So, he didn’t know that I got drunk on purpose.
Ethan grabbed a bottled of water from the mini fridge and handed it to her. “You have four minutes to get ready.”
What? “Why?”
He looked irritated by her question. “Just do as I say.”
Sookie scowled. She didn’t feel good. “Can I just stay? I feel nauseous. I have to go…” She quickly ran to the bathroom and bent over the toilet. With one foot, she closed the door shut. She washed her face and gurgled with mouthwash she found in the medicine cabinet. Great job, she thought. I manage to make myself look like a drunken idiot. When she finished, he was waiting, looking twice as irritated.
“Minus six minutes,” he remarked. He dressed her with the her silk gown. He grabbed his coat and draped it around her shoulders. He then found her shoes and patiently slipped them on her feet.
Sookie blinked, confused. What he did wasn’t alpha-y at all. Weren’t they supposed to be macho and all? “Can you tell me what’s going on?”
Ethan grabbed an overnight duffel bag from the bed and herded her outside. His stone-faced beta waited for them in the hallway.
“Car ready?” Ethan asked.
“At the south gate.”
Ethan tugged her elbow, signaling her to move faster. She had no other choice but to comply. The pack beta opened the door that lead them into the basement of the mansion. They descended through two flights of stairs and entered the door that brought them to a long narrow tunnel.
Her heart pounded. Something must be going on. Something bad. But neither Ethan nor his beta offered any explanation. She struggled to match the men’s long strides with her stiletto pumps and now her feet started hurting. It was a miracle she didn’t fall over. Ethan’s grip on her was too tight.
The tunnel eventually ended at a small landing with more stairs. Oh, yay, Sookie grumbled in silence. They glided up over it with great haste. Graystone opened another door that led them to the garage with a waiting SUV. Two men dressed in black acknowledged the alpha. The beta took the driver’s seat while she and Ethan sat in the back. The duffel bag that Ethan carried thumped against the floor. Sookie was certain that Ethan didn’t carry a change of clothes in it. Curiosity got into her but she didn’t dare to ask.
Ethan sat next to her, his expression betraying nothing. As soon as he shut the vehicle door, the pack beta gunned the accelerator. The SUV lurched into the street at high speed.
Sookie was sure that Ethan didn’t wake her up in the middle of the night for a midnight stroll. They were under attack, that much she could see. But from whom? Cain and his goons? Already? She didn’t expect that she’d be with Ethan when Cain did his thing. She thought she would be somewhere else, safe and reunited with her brother. The tension inside the SUV was like a high tensile string ready to snap. Ethan and Graystone didn’t speak a word. Judging from the look on their faces, they seemed ready to tear into anybody who stood in their ways.
Scary.
Her headache was gone and replaced with a new fear. How am I going to survive this? She didn’t know how long she could keep up this deception. If Ethan decided to question her on the spot, her defense would crumble down in an instant and she’d sing like a canary.
She bowed her head and put her hands on her lap. Anxiety crept into her like a sneaky thief, cold sweat on her nape. Where are we going? What will he do to me when he finds out the truth? Her stomach knotted so hard it gave her nausea. She couldn’t imagine what would happen to her if Ethan found out the truth. He’d kill her for sure. A big, tall man like Ethan would have no trouble snapping her neck as if it were a twig.
Oh, God. If I die, who’s going to save Jesse?
She couldn’t face the prospect that she failed her mother.
Mom, I fucked up.
Unexpectedly, Ethan covered her hands with his as if he wanted to comfort her.
It surprised her.
When she looked up to him, she found he was watching her, his gaze oddly warm. So, he didn’t suspect anything? Seriously? Serioooously? That was kinda too good to be true.
Graystone tore down the road that was cloaked by midnight like a demented Nascar driver. The SUV took them to the outskirts of the city. She closed her eyes, thinking about Jesse. Right now, her brother was locked in his cell under a remote facility somewhere, whose location she hadn’t been able to memorize. Cain’s goons had put a blindfold on her whenever they took her out.
Is he hungry? Do they feed him something at least?
She truly hoped they didn’t torture Jesse. She blinked her eyes so she wouldn’t cry. Crying was for suckers. For the weak. She had to be strong for her brother. Jesse had lost his twin and his mom and dad in a blink of an eye and even though he had never said it, it had been hard for him, too. Sookie and Jesse only had each other.
It’s you and me against the world, Jesse. Alone.
Half an hour later, Graystone stopped at the shoulder of the road, pulling behind a parked sedan. Ethan told her to get out. They changed vehicles. Graystone didn’t go with them. He stayed in the SUV, while Ethan drove the sedan.
Then they went on their separate ways.
She thought Ethan was covering their tracks pretty well if he didn’t want to be found out. Sitting on the passenger seat, she observed the situation. Ethan still didn’t speak a word other than telling her to buckle up. His face was serious. Grim, even.
Her skin pricked with uneasiness. The same feeling one gets when one stands next to a deadly animal in a cage. One knows it can’t get out, but if one stands too close to the cage, tempting fate, anything can happen. And at that very moment, Ethan was dangerous. She could feel it deep in her bones. She knew he was nice to her. So far. But the instinct to flee from him grew with every second. It took a strong will to squelch that urge.
Did he regain his memory?
Did he find out she was a fake?
She clasped her clammy hands together, praying to God for a big miracle.
Ethan exited the highway and drove toward a preserved park and land that hadn’t been developed yet. The road turned into a narrow street, then became an unpaved dirt path. Sookie held the side of her seat as the car glided uneventfully from the bumps and rocks. When the path ended at a rusty gate bearing a Do Not Enter sign, Ethan stopped the car and motioned her to get out. He gave her a flashlight.
She obeyed without a peep.
Even though the moon was bright, the woodland was quite dark. After Ethan shut off the car engine, she could no longer see her surroundings. She turned on the flashlight, wondering where he was planning to take her. The trees swayed gently by the midnight breeze, casting shadows on her puny source of light. It felt like phantoms were dancing in the background, ready to sweep in and devour her. A shiver crept to the base of her skull. This whole ambiance was freaking creepy.
Ethan grabbed his bag and slammed his car door shut without bothering to lock it. “Are you okay to walk?” he asked solicitously. He navigated his way with ease; he didn’t need a flashlight at all. He seemed fine walking in the dark. Then again, a wolf was supposed to have excellent sight.
“Yeah,” she answered meekly. “Where are we going?”
“A safe house. I have a cabin by the lake.” When she stumbled on the uneven ground, he grabbed her hand and led her onto a hidden path beyond the rusty gate. He noticed that her shoes weren’t meant for trekking in the woodland. Without a word, he shouldered his bag and then swept her off her feet, lifting her in princess carry.
“Ethan!” Sookie wasn’t expecting this. He supposedly had just recovered from a life-threatening accident. “What are you doing? Put me down.”
He replied with a grumble. “You’re too slow.”
“I can walk by myself just fine.”
“Nice try. You’re falling all over the place. We won’t get to the cabin until morning with your snail pace.”
“But—“
“Stay still. Or I’ll throw you over my shoulder and carry you like a
sack of potatoes. You won’t like it.”
Eeek! Sookie quieted in an instant.
She clung to him while pointing the flashlight on the skinny path before them. Ethan moved with ease as if she weighed nothing. She was impressed with his strength considering she wasn’t exactly a pixie. Being so close to him like this stirred some new feeling inside her. Not fear. Something like… fondness? Oh God, she mentally smacked her head. He carries me like this and I fall for him? Just how desperate are you, Sookie?
Ethan’s cabin was situated next to the river’s edge. It had a boathouse and a pier. The moon bounced the light from the surface of the placid water, dimly illuminating the surroundings. He put her down on her feet. Even though the cabin was built in this secluded place, it was equipped with a high-tech security system. Ethan didn’t need keys to open the front door. He only punched the numbers and scanned his thumb on the keypad. The door whispered open. It was reinforced steel cleverly disguised with a wooden façade. She thought that the whole cabin was built the same way. It wasn’t just a safehouse. It was a fortress. Not even a tank could easily blast its way inside.
Actually, the cabin was very cozy. It wasn’t that big. It boasted one bedroom on the main floor and two upstairs. It had two bathrooms, a pantry, a medium living space and decent-sized kitchen with a table that could seat eight people.
Ethan put his bag on the floor next to the kitchen counter. She heard a metallic sound from it. She wondered if Ethan was packing some firepower instead of clothes.
“There are some clothes in the main bedroom if you’d like to get changed,” he said.
That was a good idea. Pretty as it was, the silk gown was a pain in the ass to wear.
“You can take a shower or bath too if you’d like,” Ethan added. “I imagine you might want to get comfy.”
“I’d like a shower. I think I still have a bit of a hangover.”
“I have some anti-nausea pills if you’d like.”
She shook her head. “A shower is just fine.”
“I’ll make you some coffee when you’re done.”
“Thank you.” Sookie watched him settle behind the desk in the living room area. It looked like Ethan’s personal workspace. The desk had a kickass computer with dual screens. A stack of unopened letters was haphazardly perched next to a writing pad. He powered on the computer and worked on his e-mails. “Do you come here often?” she asked.
“Quite.”
Sookie had a lot of questions to ask him but she hesitated.
“Yes?” he prompted when she didn’t do what she was going to do.
“Are you all right?” she asked. “You carried me over when you just recovered from a terrible accident. It was a long walk from the car.”
That earned her a smile, more like a smirk from him. “Are you worrying about me, wife?”
Her face heated in an instant. The way he said “wife” was heavily intoned with mocking. “Why shouldn’t I be?”
Twinkles of amusement danced in his eyes. “Werewolves heal faster than humans, in case you don’t know.”
“I heard something like that. Is it true that werewolves are also allergic to silver?”
“Hmm? Curious, are we? Are you going to stab me with silverware while I’m sleeping?”
A tiny annoyance bubbled up inside her. Can he just answer a straight question? “Yes, I was curious. And that was a legitimate question.” Her voice came a bit harsher than she intended. Whatever. She tried playing nice.
A pause. Another smile. “Common werewolves perhaps. A purebred like me is impervious against silver.”
Purebred. Gah. He sounded so arrogant about his pedigree, as if he was sired by the Holy Pope, Queen of England and the President of United States rolled together. Sookie wanted to ask whether he was registered with the American Kennel Club as well. “Good to know,” she said simply and sauntered to the bedroom.
She could feel the weight of his stare on her back.
That bastard enjoyed this very much.
Chapter Three
That female drove me insane with need. . .
Ethan relaxed in his chair, trying to restore some semblance of order in his muddled mind. The effect she had on him was utterly devastating. One whiff of her scent and he was in a state of arousal.
Christ.
Even at a crucial time like this, his dick insisted on doing all the thinking. Lunar Manor was under attack and all he could think of was how luscious his new wife was. His cousin didn’t even wait for the party to be over before his true malice was uncovered. Or perhaps Cain didn’t think that Sookie could keep his secret for long. One hour after he decided to lay down next his new bride, Graystone woke him up with the news that the Lunar Manor’s security was compromised. Half of the guests had already left. And those who stayed faced an ambush assault from Cain’s men and sympathizers.
Cain has guessed that his preemptive attack would catch him unaware. But Ethan had readied his men long before that. Actually, he had been ready since Graystone retrieved him from the airplane wreckage. Half of his men were in battle-ready condition during the celebration and the rest were on call for reinforcement. Ethan didn’t put his whole force in Lunar Manor to give the illusion that he wasn’t aware of what was going on. He wasn’t sure which house would conspire with his cousin to topple his rule but now he knew. Out of the thirteen houses under his command, three of them, all of which happened to be the biggest packs with large followers, decided to revolt. House Macari that ruled the North, House Lubbock from the South, and House Barat that commanded werewolves in the East had shown him their true colors. He didn’t know what Cain had promised them but such disloyalty must be awarded accordingly. He had left Graystone with instructions to crush the renegades. He then would personally deal with Cain and the pack leaders of those three houses.
But first, he would deal with Sookie.
When he heard that she finally finished with her shower, he got up and waited for her in the bedroom. He lounged on a loveseat in front of the fireplace.
Sookie came out from the shower wrapped in a terry cloth robe and nothing else. The clothes that she picked from the wardrobe were left out on the bed.
Perfect.
Just perfect.
She looked surprised when she saw him in the bedroom. Why you little minx! You didn’t think I would let you off that easily, did you? From where he was sitting, he could smell the soap and shampoo she was using and beneath those her unique scent that drove him wild. Her hair was damp but she looked livelier than before. No trace of drunkenness lingered.
Fuck. Seeing her like that made his cock even harder.
“Nice shower?” he asked.
Her eyes widened and she instinctively nodded.
“Good. Now come here,” he beckoned her with his fingers.
She looked hesitant at first but then she obeyed him like a good girl.
“Sit on my lap,” he patted his thigh.
Without a word, she did what he asked.
“Aren’t you tired?” she inquired.
“Tired? Not at all. Especially when I want to get to know my wife.”
She flinched a little on the words “my wife.” Ethan expertly concealed his amusement. She surely didn’t think that he’d let her go without appropriate punishment, did she? Before this night ended, he’d make her spill all her devious little secrets. He then would fuck her brains out until she couldn’t remember her own name. After all, she was his woman.
She is my true mate, damn it.
“I need to ask you something…” Sookie said.
“Hmm?”
“Did something happen in the Manor? I don’t understand why we must leave in the middle of the night. I thought…” she faltered.
“You thought what?”
She looked uncomfortable. “Are we running from someone?”
“What makes you think we’re running from someone?”
She narrowed her eyes, clearly annoyed. “Why can’t you give me a strai
ght answer?”
“Did you forget I have amnesia?”
“Oh.” She blushed prettily. “But still. . .”
He growled low. “I’m more interested in learning all about you. Tell me again what I did after I bought you a drink.” Ethan could tell that her heartbeat raced and her blood pressure was rising, a telltale sign that someone was lying. It was amazing that she was able to keep a poker face this far. But his intuition was sharper than any lie detector machine man could make.
“I don’t remember much, I’m sorry. I already had a few drinks before I saw you.”
“Are you sure about that? I don’t buy women I meet in bars drinks quite often.” He groped her thighs under the robe. Her skin was as smooth as silk. He couldn’t wait to put his hands all over her. She fidgeted. She didn’t dare move too much. By this time, she must know that he was full-blown aroused. His cock was as hard as a rock. “If I did, I want to be able to remember.”
“Ethan…” She looked uncomfortable. “I-I’m sorry. I can’t recall…”
“Are you sure?” He groped her thigh and stroked it lazily. “Jog my memory, Susan. What kind of dress were you wearing that night?”
“My dress?” She looked surprised. “It—it was just a regular dress. Dark blue with a flower print. Nothing special.”
“Dark blue?” Ethan inched his hand higher. He could hear her heartbeat accelerate and her body responded to his touch. Her fear clung like an opium haze, lingering and stubborn. At least she didn’t recoil from his stimulation. That was a good thing. She was his mate; they said a pair bonded always felt their connection no matter their circumstances. “Blue must look lovely on your skin. I’m quite partial to blue. Tell me, how did you wear your hair?”
“Like I always do—in a ponytail.”
He shifted his gaze upward, admiring her thick and glossy hair that she bound rather carelessly. With one tug, he undid the knot, causing her hair to tumble down her back like a curtain of silk. He twirled a finger around a lock of her hair and sniffed it. She smelled clean and fresh. Just the way he liked it. “Wear your hair down from now on,” he said thickly. “I like it that way.”
Soul of the Wolves Page 5