Glen started toward her and this time she didn’t stop him. She fell into his arms and though she tried to quell it, she began to sob. For the second time that night, Glen held her as she cried. He rubbed her back gently.
When the sobbing quieted to soft sniffles, she pulled back.
“He’s not coming back tonight,” she said with certainty.
Glen closed his eyes, stroked the back of her hair. He didn't say anything.
Finally she pulled away from him and wiped her eyes with the towel once again. “And I don’t care,” she added, defiantly. “I’ve made up my mind.”
“Rose,” Glen began, but she cut him off with a stiff shake of her head.
“No, Glen. You can’t talk me out of it. What Cheyenne said to me makes sense. I don’t need this extra pain, this extra hurt.”
“Damn Cheyenne,” Glen cursed, “don’t you realize you would crush Jason if you left? It would kill him.”
“I’m not really leaving him.” She turned back to the dishes and turned on the faucet. Cold water ran and she splashed some on her face. “I just need some time apart from him, you know?” She sighed, leaning against the sink. “Maybe I am leaving him—I don’t know.”
“What are you talking about? Rose, he’s your husband, your mate. I know you can get through this. You’ve gotten through worse.”
“And that’s what’s hurting us,” she snapped back at him. “He keeps bringing up all the shit that’s happened. Why won’t he let it go? Why won’t he just accept it? I need some time apart from him. I love him, Glen, but I can’t take this any more. You know it.”
“Let’s just drop it, Rose. I don’t want to argue with you about Jason.”
Her temper flared, but she held it down. After a moment, she felt calmer. “All right,” she said. “Let’s not argue. Let’s just go to bed. Get some rest, if we can.”
“That sounds like a good idea.” It was settled. There would be no more arguing.
Rose brushed past Glen and crossed the living room. She paused in the doorway to her bedroom and looked back at him. “I’m sorry I’m being like this.”
“No, it’s fine.” Glen offered a forgiving smile, but it faded. “Get some sleep.”
“I do appreciate you staying here. I can’t stand to be alone, not now.”
“I know.”
“Goodnight.” The door closed softly behind her. She leaned against the door for the longest time, her forehead touching the cool wood.
Separating from Jason seemed to be her only option, but she couldn't help but sense disaster in the near future. This decision would hurt both of them, she knew it, but there was nothing she could do.
It was time for her to get out.
She undressed for bed, tossing her clothes into a pile on the floor. Her fingers grazed her necklace and she paused. Closing her eyes, she reached behind her neck and unclasped it. She walked to her dresser and opened the jewelry box. She placed the necklace and rings inside it. She didn't want the reminder.
Rose went to bed with a heavy heart and heavy mind, but despite that, she found sleep almost instantly.
Chapter Five
One day melded into another and before Jason knew it, Monday had arrived. He stared at the clock in the right-hand corner of the computer’s screen. It was six in the morning. He recalled catching a few hours of sleep on Saturday but the nightmare brought him out of it. He spent the weekend running on caffeine and adrenaline.
Now, glancing at the clock, he was suddenly aware of how tired he was. He was drained from his futile search. He had found nothing on Simon. Frustration added to his sleeplessness and he was cranky. Very cranky.
He sighed and pushed his seat away from the desk. He rubbed his tired eyes and ran a hand over his head. He needed a good night’s rest, but he couldn’t face the idea of the dream again. Caffeine-laced coffee would have to do.
He walked out of the room slowly. His vision was blurry from lack of sleep and from staring at the computer screen for such a long period of time. Again he rubbed his eyes and started down the hallway.
Voices sounded from the downstairs foyer and he stopped before he reached the staircase. He risked a glimpse and saw the front door open. Glen and Davis stood there, laden with their overnight bags.
They spoke in soft tones as they entered and shut the door behind them. Jason eased his back to the wall as he had several days ago when he eavesdropped and listened in once more with his preternatural healing.
“Spent the weekend with Claire?” Glen asked.
“Yes,” Davis said, slowly. Jason heard Glen’s pleasant chuckle.
“Finish what you started on the couch?” he asked, humor in his voice.
“That’s really none of your business.”
“Why don’t you just say ‘yes’ and get it over with? You’re not fooling anyone.”
Even Jason had to admit it was funny. Claire and Davis seemed an unlikely couple and their on-again, off-again relationship was cause for much amusement among their small pack. He suppressed his own chuckle.
“Oh, shut up, Glen,” Davis said, sounding a tad irritable. There was a thud as someone dropped a bag on the floor.
“Sure. I don’t want to hear the details anyway.” Glen laughed. The laughter died soon after. “Looks like Jason’s still here.”
Jason slipped a bit farther away from the staircase. Had Glen spotted him? He sucked in a breath and held it as he listened closely once again.
“I don’t want to talk about him.” He heard Davis sigh. “He nearly ruined my weekend.”
Glen didn’t respond and Jason wondered just what they meant. He felt the heat of anger rise within him, but he let it go.
“Yeah, well, he’s getting good at that lately. I had to spend most of my weekend consoling Rose.”
“Yeah, I bet.” There was a huge yawn from Davis. “I’m going to head to bed. It’s been a long drive.”
“Likewise,” Glen said. “I hate long drives. They make me sleepy.”
Jason was glad they dropped the topic. He didn’t want to hear about Rose and how he had hurt her. He got that enough from them face-to-face. Talking about him behind his back was something else entirely.
Davis said nothing, but Jason heard the key rings and tags on the overnight bag jingle as it was moved. Footsteps echoed and a door opened somewhere downstairs.
Jason’s eavesdropping was short lived. The door closed and Glen's footsteps pounded on the hardwood steps as he climbed the staircase. Jason couldn’t let him know he had been listening. He pushed off the wall and started back down the hall.
“Jason?” Glen’s voice echoed. Jason froze, then turned slightly, his hand balled into a fist. He watched Glen from the corner of his eye.
“What?” His voice sounded bitter, annoyed. He watched Glen shift his weight slightly from one foot to the other, balancing the heavy overnight bag.
Glen hesitated before speaking. Jason could smell the faint fear-scent of worry and anxiety. He could also smell the heavy scent of Rose lingering around him. Jason breathed in, then out, slowly. He waited for Glen to say something.
He finally did, wetting his lips before he spoke. “I’m surprised you’re still here. I figured you might’ve found out something and hit the road. When you didn’t show up at the gathering—”
“I didn’t find anything,” Jason snapped. “I was busy all weekend and I found nothing.”
It seemed to be the answer Glen had hoped for because he scoffed. Jason turned and caught the half-smirk on his friend’s face.
“That’s what you wanted to hear, isn’t it? To hear that I’ve failed? That I didn’t find Simon—”
“Jason, I never said that.”
“No, but I know you’re thinking it.”
“That’s not what I was thinking. Jason.” Glen sighed. “I wish you weren’t so vindictive.”
He snapped again. “Then what were you thinking?”
“I was thinking that maybe you should take this as a si
gn. Simon is—”
“He’s not dead!” Jason bellowed.
“Yes, he is, Jason. Give it up,” he yelled back. He gestured with his hand vaguely toward the staircase. “Don’t you realize what you are doing to yourself, to those around you?”
“Oh. Here we go again.” Jason rolled his eyes and unclenched his hands. He threw them up desperately. “Why do you always drag Rose into this?”
“I’m not dragging her into this. You are, and you have been ever since you started this wild wolf chase.”
“I don’t want to deal with this.” Jason shook his head. He brushed by Glen, shoving him hard with his shoulder.
“You are going to have to deal with it sooner or later, Jason,” Glen called after him. Jason was already halfway down the steps. He didn’t turn back, heading toward the kitchen. He pushed open the door, anger still coursing through him. At first, he didn't comprehend what he saw until he stopped and stared.
“Rose.” He was shocked to see her standing in the PRDI kitchen. Her hair was tied back into a severe ponytail, her high forehead shiny with a faint sheen of sweat. He recognized her thin-lipped smile as one of sarcasm and anger. Her scent was strong, musky, but slightly different. He didn’t get much of a chance to breathe it in before she strolled forward and slapped him.
“You,” she spat. He recognized the anger in her eyes. It was almost such that it could’ve been his reflection. “How could you do that?”
“Do what? Shit, Rose, that hurt.” He rubbed his cheek and stared sternly at her.
“You deserved it. You know what the fuck I mean," she said and she sounded angry. “You left. You didn’t come back for the gathering—”
“Oh, dear God, Rose, don’t start this.”
“Start what, Jason? You’re the one who started this. You should’ve been there. It’s your duty—”
Jason rubbed his jaw where the pain throbbed. He stared at Rose. She trembled, standing there in her leather jacket, a few feet away from him. He interrupted her.
“You sound a lot like your cousin, you know that?”
Rose let out a deep breath. “Well, it’s the only way I can get you to talk to me any more.” She continued, “It’s your duty to be there for your pack. You’re the alpha male. They are your family. We were expecting you to be there.”
“Well, things come up, Rose,” he shouted back at her. He could no longer hold in his anger. He took one step toward her and towered over her short form. “I had something to do.”
“Yeah, I know, find Simon. Simon, Simon, Simon—that’s all I hear from you any more.” If Rose was intimidated by him, she didn’t show it. He couldn’t even detect a fear-scent from her, though there was something else…
“Simon is dead, Jason. Why can’t you understand that?” Her voice was softer. Jason avoided looking at her. He expected her warm hand to touch his arm, but she didn’t move. “He’s not coming back.”
“No, that’s not true.” He shook his head and finally forced himself to look at her. He saw the hurt in her eyes, the pain, but he shut it out. “Simon is alive, Rose. I can feel it.”
“How, Jason?”
“I don’t know, Rose.” He sighed and once more looked away. “You know how it is with my biological mother.”
“She was psychic. You’ve told me that,” she said, in a slightly annoyed tone. “I know that you have some inclination to those abilities, but—”
“And they are getting stronger,” he broke in. “I can’t explain it, Rose, but it’s like with that kid, Aidan.” He saw her flinch at his name. The boy’s death was still a harsh reminder of Simon’s cruelty. “It’s like what he could do, see the future, but not quite.”
“You are not a precog, love. We’ve talked about this—”
“No, but I’m something. Ever since Simon…” He trailed off and faintly shook his head.
“I don’t want to hear about Simon any more. That’s behind us, love. Even if there’s some slim chance he is alive.” Jason shot her a look but she didn't stop. “I don’t think he would come after us again. I mean, we completely ruined him.”
“Rose, I know what it is I feel, and I know Simon is out there. I can’t rest until I find him.”
Rose took a deep breath and finally looked up at him. Her blue eyes were wide, almost fearful, but there was a touch of anger there.
“You are letting Simon continue to destroy us,” she said in a whisper. “I’m scared, love. I’m afraid that, if you go on like this, he will tear us apart.”
Instead of reaching out to comfort her as he might’ve done in the past, he turned from her and looked toward the window. The sun was up and there wasn’t a cloud in the sky.
“You have to listen to me, Jason. I’m sorry I hit you.” She touched his face and her hand was warm, as he expected. His cheek no longer throbbed, but he wouldn’t have been surprised if her hand had left a large red print. “I was just so angry with you.”
“I know. I don’t blame you.” He drew away from her and walked across the floor. He began to work the coffee maker, putting in a new filter and filling it with coffee. He poured the water in, switched it on. Rose still stood where she was.
“Can’t you just forget about him and move on with your life, our lives?”
“Is that why you came here, to change my mind?” He reached for a mug in the cabinet. When Rose didn’t say anything, he turned to look at her.
Her cheeks were red and wet from tears freshly fallen. He made a move forward, but Rose signaled for him to stop and he came no closer.
She wiped at her eyes with the palm of her hand. “I want you to come home and forget about Simon. Put the past behind you and focus on our future, our family, our pack. We all need you. Please come home.”
Jason could only stare at her. He breathed in deeply, caught a whiff of that strong scent once more. This time he recognized it. It was the scent of female arousal, musky and strong. It was maddening, this scent, now that he was aware of it. She was in heat.
He took a deep breath before he could say anything. “Rose,” he said softly. Once he recognized her scent for what it was, it was overwhelming. He had to look away, as if that would help. “Rose, I can’t do that.”
“Why?” There was hurt in her voice. Once again, he closed it out.
“Because it’s what I have to do.”
“Jason—”
“I’m not coming home,” he said, stubbornly. He set his coffee mug on the counter with a clunk. “I am staying here until I find that little prick. You know I have to do it.”
Any sexual desire her aroused scent was having on him immediately vanished in his anger. The look on her face was one of incalculable fury.
“Fine,” she said, stiffly. Her lips pulled back over her teeth in a haunting smile that looked more like a grimace. “But, I won’t be there when you finally do decide to drag your ass back home.”
She said it with such sincerity that he was stunned. He stared at her. A buzzing sounded in his ear. Had he heard her correctly?
“Are you leaving me?” he asked, speaking slowly. The numbness slowly began to wear off. He felt heat rising through his body, into his face. He could barely breathe.
Rose did not look at him, quickly averting her eyes.
“You are, aren’t you?” he said, edgily. He crossed the floor and grabbed her by the shoulders so quickly, she almost fell. She turned her gaze up to him.
“I need some time away from you, Jason…before you hurt me even more.”
“Damn it, Rose,” he breathed. “Goddamn it.” His fingernails dug into her shoulders. She made a whimper of protest, of pain, but he ignored it. “Why, Rose? Why are you doing this?”
“Why not? What do I have to gain by staying with you? You are driving yourself mad. I want no part of this.” She gave an immense shrug and dislodged Jason’s grip. She stepped away from him. He could see the tears fall onto her cheeks, but then his vision blurred with anger and he could no longer see.
“Ros
e, you don’t want to do this. You can’t do this.”
“I can, Jason. And I am. I am not going to sit around and let you—and Simon—destroy us even further—”
“But you are destroying us by leaving,” Jason yelled. He thrust his hand downward and hit the table. The wood splintered where his fist hit, leaving an indentation in the surface. Rose glared at him. Her eyes were golden.
“You are destroying us, by keeping Simon alive in your mind. Can’t you understand it? He’s gone, Jason. He’s dead, and he’s not coming back.”
“Goddamn it.” He made a move toward Rose, but she was quicker. She jumped back toward the doorway. Glen stood there, an imposing figure in all black, his hair slicked back. He put a hand on Rose’s shoulder, drawing her aside. He stood between her and Jason, his eyes locked onto him.
“That’s enough, Jason. I won’t let you hurt her.”
“Glen,” Jason began. He found it hard to speak. His words came out tensely. He stared hard at Glen. “This is not between us.”
“If you plan on hurting Rose physically, it is,” Glen said. He narrowed his eyes at Jason. From behind him, Rose stared at her husband. The fear stink was heavy in the room now, overpowering even Rose’s heat-scent. Jason seethed.
The stare-down between the two males was over in a matter of minutes. Glen was first to break, turning to look at Rose behind him.
“Go,” he said. He took a pair of keys out of his pocket and slipped them to her. Jason heard them jingle and turned his eyes toward her. She was staring at him, with a mixed expression of anger and fear on her face. “Take my van and go home. Go where ever you need to go.”
“Damn you, Glen,” Jason whispered, hotly. Rose lingered a moment longer, staring at him and then she was gone. He heard her footfalls as she hurried through the foyer. The front door slammed behind her. “Damn you.”
“You need to calm down, Jason. Let her go, for now. You can do no good trying to force her to stay.”
“She can’t leave me!” Jason shouted. He took a step forward, but Glen blocked his path. Jason knew better than to start a fight with him, but the anger and fury grew to a staggering new height. He could feel the pull of a rage shift beginning. His muscles ached with the familiar tightening. “She can’t leave.”
Hunter's Moon Page 5