by Jana Leigh
When Ruby returned, they found a movie to put on and sat in comfortable silence watching a chick flick.
“So, Levi?” Jo finally said.
“He thinks I am too young.” Ruby whispered. “But I am not. I turned eighteen a few months ago. He is twenty five; I told him we were lucky to find our mates so young. My parents did not find each other until they were in their nineties. He just is being stubborn, he wants me to live a little before we mate, and you know travel. When all this stuff is done I am going to take a trip.”
“Hmm, sounds like Levi wants what is best for you, if I were you, I would take the trip and have a blast, who knows maybe he will get a little jealous.” Jo said.
“I doubt it, ever since I was attacked, he will barely look at me. My friend Lindi says it is because he was doing guard duty that morning. Not that he was supposed to specifically guard me; he was just supposed to guard the buildings. He was on the other side of the street when they attacked me. He got there as quick as he could, I know that.” Ruby said wistfully. “I just wish he would forget it ever happened and look at me like a real person. Not some fragile thing.” Ruby said.
“I wish I could give you some words of wisdom, but seriously, I suck at relationships.” Jo laughed.
“But you have Tey now.” She stated.
“As long as I don"t fuck that up too, we should be good.” Jo teased.
“That"s practically impossible. Wolves mate for life.” She questioned again.
“Yeah, yeah. Nevertheless, you have not seen the train wreck I can cause in my normal life, let alone a relationship. Just wait. I may have to ask you for advice.” Jo said and yawned.
“Oh, I have worn you out. Let"s get you back into bed before Tey gets here and gets pissed.” Ruby said.
Jo laughed but allowed the younger girl to help her back into the bedroom. She was actually grateful Ruby was smart enough to see that she had reached her limitations. Jo always had a problem with pushing herself to hard.
Once she was settled and the drapes were once again pulled, she thanked Ruby, then sank back into the squishy bed, and then drifted off.
Chapter 6
Jo heard pounding, and it startled her out of her nap. Someone was at the door of the apartment, and screaming her name.
“Jo! Answer the damn door! Who the fuck are you?” She heard her ex boyfriend yell. “I am here to see Jo. I know she is in there.”
Jo slowly got up, and was surprised when she did not feel the pain she had this morning.
It was amazing. She slowly rotated her arm, and she only felt a small twinge of pain.
Awesome. The doctor said that she would heal quicker, but seriously.
Not wanting to push her luck, she walked slowly to the foyer, and listened to Levi and Trent argue with Tim. How the hell had he found her, and why was he here? Jo backed slowly into the living room, until she was against the farthest wall from the door. Just hearing his voice sent shivers through her.
“She is my girlfriend and you have no right keeping her from me!” Tim yelled.
She could hear Levi speaking softly, firmly, but could not make out the words. Please, do not let him get by them.
“I will call the police if you do not let me see her!” Tim continued to yell. “Jo. Stop this shit, and get your ass out here!”
“What the fuck is going on?” Jo jumped when she heard Tey yell from farther away.
Levi raised his voice then and said. “Sir, I was just going to call you. This man seems to think that he is Jo"s boyfriend. I clearly heard you say just a few hours ago that you were her fiancée, so I think this guy is a little confused.”
“What? Fiancée? That is bullshit! Jo and I have been together for the last five years!
She is mine!” Tim yelled.
Jo finally got the use of her feet and ran to the door. On the other side was her most feared thing, but she was going to defend her man. He is all that mattered. She flung open the door and looked at the scene before her.
Levi had Tim pushed against the wall on one side, and Trent was on the other. Tey stood back trying to piece together what was going on. When Tey saw her, he stepped in front of her, so she was behind him. Tim started to struggle a little, and she saw the look in his eyes. If she were alone with him, there would be hell to pay.
Tey growled at Tim and leaned forward. “You will have nothing to do with her ever again. She is mine.”
Jo laid a hand on his back trying to calm him. She did not want him to lose his temper and get into trouble. She knew firsthand how Tim could manipulate any situation and come out looking like the victim.
When she had called the police on him the first time, he told them that she had been out drinking and fallen down the stairs. They believed him when they smelled the alcohol he had poured on her just before they got there. She tried to tell them the truth, but the pain meds had made her sound hysterical. After that, she just tried to stay away from him when he got into a mood.
Devon exited the elevator with Jaden and Quin behind him. “How did he get in here?” Devon bellowed.
“Clearly he mixed in with a few other people from the party in the lobby. When everyone turned his or her backs, he slipped up the stairwell. Some of the others alerted us before he even got up here. Jo was never in any danger.” Levi said.
“No excuse.” Devon growled, but backed off a little.
“Who exactly are you?” Quin said quietly speaking to Tim.
Jo tried to step around Tey, but he held her back. Tim obviously thought better than to challenge all the men in the corridor and said. “Listen, my name is Tim Klainer. I have been searching for my lost girlfriend for weeks. She is having a few mental issues. Look, I have a signed statement from a doctor to prove it. I just want to take her back to Chicago, and get her the help she needs. Did you know she was attacked? The doctor says she has post traumatic stress, it can cause people to make rash decisions.” He said smugly.
Jo laughed loudly and finally stepped around Tey. Quin and Jaden both stepped a little closer to her, but let her have her say. “You little bastard! You know I kicked your ass out of the house long before anything happened. In fact, I believe the Chicago police still have some questions they would like answered. Nevertheless, I would rather die than to go with you, fuck head! This is my home. This is my fiancée. You no longer have a say in anything I do, you limp dick!” She yelled.
Tey had to smother the smile that was trying to escape. His girl had a temper. Every day she became a force to be reckoned with. Quin and Jaden stepped in front of them.
“Since this is our property and clearly you are no longer welcome, please, let my men escort you out. I would certainly also rethink trying to see Jo again. She has made her choice, and quite eloquently I might add.” Quin said.
The elevator door opened again, and Cami stepped out of the door and saw what was keeping her men. She thought they were going to make sure that Jo was well enough to have visitors, that had been a while ago, and she was impatient to see her best friend.
When she saw who was standing in the hallway with her mates and friends Cami screamed and launched herself at Tim.
“You stupid, arrogant, mother fucker!” Cami yelled and was surprised when Jaden caught her around the waist before she could make contact with the prick that had beat her best friend. “Let me go!” She yelled. “I will knock his nuts into next week!” Tim, never the smart cookie in the cookie jar said, “Screw you, you crazy bitch!” Quin and Jaden both growled and motioned for Levi and Trent to get the asshole from their sight before they kicked his ass themselves.
Tey and Jaden carried the spitting mad girls into the apartment. They were both yelling obscenities the whole way. When they put the women down on the couch, both men sat stunned as they continued to yell out the door.
Quin followed and shut the door behind him and joined his friends watching the women talking to the door.
“Of all the FUCKIN" nerve. I should have kicked your ass a long t
ime ago! Now the scales are even you prick!” Jo screamed.
“You are nothing but a pussy, who likes to beat up on women! I would love you to try that with me! I would whip your ass and let the wolves have you!” Cami said.
The men laughed when they finally realized they were in the living room with only their mates. Jo and Cami looked at each other and high fived each other then fell over laughing.
“That is right, girlfriend. He has no clue what he is dealing with. I think we should cut off his dick and feed it to the Rogues.” Cami snarled and then fell back on the couch laughing at her own joke.
“Or better yet, I hear that Lola chick is a psycho. They would be a match made in heaven. She would kill him for just being stupid. Maybe we should throw him in the cell with her and let them go at it. Take video and keep it for when we are in a bad mood.” Jo said.
“Shit, you two are vicious.” Tey muttered.
“Don"t you forget it.” The girls grinned at their mated. Quin and Jaden laughed and Tey frowned then smiled.
“Our little he-women need to eat. What shall we order? I think it is long past time for us to try to make something.” Quin said.
The girls looked at each other and smiled. “Chili dogs? Or wait, how about a bag of nuts?” Cami said.
“Yeah, I agree. I would love to sink my teeth into a foot long.” Jo grinned and the women fell back on the couch in a fit of laughter again.
Quin stood and shook his head. “How about pizza?”
“Fine.” Cami frowned and stuck out her tongue. “Can we at least get chicken wings?
Got to have a little meat, even if it is wings.”
The men laughed and walked into the kitchen and looked for a takeout menu. “We have to talk. I spoke to my father a few hours ago and apparently there is a lot we do not know about Jo.” Quin said.
“Okay, just say the word.” Tey said anxious to hear what Quin's father had found out.
“I think it would be best to wait for the food and talk about it all together. I do not understand it myself totally, but I would prefer to only have to say this once.” Quin said.
Tey looked at his Alpha and nodded, but was worried about what was coming. Walking back into the living room they sat with the girls and talked about the bookstore and the story time. Tey took a lot of ribbing for his story telling abilities, but the look on his mate's face was enough for him to go with the flow. He felt pride from his mate. Her book had been a hit among the Pack. After the story time, the Pack gathered in a conference room below for refreshments. Tey listened as they praised his mate.
The doorbell rang and Tey retrieved the pizza and spread it on the table in front of the couch in the living room. Jo said she was feeling better, but he wanted her to sit still as much as possible.
They ate in a comfortable silence for a few moments, but then Tey began to feel the uneasy vibes coming from Quin. Obviously, so did Jo because she looked at Quin and Jaden and frowned then looked at him and raised her eyebrow, as if she was asking a question.
Tey shrugged and hoped that put her at ease for a few moments.
“Okay, let"s just get it over with.” Jo exclaimed. “What the hell is going on?” Cami laughed and leaned back. “Don"t worry. My big bad mate here thinks he is going to scare the shit out of you, and you will run screaming from the room. I, on the other hand, have assured him that you will be able to handle whatever, they have to say.”
“Well then let"s get to it. As long as I do not have a terminal disease or have to run naked through the street's singing show tunes, we are good.” Jo said and picked up another piece of pizza.
“Grace is coming to help explain. She was talking to my father and getting everything we need to know.” Jaden said. “If you want to run naked though, we would not care.” Cami laughed and slapped him on the shoulder and then leaned forward and whispered.
“He really likes the songs from the Broadway show „Rent" too.” They all laughed and started teasing each other, but once again became sober when Grace walked in the room and frowned at them.
“Let"s talk.” She said abruptly.
“First, give me a minute here.” Tey said. He looked at Jo and took her hand and then bent on one knee in front of her and reached for something in his pocket. “I know we have only known each other for a short time. I also know you are going through a lot, but I really need you to hear this before anything else is said. The more I learn about you, my complicated little mate, the more I fall in love with you. It really does not matter to me what happened in the past, only the future, and you are my future.
Therefore, I am formally asking you to be my mate, my wife, and my best friend. I will love and take care of you the days of our lives.”
Jo's eyes had begun to water, and she was sniffing by the time Tey was done. She looked up briefly and saw her best friend grinning and crying too. Looking back to Tey, she smiled and nodded. A lump in her throat prevented her from saying anything.
Tey opened a ring box, pulled out a deep blue sapphire, and held out his hand for her to allow him to put the ring on her finger. “Oh my god, that is the most beautiful ring I have ever seen.” Jo whispered, bent, and kissed him. “Thank you, and yes, now that I have my voice back, I will be your mate.”
“Now that the mushy stuff is over, can we get down to business?” Grace said and pushed her way into the room.
“Fine, but you need to snap it up; I have a mate to claim.” Tey growled and gave Jo a smoldering look that made her panties wet.
“What did my father say?” Quin said.
“Plainly, we have been blessed by the spirits once again. There have only been three White Wolves in our known history. Some speculate there are more, but they hide themselves because they are so coveted. The White Wolf is the purest of the wolves.
They are usually royalty and have special powers. Quin"s father did a little research, and a White Wolf cannot be made. They have to be born. Sometimes their abilities remain dormant to protect the wolf. He thinks that when you were bitten that your wolf came to the surface. There has not been a White Wolf in the last two hundred years. The Council is sending the Seer and three members to Denver. They should be arriving tomorrow. They want to see Jo and Tey. They did not know what your powers are because the White Wolf generally keeps it secret from everyone but their Alpha, this I can tell you. Your status in the Pack is equal to the Alphas. Many people will try to take you and use your powers. You need to act now, to prevent the Rogues from getting anywhere near you. In addition, you have to claim her; Jo needs to have an anchor.
That is one thing that the Council did say, she will get her powers soon, and if she is unclaimed, she will be unable to control them. Tey will be her balance and anchor, they must never be separated.” Grace said dramatically.
Tey jumped up, called Devon, and asked him to come to the apartment immediately.
Quin and Jaden huddled and spoke softly to each other, and Cami laughed and clapped her hands. Everyone stopped and looked at her, as if she was crazy.
“Don"t you get it? Jo, you were a wolf before you were attacked.” Cami said.
“Yeah, I got that little tidbit. What the hell is so funny?” Jo growled at her friend, having a hard time thinking and concentrating.
“Grace told me after I became pregnant. A wolf cannot get pregnant, unless she has sex with her mate. Even female humans that have mated are only able to get pregnant with their mates. You were a wolf that means that you can have babies, but only with Tey.” Cami said and clapped.
“I was hurt during the attack though.” Jo said confused why her friend would think this is good.
“You were a wolf, you healed. It would look like you were barren to human doctors, because you were unmated. Even our doctor can explain it.” Grace said frowning.
Tey smiled and gathered a shocked Jo in his arms and whispered in her ear. “I think we may get started with that family, don"t you think?”
Jo wanted a family, when the doctor told
her she would never have children she had gone into a depression. She felt like half a woman. Now they were telling her she could have children. The information was slowly making its way into her brain, and she grinned. “Everybody out, Cami, I will call you later.” Devon knocked on the door, but was pushed back into the hallway by his Alphas which were laughing. “We will take care of bringing the Enforcers up to date. Guards will be posted for the remainder of the night.”
Tey smiled and slammed the door behind his friends. He only had one thing on his mind, and that was claiming his mate.
Jo laughed as she watched him. Tey turned and prowled toward her. Her eyes widened, and thought this was what it felt like to be prey. She stood up instinctively wanting to run.
“I don"t think so.” Tey growled, suggesting he saw the look in her eyes that she was about to take flight. “We have some business to take care of.”
“Business? That"s what you call it?” She said frowning.
“Okay, how about, some fucking to take care of?” Tey said grinning.
Jo laughed and smiled at her mate. How had she gotten so lucky? “May I at least suggest we move into the bedroom?”
Tey grabbed her, hoisted her over his shoulder, and walked quickly to the master bedroom. When he got there, he threw her on the bed. Jo bounced a few times and laughed.
Tey began undressing and said, “If you aren"t naked in the next thirty seconds, your clothes will be shredded.”
Quickly getting on her knees, she threw the sweats off as fast as she could, all the while watching him strip his clothes. My Gods, he had the best body she had ever seen. His trimmed and beautiful body had muscles in all the right places. She slowly looked at him, starting from his head and moved down slowly. When she came to his cock, her eyes widened. Holy hell, it would never fit.
“Oh it will fit just fine.” He drawled and crawled on the bed toward her.
Tey captured her mouth in a searing kiss that left her breathless. She placed her hands on his chest and began to explore his chiseled body. His skin was soft and it felt like small electrical currents were running through her fingertips. When she touched him, she could feel the power flowing through them.