Jacob followed behind her without being noticed. He saw the room three doors down from where Brindle had gone in was empty and unlocked. He looked around and saw no one else was in the hallway. He slowly opened the door and slid inside the darkened room. Madison would have to pass on her way back to the office.
The sound of Brindle's heels on the stoned hallway echoed past the room Jacob was in. He hoped she would turn the corner toward the stairway before Madison passed the room he was waiting inside. His wolf sensed her presence even before he heard the quiet footsteps outside the door. He carefully cracked open the door and saw she was halfway past the entrance. He quietly took two steps, put his hand over her mouth, and dragged her back inside the classroom.
"Shhh," Jacob whispered in Madison's ear so she would know it was him and stop struggling, and then he let her go.
Madison turned around and slapped him on his arm. "You didn't have to scare me." She hit him again. "I knew it was you as soon as you grabbed hold of me."
Jacob tilted his head like he was trying to figure out how she knew it was him.
"I know your smell." Madison clarified the issue he seemed to be thinking over.
Jacob slowly walked toward her, and Madison began to back up. She ran into the wall behind her, and Jacob pressed his body close to hers. "Does my smell turn you on?" He nibbled on her neck and placed soft kisses down her jaw.
"Mmmmm," Madison huskily groaned as he was hitting all the sensual parts that made her weak in the knees. "I have to go to the office." She was finally able to get out a complete sentence as Jacob continued to ravish her body with kisses as his hands worked their way down to her ass.
"Uh-uh." His mouth was right beside her ear. He took a deep breath and took in the smell that excited his wolf to a point he didn't want to back down. "I got you the pass. I needed to see you." He pulled her by her butt so she was pancaked against his hardened groin.
"What if someone comes in?" Madison was worried about someone finding them, like a teacher or principal. Eventually, anxiety gave way to excitement as she made small grinding circles with her hips against his suggestive thrusts.
"I locked the door, and another class doesn't start for about thirty more minutes." Jacob had enough of talking and being without his mate. He carried her to the darkest corner of the room, laid her down on the carpeting, and did what he had desired since he'd left her last night.
***
Madison snuck out of the room as soon as the bell rang for a change of classes. Jacob was going to wait until he sensed she was down the hall. She couldn't believe she'd done in the classroom what she'd always bitched about him and Brindle doing. The thought made her stop dead in her tracks. She knew Jacob could probably sense her still being close, but the idea of him and Brindle and if they did the same thing in the same room made her nauseous.
"Nope, wasn't like that." Jacob strolled by her. He didn't make eye contact with her, but she knew the comment was for her.
Wait a minute, how does he know what I'm thinking.
Jacob turned around and winked at her, then continued on his way.
I'll get to the bottom of all this. I don't want him floating around in my thoughts.
An echoed laugh sounding a lot like Jacob's floated up the hall as soon as she had that thought. Madison turned around and went the opposite direction Jacob had gone. She had to meet her crew for PE and then lunch.
Chapter Twenty-Two
The following month went by without any capture or new information concerning Orfeo and his clan. The pack knew the dhampir would be turning eighteen within the month, as those who were bred from the likes of a vampire were born under the influence and power of the winter solstice.
Zach had his own birthday problems to contend with. Emily was also turning the big eighteen this December. He knew what he wanted to do, outside of the whole dinner, present, and cake thing, but how she would react to what he wanted to show her was to be questioned.
Their relationship had flourished over the past four months. They spent all their time together, alone or with the rest of the group, and some times had become so heated he didn't know if he was going to be able to hold back his wolf from making the big claim. But he hadn't done or performed any act that wasn't approved by the elders, and most importantly, his father. Emily still hadn't met Adam or his dad yet, and she didn't have too much of a liking for Jacob. So, Zach spent most of his time with her in town or at Danny's with Alex.
***
"Zach." Emily rubbed his hand as he drove them both to school. His eyes slid over at her to acknowledge he'd heard her. "Aunt Maureen would like you to come over this weekend, I think Sunday. She wants to have some type of group talk and would like you to be there."
He glanced at her with a look of questioning. "Oh no, is it going to be the sex talk and how we need to be careful?" He didn't want to get into the whole extensive discussion with her aunt. He was eighteen, and Emily was turning the same in a couple of days. They were considered adults and shouldn't have to answer to anyone about their sexual activity. Well, there wouldn't be much to discuss since they hadn't gotten that far in their relationship yet.
"I don't think so or, well, I hope not." Emily didn't want to have the sex talk as much as he didn't. They all knew where babies came from and how they got there, only she and Zach hadn't done a lot of the necessary actions that would cause her to become pregnant.
The parking lot was almost full when Zach pulled his truck into one of the only spots left. It appeared everyone else had already gone into the school since the weather was cold and windy with snow flurries flying around.
"I'm sure the talk will go over well. Your aunt is pretty cool." Zach reached over the seat and pulled Emily so she was closer to him. He rubbed her back and felt the muscles starting to relax. He leaned his head closer and breathed in her scent. His wolf was getting all riled up, and he could feel the hardening in his jeans. Emily turned her face toward him, and he couldn't help but capture her lips with his own.
The kiss deepened, and Emily crawled onto Zach's lap, pressing her body against his. Her hips started to move in a way that Zach thought he was going to have to go home and change if she didn't stop. They were both breathing heavily, and Zach had sweat beads forming on his forehead. He was fighting back the instinct to have his way with her and do the bonding his wolf was insisting on completing.
Pounding on the side window made both of them jump. Emily scrambled off Zach's lap, and she readjusted her shirt that had somehow been brought up above her waist.
"What?" Zach hissed out at his brother, who was standing on the outside looking in at them.
Jacob pointed toward the school. "You guys are going to be late."
They both heard him laughing as he walked away.
"He's an ass." Zach was totally frustrated at his brother for interrupting their moment.
"I agree, but we have to get in there before we're marked late." Emily grabbed her backpack and was reaching for the door when Zach pulled her back.
"What could have happened would have been so worth the late mark." He kissed her on the cheek, then released her.
Emily felt her face heat and knew she was blushing. "We...uh...better get going." She pointed toward the school and got off the truck. Zach followed, making sure his shirt was pulled down in the front to cover any evidence of his built-up frustration.
***
Danny went over to Zach's house after school. Both he and Alex stayed hidden from the rest of high school society all day.
"So, what's up?" Zach questioned as they sat in the living room with Jacob.
A large sigh filled the room. Danny looked at both of them and shook his head. "Alex and I spoke with her parents, well, her adoptive parents, the whole day today. They told her the last name and the last known whereabouts of her birth father. That was the only information they had concerning her biological side."
Both Jacob and Zach leaned forward in their seats as this conversation was ge
tting interesting.
Danny continued. "His last name was Dylan. The same last name Rose had."
"Do you think they could've been sisters or something?" Jacob was the first to bring up suggestive reasoning.
Danny shrugged. "They said his last known location was about fifty miles north of here in a place called Sarver." Both boys shook their heads as they had no clue about the location.
"Is she going to look for him? Or maybe try to find out something about her mother?" Zach was still shocked about Alex's real father having the same last name like Rose.
"I don't know. She's still trying to reel all this in and make sense of it."
"Do you think Alex has the capabilities of a seer as Rose did?" Jacob was starting to question everything about each of their mates. Madison was an enchantress, Alex could be a seer, and Emily, well, no one really knew much about her or her parents. What was she, and how did she tie into their whole big supernatural world?
"I don't know." Danny rubbed his face in frustration. "I still haven't told her anything about who we are. I don't know how to go forward with this type of confession." He looked over at Zach, hoping he had some sort of knowledge in the area.
Zach shook his head. "I haven't told Emily anything yet either. I was thinking maybe her birthday or something. But, we have to talk to my dad about this before we do anything," he rolled his eyes, "you know the pack laws."
"Oh yeah, I can see it now." Jacob's mockery was shining through. "Happy Birthday Emily and look at what I can do, and then you turn into your wolf." Jacob stood up and walked over by the patio doors. "Yep, that would go over real good." He shook his head at the thought.
Zach started to question his proposed revelation he wanted to do. Maybe his brother was right, and he better think of another way of telling her. Danny's talking brought him out of his deep contemplation.
"Have you guys noticed anything different about Madison?" Danny's question made Jacob abruptly spin around. He was hesitant about asking what he meant, so they wouldn't think he was concerned.
"Nope, she's still the same witch as always." Like literally, he thought to himself.
"Wow, going kinda soft on her now. Usually, you'd be substituting the 'W' with a 'B' when referencing anything about Madison." Zach was questioning his brother on his choice of words. "I haven't noticed anything. Why?" He turned his attention back to Danny.
"Alex said she saw a bite mark on Madison's shoulder, like one a dog might make."
Jacob blew out a mouthful of soda that he'd just drunk. Both Zach and Danny looked at him like he had severe issues. He pretended to cough as if it had gone down the wrong pipe, which was the reason for the spit.
Danny continued about Madison. "Alex said she questioned her about it, but Madison was all skittish about the subject and changed it whenever Alex would say anything."
"You think a shifter might have done it?" Zach was astounded by the fact someone from their pack may have bitten a human. Didn't they know the ramifications of such an act?
"Maybe a vamp did it." Jacob tried to get their assumptions off it being a shifter and maybe onto another being.
"A vamp would have sucked her dry," Zach retorted to Jacob's theory.
"Another weird thing about this whole bite thing is Alex said there was some sort of weird tattoo or print around it. Have you heard about anything like that?" Danny was clueless about this whole Madison issue that had Alex all up in arms.
Jacob rubbed the area where Madison had bit him that day when he told her everything. Well, the first time they had sex and the whole bonding was initiated. He had started to get the sort of marking she had, but he kept his hidden from everyone. It wasn't like he could come out and go, 'hey, guys, I just marked Madison, and now we're getting these weird tattoo things on us.' The shit he would have to deal with, and there could be the possibility of his ranking being demoted because of all the numerous stuff he'd done previously. And now, this whole thing with Madison and not going to the elders. Ooof, he was in a whole hell of a lot of trouble.
Zach nodded yes in regards to Danny's question. Jacob leaned in closer so he could hear what type of bullshit he had gotten himself into now.
"Adam and Rose, after they did their uniting, they started to get the same tattoo pattern around the bite marks. The elders said it was the last part of the bonding that signified the union was complete. They would be able to connect with each other on levels others couldn't, like reading each other's thoughts and emotions."
Zach remembered back to the day he had smelled Jacob's wolf scent on Madison's neck. Could his brother have a connection with what was going on with her? He looked over at Jacob, whose full attention was on him. "Have you done something once again you shouldn't have?"
Zach and Danny's stare burned right through his skin. Jacob gave a quick shake of his head to keep a clear focus. "What the hell are you talking about?" He looked away from both of them. He knew he'd better think of something quick or get the fuck out of there before they got under his skin too much. "You know what, go ahead and blame this all on me. Yep, I bit Madison, and we are forever mates." Jacob chuckled at the comment to hopefully throw both of them off. Maybe using a bit of reverse psychology might help in this situation. If he took full blame for the incident, then maybe they would dismiss the whole idea because he fessed up to it. And one thing everyone knew about him, he wouldn't openly admit to anything that would get him into trouble. "I'm outta here." He grabbed his hoodie from the sofa and picked up his truck keys from the table. There was one person he needed to see, and hopefully, they could work out a strategy together.
Danny and Zach watched as Jacob stormed out of the house. "Do you think he had something to do with Madison?" Danny questioned Zach about his brother's intentions.
"I doubt it. I hope he's not that stupid to go against everything we've been preached at all our lives."
"Follow the rules and never go against the elders." Both boys recited the same monotonous rule both their fathers had preached at them since the time they could understand what was going on.
Zach had a terrible inkling his brother was involved with this some way or another, but right now, he had important issues of his own that needed tending. How, when, and where would he expose himself, his family, his pack, and his life to Emily.
Would she accept him, or would she run away in fear?
Could destined mates do that sort of thing? Could they disown their supposed life partner? These were the questions no one ever provided answers. Every response they ever got always seemed like it was encrypted, like there was no truly correct answer to any of it. Maybe nobody knew the answers, or perhaps everyone's experience and situation were different. Zach guessed he would add to the list as soon as he got the nerve to do it.
Chapter Twenty-Three
"Oh my God, calm down. It's only a talk." Emily tried to calm Zach's nerves before they got back to her house. Tonight was the night of the 'big' talk, which they both assumed would be the sex talk. Her Aunt Maureen had spoken to her before, like years ago, about the birds and the bees and how babies came along. But that was the extent of it, until now. Emily was guessing her aunt could sense something different about her and Zach's relationship. How it seemed they couldn't function well unless the other was around. How they always needed to be by each other. And how close they'd become since the first time they'd met.
Zach felt the first wave of calmness rush through him as Emily stroked his hand. She didn't know it yet, but any little touch from her made him feel placid, yet electrified, all at the same time. He pulled the truck up to the parking spot in front of her home and let out a deep sigh. "We're here." He nodded toward the house.
"Before we go in there and things get all crazy, I need to tell you something before I lose my nerve." Emily raced through the announcement she'd been reciting in her head since they began driving over here. She had Zach's full attention and was getting more nervous by the second by his intense stare. "I just wanted you to kno
w." She continued with her proclamation she wanted to get out of the way just-in-case Aunt Maureen scared him away with her sex talk.
Zach nodded for her to continue.
"Well, I wanted you to know I've never really liked a boy as much as I like you. I know we've both dated before, but I feel like there's something special between us." She quickly glanced at him and saw he had a half-formed smile on his face. So, he was happy with what she had said, or he was trying to keep from busting out laughing because he thought it was funny and didn't feel the same way.
Zach felt the anxiety Emily was trying to hide. He stroked the side of her cheek, which caused her to look at him. He could get lost in those deep brown eyes, succulent lips, and perfect nose that helped make her the most beautiful girl he'd ever seen. "I." He tilted her chin so she was staring right into his eyes as he spoke. "I think you are everything I've been looking for. There isn't anything your aunt can scare me with that will make me run away or love you less."
Shit, he said the big 'L' word without even planning on it. Her eyes were wide with surprise, and she instantly grabbed him around the neck.
"Love." Emily couldn't believe he'd said that word. She felt it for a long time but didn't know if he felt the same way. Zach nodded yes, and a hint of red rose to his cheeks like he was blushing. "Then I don't have to worry about scaring you off if I told you I love you too."
Zach was a little surprised by her reaction and the fact she felt the same way. He kissed her softly and cupped her face with his hands. "I would never be scared off by anything you had to tell me." He hoped she felt the same way when he showed her what being part of his family entailed.
Part of the battle was just won with both of them admitting their love, but would it be able to survive after all secrets were revealed?
Revelations (Separate Worlds Book 1) Page 14