No matter what.
“You see secrets,” I say firmly. “Shifting is mine. Doesn’t mean I’m going to harm you, baby.” Even as I speak, I doubt she will believe me. I strong-armed her into coming with me. I’ve kept her on edge to win her silence.
Her gaze drifts out the window of the car, her expression blank.
Damn. I fucked everything up.
6
Garrett
We arrive at the beach at sunset, pulling into Condos Pilar, the cluster of vacation rentals nestled along the white sand. I get out and stalk to the door of the condo where Sedona stayed, not waiting to see if the rest follow. I rap on the door and hear the voices of the young people and running footsteps.
“Hey man.” Jason, the young kid who called, opens the door. The rest of the kids stare at me with pinched faces. I met them all when Sedona stopped by on her way out, but damn if I remember all their names. The place smells like sunscreen, liquor, and a sour smell that reminds me of nausea.
Trey, Jared, and Amber arrive behind me as the group of college students gather around. They repeat their stories, each a variation of what I already heard: Sedona went for a run on the beach that morning and never returned. No one saw anyone or anything menacing. They spoke with the authorities and filed a report, but since she hadn’t been missing twenty-four hours, nothing was being done.
My fists tighten at my sides, wolf rages beneath the surface. The more they talk, the more I feel like I’m coming out of my skin. Finally, I reach for Amber. My wolf needs her close, and I’m willing to give him whatever he wants to keep from shifting and tearing this place apart. Already the kids look nervous, their gazes on the floor or darting to me, then away. Humans don’t often understand animal dominance, but their primal brains recognize a predator when they see one.
Amber leans into me, her arm slipping around my waist and giving me a squeeze. She’s still too pale, biting her lower lip. I scared her, bringing her down here and keeping her from escaping. But, here she is, comforting me. Her warm weight against my side keeps me focused.
“Okay, do you know how we can rent a place to stay here for the night?” I ask. It’s almost dark, and I’m dying to shift and sniff the entirety of the beach.
“Actually, we were thinking we’d head back home tonight. We could go report it to the authorities in Tucson. So you could stay here.”
Normally, I’d do anything to avoid involving the authorities, but, in this instance, not knowing what had happened to Sedona, I want all the help we can get. I should call my parents, too, but I don’t want to worry my mom or my dad to start a war. If I can find Sedona first, it, would be better. If not, I’ll call them in the morning. “That sounds like a good plan. Thank you all.”
Within twenty minutes, Sedona’s friends leave. We settle into the place, my pack mates searching the refrigerator to eat the leftovers from the college students.
“We’ll go sniff the beach.” Jared shucks his T-shirt.
I flex my muscles, my body itching to shift as well. While I trust Trey and Jared, my wolf won’t rest until I’ve done the sniffing myself. But I can’t leave Amber here alone. I’m not certain she’ll stay put. Her attempt to climb out the bathroom window at the border crossing has me cautious.
“Bring me the duct tape from the trunk of the Range Rover,” I order Trey in an undertone. He raises his brows like he thinks I’m nuts, but obeys.
When he returns, I take Amber’s hand, leading her toward a bedroom.
Once inside, she turns. “Are you okay?”
“Yeah.” I blow out a breath. I can’t forget she betrayed us, no matter how much my wolf wants her. “Listen, baby. I need to go shift and sniff the beach. I’m really sorry about this.” I spin her around and pin her wrists behind her back.
“What in the hell—stop it!” she shrieks, real panic entering her voice.
“Easy, easy,” I murmur in her ear. While this is a necessity, I’m going for seductive rather than abusive. I’m hard as a rock, and I remember how much she liked being restrained last night. If I can keep i
t sexy, I just might pull this off without her hating me for the rest of our lives.
I work quickly, wrapping the duct tape around her wrists and picking her up by the waist. “You’re safe with me, Counselor. Nothing terrible is going to happen. It’s just that after that little escape stunt you pulled at the border, I don’t feel comfortable leaving you here alone while I go check out the beach.”
Amber’s resistance slackens. I sense her confusion.
I nip the shell of her ear. “Be a good girl, and I promise I’ll reward you when I get back, baby. I’ll even keep you tied up.”
“You sadistic—”
I cut her tirade off with a hard kiss.
When I break it, she looks at me dazedly, lips parted. Gritting my teeth to keep from prying those legs apart to reward her immediately, I restrain her, plunking her in a high-backed chair and pinning her there while I rip off tape. Little angry grunts escape her.
Sexy little grunts.
“You growling at me, princess?”
“Don’t call me that!”
“You’re so fucking cute when you’re mad.” I secure her wrists and tie her to the chair.
“Let me go, Garrett. This isn’t funny.”
I drop to my knees at her feet and pry her legs apart. She’s wearing the yoga pants from this morning, and her arousal has leaked through. I press my face into the apex of her thighs, open my mouth, and nip at her sex through the thin fabric.
She thrusts her pussy toward my mouth, making the cutest sound of dissatisfaction. “We both know you like being restrained, Counselor.” I stroke my thumb slowly over her slit. “I’ll make it up to you when I get back. You have my word.”
She looks so beautiful, eyes dilated, hair mussed, full lips parted. My wolf surges to the surface, and my vision domes. Fuck. I guess I still want to mark her. Desperately.
Time to leave.
I rip off another piece of tape and clamp it down on her mouth. “Sorry, sweetheart. But this is the only way I feel comfortable leaving you. Trey will be right in the living room if you need anything. I’ll be back soon. No more than a couple hours.”
“Rmphel mphs!” she repeats in a muffled scream.