by Trina Lane
At the pack's annual independence feast this past summer, he'd confessed to his mom under a full moon that he was halfway convinced he'd never find the woman who was destined to be his. She'd told him to have patience, that she hadn't met his father until she was well into her forties. He was eternally glad that his mom had never revealed that moment of very unAlpha-like behaviour to anyone else.
His mom had been forty-nine when Jaryn was born, and despite their desire for more pups, Jaryn's parents struggled with infertility in the years after his birth. Charlie had been a bit of a surprise twenty-two years later. Jaryn had been thrilled at having a little brother, despite the age gap. In some ways he did act as a second father to Charlie, but he always tried to keep those tendencies in balance with good-natured sibling chaos.
Of course, due to the slower aging process of the shifters, the passing years didn't have near the consequences they did for humans. Despite being in their late eighties, Jaryn's parents were flourishing in their middle-age. Shifters didn't live forever—and quite frankly, Jaryn was glad of it—but their genetic mutation did award them with a long lifespan, immunity to disease, and a few other bonuses.
And when the time came that their parents did pass on—which much to his sorrow would eventually happen—Jaryn knew that he'd be around to guide and support Charlie.
Great...now he was depressed again. His second beer gone and the fire burning low, he extinguished the embers and headed inside.
"Seal all exits,” he ordered the system.
Jaryn waited till he heard electronic locks slip in place on the patio doors then he headed for his master bedroom and stripped. As he walked into the master bath, he called out, “Activate shower.” He opened the glass door and stepped inside, knowing the temperature would be perfect based on his programmed settings.
The custom stone enclosure had a grotto feel to it. He'd been able to plumb-in multiple showerheads and a built-in seat he could relax on and enjoy the steam vents if he so desired. His last girlfriend had even placed ferns around the top ledge. She'd said it gave the space a sexy jungle feel. At first Jaryn had thought they'd be a pain in the ass to take care of, but it wasn't so bad. He would never admit to anyone that he now enjoyed them.
He scrubbed the run with Charlie off his body, luxuriating in the hot spray beating down on his back and shoulders. He could stand in here all day and never run out of hot water courtesy of the tankless system the house employed. Well, maybe all day was a bit of an exaggeration, but he did love his long, hot showers. The hotter the better in his opinion. Gone were the days of his youth when the hot water heater would exhaust itself and a person would turn into a Popsicle while bathing.
Right before he was about to transform into a prune, he deactivated the spray then stepped out to grab a towel off the heated rack next to the enclosure. He wrapped the towel around his waist and padded back into his bedroom. After he'd pulled on a pair of sleep pants, Jaryn slid between the cool sheets of his king-sized bed. Tomorrow he'd have to talk to Shaun about the status of the investigation they'd been tasked with by the ASC. There was something niggling in the back of his mind about the pattern of disappearances from within the shifter community over the last several years, but he couldn't quite put his finger on it. Maybe he'd see if Shaun could pull up the files again. What he expected to find as he searched through the individual investigations for the hundredth time he wasn't sure, but anything was worth a shot.
The ASC was breathing down his neck for some kind of progress. The problem was that whoever was behind the disappearances was good—very good—and the number of clues they had to go on was only a fraction of the number of lost shifters.
It was late and Jaryn knew he really needed to get some sleep if he had any hope of having a productive day come sunrise. So he closed his eyes and slowed his breathing. Eventually his mind began to drift and Jaryn let the day come to an end.
* * * *
September 2038
Jaryn was standing in line at the bank, waiting to scan the deposits for the week, when an unfamiliar scent caught his attention—a scent that made his head spin and the blood pump rapidly through his veins. It reminded him of honey and jasmine. His heart beat in his chest with a heavy thump, and the air in his lungs felt as if he spent too long in his steam room. His vision flashed from a brilliant Technicolor display to the muted shades of his wolf vision then back again. Heat bloomed beneath his cool skin and beads of sweat snaked down his spine. He inhaled to get a deeper appreciation of the scent—one that he'd longed to detect since he came to realise the enormity of how it would change his life.
The scent of his mate.
His gums itched as fangs tried to descend. It was only through sheer will-power he prevented any outward signs of his reaction. The instant lack of control over his wolf was completely foreign to Jaryn, and only further solidified his certainty that his mate was near. He concentrated on subduing the wolf, while maintaining his connection to the new scent consuming him.
Once the rampant exhilaration and lust began to fade, Jaryn noticed that there was something off. The beguiling scent carried an undercurrent of fear and anxiety. This wasn't the stench of guilt, but rather terror with an essence of panic. He lifted his head and he shifted his body to see behind him. A woman—a stranger—stood in the line beside him.
She was a petite woman with curves designed perfectly for Jaryn's hands to cup and caress. He estimated that the top of her head would only reach his chest, but the crown was draped in dark red hair with long loose waves flowing down her back. The colour was clearly natural as Jaryn couldn't detect any hint of chemicals lurking under the woman's natural scent. Unfortunately, the black sunglasses prevented him from determining her eye colour. Her pale skin had a light, nearly translucent dusting of freckles across her nose and cheek bones. Little teeth nibbled on a shiny, plush lower lip. His cock thickened and his hands tingled with desire to touch the softness of skin bared by the v-neck and short sleeves of her top. He stepped out of line and walked to the self service counter next to her. He found a scrap of paper tucked into one of the cubbies and scrawled a note, using the pen provided. Jaryn stepped up beside her and noticed her entire body tensed as if she were ready to bolt out of the building. He slid the paper into her hands.
Nicole glanced down at the note the large man had just handed her. Her shaking made it difficult to focus on the hurried script.
Do you need help?
Not even looking up at the stranger, she tore up the paper then shoved it into her purse. She didn't know this guy from Adam...and that phrase was a little too accurate in this case. The subtle smell of his aftershave, as well as another deeper scent enveloped her body and a little shiver rippled beneath her skin. His size alone should terrify her. He was larger than Adam and oozed Alpha from his pores. The heat radiating off his body helped diffuse some of the chill lingering on her skin but she couldn't fall prey to another dominant being. How did he know she was in trouble? Did she not appear as calm and collected as she hoped or was it something more? Nobody else in the lobby seemed to sense her anxiety, and a nervous person fidgeting in the lobby of a bank usually caught someone's eye.
She'd only stopped in the bank to try and withdraw some much needed funds. It was a good thing that all accounts were linked via a fingerprint and retinal scan. As she passed through town she'd seen this branch—identical to the one she'd used before her abduction over a year ago—and thought fate had finally given her a break. Now she wasn't so sure.
"Miss?” Jaryn asked.
"I'm fine.” Nicole Holland looked up and saw that the bank portal in front of her was available. “Please excuse me.” She tapped the screen to access her accounts. After logging into the system, Nicole selected the menu that would allow her to withdraw the money. She used the touch screen to enter the amount desired. According to the account information screen, it was not quite her entire savings. However, almost immediately the screen flashed with an alert message ordering her to
visit the teller, that the automated system couldn't complete the transaction requested. Nicole's heart raced and she felt sweat pop out on her forehead. Had Adam somehow gained access to her accounts? Why wouldn't the system give her the money? She logged out with furtive glances around her to determine if there were any curious eyes focused on her. Nicole stepped over to the counter where a teller stood, waiting.
She lifted her sunglasses to the top of her head. “I was attempting to withdraw money from my savings and the system ordered me to come see you?"
"Yes ma'am for withdrawals of this amount the system always flags the transaction in case of identity theft—that, on top of the fact that there's been no activity on this account for over a year. We need to confirm some of your information then we can proceed.” She tapped a couple of keys on the laser keyboard shining on the countertop. “Please enter the address listed on the account, your social security number and date of birth into the fields on the screen in front of you."
Nicole did as instructed then stood idle, waiting to find out if she could escape this town with her money in hand. Her hands trembled slightly, and she stuffed them in the pockets of her jeans to hide her nervousness from any eagle-eyed employees or patrons. She wouldn't put it past Adam to have blocked her funds somehow. The man was rich, powerful, and had enough of a god complex that he felt justified in any of his actions.
Nicole peeked over her shoulder as circumspectly as possible to see if the man from earlier was still standing behind her, but no longer saw him in the lobby. For some reason she was both relieved and disappointed.
This was the first time she'd stopped since fleeing Wisconsin in a beat-up old car she'd managed to buy with the cash she'd stolen from Adam's safe. Her life as she'd known it had come to a screeching halt eighteen months ago. The bright eager high school teacher had died, and in her place now was a desperate woman simply trying to survive. Her nerves increased when the teller glanced at her with a flat expression on her face then disappeared.
Oh shit! Something's wrong. Was it because she'd asked for the money in cash, not credit?
All of the air in Nicole's lungs expelled in a rush of relief when the teller came back with a sealed envelope. Money in hand, she skedaddled for the glass doors leading to freedom. As soon as the barrier parted, she gratefully took a breath of fresh air. She gripped the envelope of cash as if it was a lifeline and she a drowning woman. Nicole slid her sunglasses back down and turned towards her car parked across the lot. Once she found a place to settle, she'd have to contact her brother and parents so they'd know she was alive. For all she knew, they thought she was dead, and despite wanting to make a fresh, anonymous start, she couldn't wilfully let her family continue to live in pain if she had the power to stop it. She'd made it past the first line of cars when a mountain of flesh brought her to a halt. A startled squeak escaped and she jumped back.
"I'm sorry. I didn't see you there.” She instantly recognised him as the man from inside and tilted her head back to catch the first real glimpse of his features. The thick, dark brown hair was full across the top and down the sides of his head. He had high cheek bones and a strong jaw, but what captivated her were his bright grey eyes. They were almost silver, a shade she'd never seen before. He stood nearly a foot taller than her and there was no disguising the strength of the muscles that corded his body. He was huge, which made a shiver race down her spine. She'd had enough of large, domineering men. While they might be sexy as hell, their strength and attitudes led to nothing but problems. Something deep inside tried to tell her this man would be different—that this man could protect her, that this man was special—but her mind refused to listen. She tried to step around him, but her arm was captured in his large hand. Not hard—he didn't squeeze—but his intentions were clear.
"Miss? I know something is wrong. Please let me help."
The resonance of his deep voice shimmered on the air currents surrounding her, almost hypnotic in its quality. Her body wanted to crawl against his wide chest and beg him for protection but her mind demanded she escape.
"There's nothing you can do. Please let go. I need to leave...right now."
"Is there someone after you? I can scent your fear."
She stiffened. There was only one possible explanation as to why a man would say that. Well, only one that she had intimate knowledge of. Shifter. She wrenched her arm out of his grasp and ran for her car. It was parked on the other side of the lot, maybe a hundred feet from where she stood, but it suddenly seemed miles away. A gust of wind blew her hair across her face and tangled it in the sunglasses she'd worn despite the overcast day. Only feet away from her goal, her body pitched forwards without warning. Instinctively she reached out with her hands to stop the fall but never felt the rough pavement touch her skin. Instead, a large muscled arm was wrapped around her waist, pulling her back into the embrace of her saviour.
She twisted and fought for release, blind panic seizing her mind. She had to get away! He would tell Adam where she was. All of those shifters stood together. It was them versus humanity, and she knew who would win this particular battle. She had neither the strength nor resources to put up a fight. Adam would come after her, and she'd kill herself before she allowed that creature to have control over her once again.
The man rested his large hand on the back of her head and held her close to the wide chest. The strength of those arms was obvious but they didn't crush her. Why wasn't he dragging her away? It almost felt like he was comforting her. Her body relaxed marginally and she fought through the instinctual panic to open her senses. She heard soothing murmurs float above her head and felt a calming caress up and down her back. She turned her head into the warm fabric of his shirt and inhaled. Inside something happened—within seconds the fight left her and she collapsed into the man's embrace. Her arms wrapped around his waist and she rubbed her face against his chest.
"I've got you. Nothing more will hurt you. I swear it."
She looked up into those captivating silver eyes. “Who are you? What just happened?"
He lifted her dark glasses and looked into her eyes. “My name is Jaryn Chaunterel and you're my mate."
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Chapter Two
* * * *
Adam Broyles sat in his home office watching the amber liquid swirl around the glass in his hand. Social rules be damned—if he wanted a drink at ten o'clock in the morning, he'd have a drink. It's not as if he'd get drunk. His inhumanly fast metabolism made it extremely difficult to achieve a state of inebriation. His hand squeezed around the cut lead crystal and the pointed edges dug into his palm. He'd like to feel his fingers curled around something else at the moment, preferably the supple neck of one traitorous bitch.
His eyes unfocused as he stared out the large window. The land surrounding his Northwoods compound became a haze as his mind drifted. Nicole's image floated before him. The dark-red, almost burgundy hair, the plump tits he loved to squeeze until a little squeak escaped her lush mouth. He'd initially taken Nicole because the DNA tests had shown that she would be the perfect host for his latest experiments. However, unlike the others—humans who were no more than disposable tissue to him—he found himself craving the little spitfire and contemplated taking her as a mate. The test results were inconclusive at this point, but Adam suspected that, thanks to Nicole's assistance, he'd finally managed to achieve perfection with the latest trial.
He'd offered her everything. Being a powerful female, it was only right that she serve at his side as his queen. Normally, he'd simply take what he wanted, but that somehow seemed wrong when it came to picking a mate. So he'd plied her with treasures and promises. He'd given her freedom within the compound that no other had. Still, she'd held herself apart from him. He'd then made it perfectly clear that his kindness only went so far, and she really didn't have a choice unless she wanted to suffer the consequences. He'd done all this and still the bitch somehow managed to escape. He would find her, he had no doubt. Wh
en he did, he would teach her why nobody ran out on him. If a tiny slip of woman thought she could get away with insulting him this way... Well, he was just going to have to teach her another lesson.
The ghost of smile on his lips that had appeared as he thought of all the lovely ways to punish Nicole for her defection changed to a scowl as his office door flew open and Kenneth, one of his earliest acquisitions, rushed his desk.
"What have I told you about asking for permission before entering!” he shouted.
Kenneth retreated several steps back. “I'm sorry,” he whispered, cowering.
Adam watched as the young telepath danced on the balls of his feet. He was obviously fearful at breaking the rules, but desperate to relate his information.
"Well, what is it?” he said exasperated.
"You told us to keep an eye on any transactions occurring on Ms Holland's accounts. She just withdrew a substantial amount of money from her savings."
He quickly stood, circled the desk, grabbed Kenneth's shirt and yanked him inches away from his face. “Where is she?” he growled.
"We're working on it, sir. Jasper is trying to hack into the banking system to find the branch location of her withdrawal. However, the new firewall program is one he hasn't encountered before. It's going to take time."
He pushed Kenneth away and the small body hit the door of his office with a hard thud.
"You go tell Jasper I want that information five minutes ago. If he doesn't have it by the end of today, he will be punished in front of the others tomorrow. Let him know he is to report to me personally when he has her exact location."
"Yes, sir.” Kenneth clutched the handle of the door and left the office as quickly as possible.
Adam paced in circles for a minute. The vein in his neck pounded in time with each step. They were so close to finding the faithless whore and she still managed to slither away. He would know where she was by the end of the day or there would be hell to pay. He picked up the lead crystal glass and slammed back the remaining seventy-year-old scotch. The fiery liquid seared his throat and churned his stomach. The conflagration burned his senses, and he launched the glass towards the wood panel wall, watching dispassionately as it shattered. Lead crystal rained down, catching the sunlight filtering through the large window, and tiny prisms littered the oriental carpet.