I was doing my best to pay attention to anything but Jaxson. He looked
good in the morning light. And as pissed as I was, my eyes couldn’t seem to
stop flicking his way. God, why was I so attracted to this man?
Maybe because he’s hot and has a body I’d like to—
Fuck.
Cheeks blazing, I glanced around the apartment. White tiled floors, black
cabinets, and chrome fixtures. The refrigerator was giant, and the glass lights
that hung overhead were modern and simple. I knew Jaxson had money, but I
hadn’t expected his place to be so…chic.
I would have gladly murdered someone to have his bed and those
amazing sheets. I could have nestled down in them forever.
Although I’d been too panicked to recognize or relish it, Jaxson’s scent
had been completely wrapped around me, and I regretted getting out of bed
so quickly. It was easy to imagine the friction of my skin moving against
those silken sheets. Heat pooled between my legs, and I crossed them.
Holy shit, Savy, now is not the time.
Jaxson tensed and cleared his throat, and I noticed that Sam was shaking
her head as she piled the greasy bacon onto three plates.
Goddamned werewolves couldn’t let a girl have a private thought.
You’re one of them now.
My stomach twisted, and I buried my moment of desire with frustration.
“So,” I said bitterly, “I’m a werewolf now. What do I need to know to get
by until we find a cure? Like, how not to wolf out and eat people.”
“We don’t do that,” Sam snapped.
“Well, as someone who’s nearly been mauled by rampaging werewolves
multiple times, it’s a fair question.”
“You know it’s not.”
“Your emotions and basal instincts will be heightened,” Jaxson cut in, his
gravelly voice instantly calming my fluctuating nerves and sending tingles up
my spine. “You’ll need to control them, or you’ll risk shifting.”
Just the sound of his voice heightened my basal instincts. I was so
screwed.
“Anger is the worst of them.” Sam shoveled a pile of eggs onto each of
the plates and brusquely slid them across the counter with a lingering glare.
“It’s the primary trigger.”
That checks out, I thought, recalling the events of last night. “If I trigger a
shift, is there a way to stop it?”
“You’ll have to calm your emotions enough to get control. If you don’t,
your wolf will take over, especially since you’re new to shifting,” Sam said.
If this morning was any indication, controlling my emotions was going to
be difficult. “And if I can’t control them?”
Sam arched her brows and fixed Jaxson with a discerning look. “Jaxson is
the only one who’ll be able to help you.”
Of course. I was an out-of-control monster, and the only person who
could help me tame my beast was Jaxson freaking Laurent. The same person
who spiked my lust and anger with every move. The universe had a sick
sense of humor.
I felt his burning gaze on me, and my pulse quickened. I didn’t like the
way things were between us. Something had changed, and I wasn’t sure if it
was a good or bad thing. I recalled hazy flashes of him finding me last night,
and then I’d woken up in his bed naked. Shit, I hope we didn’t—
“Sam put you into my bed last night,” he said casually and took a sip of
coffee.
Mother-fuc—
Choking, I dropped my fork and swiveled toward him. “Can you read my
mind now, too?”
He paused, his eyes dropping to my legs, which were facing him and
spread once more. “No, but you’re like an open book when it comes to your
emotions.” Dismissively, he picked up his fork and began eating his eggs, his
demeanor stony and distant. “Another reason to rein them in.”
And just like that, Jaxson the alpha-hole was back.
I shoveled the rest of my breakfast into my mouth, silently cursing
Jaxson.
His phone buzzed, and he answered, setting it on the counter between us.
“Alia, thanks for returning my call. I have Savannah here with me.”
“What can I do for you?” the woman said with a faint accent.
Before Jaxson could respond, I eyed him pointedly and said, “I have a
wolf problem that I need fixing.”
Alia was quiet for a beat, and then she said, “Surely she can’t be referring
to you, Jaxson?”
Sam laughed, and Jaxson’s eyes blazed with impatience. “No. The
problem isn’t with me, I can assure you. We think Savannah contracted
lycanthropy. We need a cure.”
She sucked in a sharp breath. “I’m sorry, Savannah. You…were bitten?”
“No,” I said. “But I was recently injected with something against my will.
We think that it may have given me lycanthropy. I’ve never been bitten, so
it’s the only possibility.”
“Hmm…I’ve never heard of a serum that could do that. Have you,
Jaxson?” Alia asked.
“No, but that doesn’t mean it doesn’t exist. We’ve been up against a
pretty fucked-up blood sorcerer. The fates only know what he’s capable of.”
Though Jaxson’s voice was assertive, I saw the doubt in his eyes. He
didn’t believe such a thing was possible.
Shit. Did he even think we could fix this?
My pulse started accelerating, and the bacon grease I’d just wolfed down
curdled in my stomach. My palms began sweating, and Jaxson’s apartment
suddenly felt suffocating.
“Hmm…well, this might be tricky,” Alia said. “There is a potion I can
make that should cure you if you’ve contracted lycanthropy in the last few
weeks. But first, I’ll need to administer a test to confirm that you’ve actually
got it. The problem is, I’ll need concentrated wolfsbane to do that, and it
might take a day or two to get that from my supplier.”
Wolfsbane? On it.
“I can get that,” I said quickly, leaping at the opportunity to take a little of
my own fate into my hands, as well as a chance to get out of the increasingly
claustrophobic apartment before I started hyperventilating again.
“Good. Bring it to my place. Oh, and Savannah…” Alia’s voice faltered
for a second, and I could sense her trepidation.
My breath stilled. “Lay it on me.”
“The cure for your lycanthropy will be unimaginably painful. Likely
worse than what you experienced during your first shift, and it could take
days to pass. You should prepare yourself.”
Fear and dread clawed at my heart. I’d barely survived shifting into a
wolf.
How was I supposed to survive the cure?
15
Savannah
The walls of Jaxson’s massive penthouse were closing in. I could barely
breathe.
I have to get out of here. Now.
A quick scan of the room revealed his truck keys lying on the counter.
When Jaxson turned to Sam, I grabbed them and headed for the door. “I’m
going to grab the wolfsbane and my phone from Casey. I’ll call you when
I’ve got it.”
I slipped though quickly and shut the door. Then I scurried down the hall
and hit the button on the elevat
or, hoping the car was there already.
It was not.
Jaxson was looming over me in a second. “What the hell do you think
you’re doing?”
“You heard the woman—we need wolfsbane. I’m going to get it.” The
elevator was taking way too long, so I hit the button again a couple times.
“How? You have no phone or wallet.” Jaxson stopped me from hitting the
button again. “I’ll give you a ride.”
The way he said it sent chills up my spine. He was so close. His musky
earth and pine scent addled my thoughts, and I couldn’t keep my eyes from
tracing the contours of his muscles beneath his taut button-down. The heat of
my body was flowing.
Damn, I wanted him.
I tore my eyes away and prayed for the elevator to hurry the hell up. “I
need to be alone.”
Jaxson crossed his massive arms. “That’s not a good idea.”
Those arms.
I remembered him carrying me the night before. I’d never felt so safe. I
wanted them around me again.
Shaking my head, I took a step back. “Alone is the antidote I need. Plus,
Casey would be suspicious if you showed up with me asking for wolfsbane. I
promise not to crash your ride.”
The elevator doors opened.
Jaxson was quiet, his expression torn.
“I need this, Jax.”
Sighing, he scrubbed a hand across his face and moved out of my way.
“Fine, but I’m still sending a detail to follow you. My truck’s in the garage.
Call me as soon you get your phone. And answer if I call.”
Clutching the keys in my sweaty palm, I darted into the elevator and
pressed the button for the parking garage.
Jaxson’s hulking form appeared in front of the closing doors, his
expression dark and menacing. “I’m serious, Savannah. I’ll hunt you down if
I have to.”
His voice was practically a growl, and it stoked a wild heat inside me. A
part of me wanted the beast to hunt me down, but that was…crazy. As the
doors closed, I realized I was practically panting.
“Shit!” I cursed into the empty elevator as it descended.
When it came to Jaxson, my body was unpredictable, and it was only
getting worse. His power over me was like a drug, and when I was around
him, I went out of my mind. Some twisted part of me had wanted him to ram
his hands between the doors and shove them open. To take me back to his
apartment. Hell, to take me in the elevator.
I’d wanted to feel his dominance. His power.
I slammed my palm against the wall. This wasn’t me. I hadn’t ever
wanted that from him, and I never would. It was some twisted instinct, like
my over-tuned senses, that was part of the monster I’d become.
Screw that. It wasn’t going to be a part of me for long.
My chest strained, and I gritted my teeth, but I shoved the sensation down
even as my fingernails began to itch. Now was not the time for a panic attack.
You’re not panicking.
I ignored the thought and searched the garage. Jaxson’s black truck was
parked beside a Land Rover and a Lexus. Both probably his, I decided. He
had nice wheels and gobs of cash, I had to give him that.
My fingers tingled with anticipation as I opened the door.
The bastard had taken my Gran Fury and stripped her to pieces less than
two weeks ago. If I had any sense, I’d take his truck and get the hell of out
Magic Side. Away from him, away from the sorcerer, away from all the
bullshit. If I had to, I’d leave it in a ditch.
I sighed as I climbed into the cab.
If I lied to myself, I could almost believe that twenty-four hours ago, that
plan would have worked. But not now.
Now I was being chased by a monster I couldn’t outrun. It was part of
me.
The truck rumbled to life, and the tires screeched as I beelined for the
exit. The garage door opened, and I squinted as I careened onto the bright
street.
I hated Jaxson Laurent. For what I’d become. For the mess I was trapped
in. For the power he had over me. For the heat he made me feel.
The truck listed a little too much as I took the corner fast.
Easy, tiger.
My mind began to clear as I headed toward the Indies and away from
Jaxson. All I had to do was act normal until I could get the cure from Alia. It
might kill me, but I had to try. I couldn’t live with a monster inside of me.
I let out a breath, feeling a modicum of relief as I passed the sign that
marked the border of the Indies. Welcome to Indiana, it read, though
someone had crossed out “Indiana” and replaced it with “Wild Side” in big
yellow letters.
I pulled up in front of Aunt Laurel and Uncle Pete’s house and got out. It
was just after seven a.m., and I was certain Casey would be sleeping.
I was wrong.
The front door burst open, and my cousin stormed out. He was awake and
looked like he was about to throw one down. Halfway through a string of
curses, his gaze landed on Jaxson’s truck, and his face contorted. “What. The.
Hell?”
“Good morning to you, too,” I said dryly as I strode up to his Rav4,
which was parked in the driveway. It was locked. “Do you have the keys? I
need my phone,” I said, but as I turned toward him, I stopped short. His lips
were pressed in a fine line, and his face was red.
“You fucked him, didn’t you?”
I choked on my spit. “Excuse me?”
He pulled my phone out of his pocket and plodded down the front steps
toward me. “I get it. Jaxson is a sexy beast. But next time”—he held my
phone just out of my reach—"tell me when you’re leaving. Don’t just
disappear.”
I took my phone and noticed that it was fully charged, with ten missed
calls from Casey. “Thanks. And I’m sorry, it wasn’t—”
He held up a hand, motioning for me to shut up. “I don’t want to know,
and I’d rather not imagine you and Jaxson doing the nasty. Though I’m sure
it was hot.”
My cheeks blazed, which only seemed to confirm my cousin’s suspicions.
It was absolutely mortifying. I hadn’t slept with the alpha-hole, but I assumed
that the more I protested, the worse this situation would get. For the moment,
he could believe what he wanted. The last thing I needed was him asking any
questions I couldn’t answer, so I’d have to go with it.
“Have you eaten?” he asked as we headed up the stairs.
“Uhm, yeah.”
He smirked at me and chuckled as he ushered me inside. “Of course you
have.”
I wanted to kick him, though I couldn’t help but smile because whatever
he was thinking, I was sure—as he’d said earlier—it was hot.
We headed into the kitchen, and Casey poured himself a huge bowl of
cereal. “Sorry about those jackasses last night. They aren’t usually like that.
Tensions have been high with the pack. Your boy toy is holding one of our
containers hostage at the port, and a lot of the guys are pissed.”
I crossed my arms and leaned against the kitchen counter. “Casey, let’s be
clear. Those friends of yours are assholes. I don’t give a rat’s ass what pis
sed
them off. They never get to talk to me that way again.”
He nodded. “Yeah, they know they did wrong. I was out of my mind with
worry last night and took it out on them. They won’t say anything ever again.
Just don’t, you know, add fuel to the fire.”
“Trust me, I want as little to do with Jaxson as possible.”
“Uh-huh,” he said, as he scooped spoonfuls of Count Chocula into his
mouth.
I rolled my eyes.
He smashed the cereal down into the milk. “Look, I’m not judging you
for wanting a slab of hunk. As mom always says, never get involved in other
people’s business. I just want to be able to tell you I told you so when you
come home complaining about fleas.”
I put my face in my hands, wondering how long I was going to be able to
stand this. But it did provide an opening. Plopping down in the chair in front
of him, I leaned forward and whispered, “Actually, Casey, on that note, I
need some wolfsbane.”
He lifted a brow and stared at me while he chewed his kids’ cereal,
clearly in a sugar shock. “Sure…I’ve got a stack of cannisters in the closet.
You didn’t blast Jaxson again, did you?”
“No, I need wolfsbane extract.”
He narrowed his eyes. “You know that’s dangerous stuff in concentrate.
What the hell do you need it for?”
I’d never been any good in drama class, and I silently prayed that Casey
wouldn’t be discerning enough to tell that I was full of shit. Mindlessly
scratching at a dent in the table, I said, “Things with Jaxson have really
heated up, and I don’t like it. I found a potion-maker that can make me an
anti–wolf attraction charm. But they need wolfsbane extract.”
I stole a glance at my cousin, expecting him to call me out on the lie, but
he was still spooning cereal into his mouth and nodding.
“Good idea,” he mumbled. “If it works, can you get one made for me,
too? That werewolf jammer keeps looking at me like she wants to eat me up.
I don’t need to go down that road right now.”
Sam? Really?
I shook my head. “Great, I’ll let you know if it works. Can we get the
extract now? I found an apothecary who will make the…charm for me this
afternoon.”
“Give me five minutes. Then I’ll take you over to the shop and hook you
up with some of our new batch.” He slid his bowl into the sink and
Untamed Fate (Magic Side: Wolf Bound Book 2) Page 11