by M H Soars
Dante’s gaze drops to my chest, lingering there for a couple of beats. His Adam’s apple bobs up and down, and I’m sure he’s clenching his jaw. He’s staring at my boobs all right. I made my point, so I should probably cover myself up again, but I’m loving that Dante is admiring my body. If only he would move from his chair and sit next to me, maybe even touch me a little, that would be great.
Wait? What? That random thought is what brings me back to reality. I pull the sheet up, berating myself for such stupidity. There’s a low throbbing between my legs, and I’m afraid Dante can sense my desire from where he sits.
He clears his throat, dragging heat-filled eyes to my face. “Touché. I’m not immune, but it’s because you’re new. It’ll wear off.”
I can’t help the feeling of disappointment. It’s crazy, but I don’t want Dante to stop admiring me. I don’t know him, and I’m not even sure if I like him yet.
“Okay, besides not feeling embarrassed about taking my clothes off in front of strangers, what else do I need to know?”
“For starters, you need to respect the pack’s hierarchy. Here, the alpha’s word is law. Disobedience means you’re challenging his authority, and that can lead to death.”
“That’s medieval. What about your mother?”
“She’s the female alpha.”
“What does that mean? Is it only a glorified title because she’s married to the alpha? Does she actually have any authority?”
“No, it is not glorified. She’s the female alpha by merit, by being the strongest female wolf in the pack and all. That’s why she’s the alpha’s consort.”
Dante’s explanation gives me pause. It sounds like the way relationships work among wolves is a bit different than for humans. Or maybe not.
“So that means the alpha can only marry the strongest female wolf? What if he falls in love with someone else?”
“Love doesn’t enter the equation.”
I flatten my lips. Why does the lack of choice bother me so much?
“That sucks. Does the rule apply to all wolves or only the alpha? And can a wolf marry a human?”
Dante narrows his eyes. “No, the rule doesn’t apply to all wolves, but I have never seen a beta hook up with an omega, for instance. The relationship wouldn’t be balanced. But why do you ask about humans? Are you in lo—I mean, do you have a boyfriend or something?”
I almost laugh at Dante’s question. I’ve only fallen in love once—or so I thought at the time.
“No.” I don’t elaborate, but my answer seems to mollify Dante. The frown on his forehead disappears, and he appears to be less tense.
“Good. Less complications.”
“Does that mean it’s not allowed?”
“I didn’t say that, but relationships are usually complicated with someone from your own species. I’ve never heard of a relationship between a wolf and a human that worked out.”
Now it’s my turn to watch Dante through slits. “Don’t lie to me. Your mother was human once. She told me.”
Tilting his head to the side, he studies me. What is he looking for? Maybe he’s trying to read my mind. Shit, can he do that?
“Did she also tell you that the percentage of humans who survive the shift is less than one percent?” he asks.
Dread drips down my spine. “No, she didn’t. So, am I lucky to be alive?”
“Yes.”
I’m speechless. With the whole wolf business, I ended up pushing aside the knowledge that I almost died in the woods. That rabid wolf would have killed me if Dante and his brothers hadn’t showed up. The thought is sobering, and it puts my new reality into perspective. Heaviness sets on my chest, almost caving it in.
“Do you know who attacked me?” My voice is low, almost a whisper.
Dante stands up, then crosses the room to sit next to me. I wanted him to be closer, but I’m afraid now—not of him, but of how my body immediately reacts to his proximity. He grabs my hands, squeezes them together.
“I do, but what I tell you cannot leave this room.”
Swallowing the sudden lump in my throat, I nod.
“I mean it, Red. You need to swear it out loud.”
“I swear. I won’t tell a soul.”
Dante stares at me for a moment, and I forget how to breathe. I also study him—no, not study—openly admire him. Even under the scruff, I can see the perfection of his square jaw, but I mostly focus on his lips. What would it be like to kiss him? Shit. Why am I having all these lustful thoughts?
“You were attacked by a rogue wolf from another pack.”
I blink a couple of times, not understanding why Dante is staring at me like the world is going to end.
“What happened to him?”
“He’s dead. But that’s not the issue. According to the law, a shifted human belongs to the pack of the wolf who turned them. That means you don’t belong here, and we shouldn’t even have helped you.”
Suddenly, my blood turns ice cold. It’s bad enough I’m something other than human, now Dante is saying I have to leave Crimson Hollow?
“What’s going to happen to me then? Are you going to send me to this other pack?”
Dante touches my face with the tips of his fingers. “No, of course not.”
“But you just said—”
“I know what I said, but just because the rules say one thing doesn’t mean we have to follow them. There’s a reason my mother sent us to the Irving Forest two nights ago. She knew you would be there. She also knew you would survive the attack. Red, you belong here with us.”
The tenderness in Dante’s voice makes me melt like butter under the sun. I cover his hand with mine, and lean against his palm. The air suddenly shifts around us. It becomes heavy, intoxicating. My breathing changes as my heart begins to gallop at full speed. I lean forward automatically, my body acting of its own accord.
Dante’s posture also changes. He caresses my cheek with his thumb while his gaze drops to my lips. He’s going to kiss me, and I’m more than ready for it. I lick my lips in anticipation, but a loud knock on the door breaks our moment. Dante jumps off the bed as if he was electrocuted, then turns to the door.
“Who is it?”
“Is Sleeping Beauty up yet?”
Dante glances at me, whispering, “It’s Sam. You might want to put your top back on.”
My face feels as hot as lava. I get dressed in the blink of an eye. Only when I’m presentable does Dante open the door for his brother.
“What were you two whispering about?” Samuel looks from me to Dante.
“Nothing,” we answer at the same time, sounding guilty as hell.
Samuel narrows his eyes. Yeah, he totally didn’t buy our lie. “Whatever. Keep your secrets. I came to get Red.”
“Get me for what?” I sense that whatever is coming, I’m not ready for it.
“To meet the rest of the pack, of course.”
Yup. I’m definitely not ready for that.
Chapter 12
Red
“Don’t look at me like that. I didn’t say right this instant. We’re going by your house first,” Samuel says with a cheeky smile on his lips.
Relief rushes through my body. Maybe I won’t have to meet the pack after all. Maybe I can convince Dante and Samuel to let me stay home with Grandma.
“Good. Let’s go then.”
“Is Tristan joining us?” Dante turns to Samuel.
“Nope.”
Samuel walks out. When Dante and I don’t follow him right away, he pivots toward us, waving impatiently as he says, “What are you waiting for?”
With hurried steps, I follow him, leaving Dante behind. He catches up quickly, and matches his steps to my own. The sexual tension between us still lingers, but now I’m mortified I let things go as far as they had. I flashed the guy for crying out loud. This is so not me.
Samuel takes the stairs two steps at a time. It’s like he’s running away from something. When we exit, the warm summer air greets
my skin, promising another scorching day. It’s the perfect time to go swimming at Lake Placid, and do absolutely nothing. But I’m afraid my worry-free days are over.
Samuel’s car is parked in front of the house, the engine running. Boy, he’s really in a hurry.
“Wait up,” Dante says. “Why isn’t Tristan joining us?”
“He’s with Mom. We had a productive morning.”
There’s an extra meaning behind his words, but Samuel doesn’t glance at Dante. I’m not sure if he’s being obtuse on my account or if he’s keeping things from Dante as well. But since I don’t want to say anything to make him change his mind, I bite my tongue.
“He doesn’t know we’re going to Red’s house right now, does he?” Dante asks.
“Nope. Now come on. I’d like to hit the road before he comes looking for us.”
Grumbling, Dante opens the back door for me. I slide in quickly, not one bit disappointed that Mr. Asshole won’t join us.
Dante takes the passenger seat, and Samuel peels off the curb before his brother has the chance to buckle his seat belt up. He really doesn’t want Tristan to come, and that makes me curious. Now that we’re already on our way, I risk a question.
“Is your brother always an asshole or is that honor only reserved for me?”
“Tristan? Yeah, he’s an ass.” Samuel chuckles.
“Is that why you don’t want him to tag along?”
“One of the reasons, yeah.” Samuel watches me through the rearview mirror, a smirk still in place on his lips.
“One? What’s the other reason?”
He doesn’t answer my question. Instead, he asks, “You go to the community college, right?”
I pinch my lips, not amused by his evasion tactic. However, the mention of college gives me something else to worry about.
“Yeah. Will I still be able to attend?”
“It depends,” Dante says.
“On what?” My voice rises, coming out a little shrilly.
“On how fast you can master the wolf inside of you. We can’t risk exposure. Not everyone in Crimson Hollow knows about us.”
“When you say us, are you referring only to shifters or are there other supernatural beings—such as vampires, for example?”
“Vampires are real, but we haven’t seen one in Crimson Hollow since the Thirteen Days of Chaos,” Samuel replies.
“What’s that?”
“Uh, some shit that went down here twenty-five years ago. Let’s not worry about that now,” Dante replies. By his tone of voice, I can tell he really doesn’t want to talk about it.
“Fine. What else is real?”
“It will be easier to tell you what is not real.” Samuel laughs.
“Stop being obtuse. If I’m part of the community now, I need to know everything about it. The pack has rules, but are there other rules I should know about?”
“Only one rule—don’t piss off the witches,” Dante says.
“The witches?”
“Oh yeah, that’s very important.” Samuel nods. “Stay far away from Mayor Montgomery and her cronies. Nasty lady. She really doesn’t like the pack.”
“Wait, what? Crimson Hollow’s mayor is a witch?”
“Yup. She’s the head of the Midnight Lily Coven.”
Biting my lower lip, I half turn to stare out the window. It seems there’s an entire world that I know nothing about. “Are demons real?”
“You betcha,” Samuel says.
“What about angels?”
When neither speak, I continue. “What? No angels? That’s fucked up. Who’s going to fight the bad guys?”
“We didn’t say angels don’t exist,” Dante replies. “But we learned a long time ago not to count on them for anything.”
“Yes, fuck angels. A bunch of selfish bastards,” Samuel adds, sounding almost bitter.
I hold my head in my hands, groaning. This is too much.
“Hey, girlie. Are you all right back there?” Samuel looks at me through the rearview mirror again, his eyebrows furrowed in concern.
“No, I’m not okay. How would you feel if you found out all the monsters from your nightmares are real and worse, that you became one of them?”
“We aren’t monsters. We’re the good guys. Tell her, Dante.”
“It’s true. We’re the good guys.”
“Maybe you and Samuel are, but Mr. Asshole is most definitely not.”
“Mr. Asshole? You mean Tristan?” Samuel asks.
“Yes, who else?”
Samuel throws his head back and laughs, a loud and infectious sound that makes me feel a little better. “I can’t wait to start calling him that.”
It turns out the wolves’ compound is not too far from my grandmother’s house, and we get there in less than fifteen minutes. I’m out of the car in a flash, calling her name before I even make it through the door.
Elliot barks in response, and I’m torn between hugging the furry ball or yelling at him for running away. The gold retriever jumps on me, licking my face. I laugh. As much as I’m mad at him, I’m glad he’s okay.
“Ah, there you are,” Grandma says.
Pushing the dog down, I stare at her. She’s smiling at me, but there’s also sadness in her eyes. I run into her arms, burying my face in the crook of her neck. “Grandma, I’m so glad to be home.”
“I’m glad to see you, honey.”
“I have so much to tell you.” I ease back, fighting the tears that are forming in my eyes. I don’t want to go back to the compound with Dante and Samuel. I don’t want to be a wolf.
As if reading my mind, Grandma pats my hair. “It will be okay, honey. You can do this.”
Her comment gives me pause. At the same time, a sliver of dread drips down my spine.
“Do you know?”
She nods, then looks over my shoulder. I turn, finding Samuel and Dante waiting by the door. Dante seems uncomfortable with his arms crossed behind his back, but Samuel’s gaze takes in everything as if Grandma’s house is an attraction or museum.
“Come on in, boys. I baked muffins, and there’s fresh coffee in kitchen.”
“Thank you, Mrs. Redford,” Dante says.
I watch the two men disappear through the door that leads to the kitchen, and a strange feeling centers in my heart. It’s like they belong here, which is insane. Grandma grabs my hand, then pulls me to the couch in front of the fireplace.
“I’m so sorry for worrying you, Grandma.”
“Don’t be silly, Red. I wasn’t worried.”
My back goes taut. Again, the feeling of unease takes hold. “What do you mean you weren’t worried? I went out to search for Elliot, and I never came back.”
“I knew you were okay.”
“How?”
She takes a deep breath, her gaze going out of focus. “Dear child, I know I should have told you the truth a long time ago, but I wanted to give you at least a few years of normalcy.”
I pull my hand from hers, feeling suddenly cold. “What truth?” I ask through clenched teeth.
“I’m a witch.”
I have a moment of stunned silence, staring at Grandma without blinking. When I finally find my voice, it’s to say, “What?”
“Don’t be frightened, Red. It’s not a bad thing.”
Samuel and Dante’s words come back to haunt me. “Are you part of the Midnight Lily Coven?”
Grandma narrows her eyes. “Who told you that?”
I cross my arms, watching her intently. “The Wolfe brothers did. Are you?”
“I was, yes. And so was their mother.”
Unable to sit still any longer, I jump off the couch and start to pace. I grip my hair, twisting and pulling it, while my heart pounds at an increased pace inside my chest. “Am I a witch, too?”
“I sensed the power in you, but your destiny lies elsewhere.”
A crazy suspicion sprouts in my mind. I stop mid-step, swinging around to face Grandma. “Did Elliot really run away?”
&
nbsp; My heart sinks when I catch guilt in Grandma’s eyes. She shakes her head, dropping her gaze to her lap. “No, he did not.”
“You set me up!”
My outburst alerts Samuel and Dante, who hurry back into the living room. I ignore them.
“It was time. Your destiny was calling.” Grandma lifts her chin again, determination etched on her face.
“Fuck destiny. I don’t want to be a wolf!” Hot tears stream down my face. The sting of betrayal feels like a sharp knife twisting in my chest.
“You’re more than a wolf, honey. You’ll see that with time.”
“I don’t want to hear anything else.” I open the front door in a brusque movement, coming face to face with the last person I want to see right now—Mr. Asshole. “What the hell are you doing here?”
He takes a good look at my red face and the tears, and I swear I catch worry in his stormy eyes.
“What happened?” he asks.
“None of your business.” I try to sidestep him, but he blocks my way and holds my arm.
“I’m the beta. It is my business. Now spill.”
I don’t know if it’s his arrogant tone or the fact he’s in my face again, but his presence unleashes the beast in me… literally. My body aches as my muscles change, and the wild feeling takes control. Before the shift is even complete, I launch at Tristan, ready to tear him to pieces. He moves out of the way at the last second, and I land awkwardly on the ground. Spinning, I see that Dante and Samuel are outside, too.
“Red, calm down.” Dante takes a step in my direction.
I don’t want to calm down. Everything in my life seems to be a sham, a lie. I was betrayed by my own grandmother, for God’s sake.
Dante takes another step forward with an outstretched arm. This time, his special soothing gift doesn’t work on me. The anger is still swirling inside. I snarl at him, a warning. His eyes turn as round as saucers. He wasn’t expecting that.
Then Tristan’s voice gets in my head, but it’s different somehow. “Listen to what Dante says.”
When I turn to my right, I find a magnificent white wolf staring at me. It’s the same wolf who saved me two nights ago. I know it in my bones. Tristan shifted.