I wasn’t anything to write home about. Sure, I wasn’t completely unattractive, but my boobs and ass weren’t huge. Not enough calories to keep extra fat on my bones, plus my job meant I worked out often. Some days I had to be careful not to overdo it or else my output of energy outweighed my intake of food. The possibility of fainting was quite real, which meant vulnerability to vampires. If I passed out somewhere exposed to the elements . . .
A shudder racked my body. No way, no how.
I turned my back to Cole and a low growl rumbled from him. What? Had I made a faux pas I wasn’t aware of? I knew nothing about werewolf customs. Whirling around, Cole’s amber eyes blazed at me.
“Where did you get those marks?”
I shivered at his inhuman voice. “What marks?” I glanced down at my chest and legs. No vampire had gravely hurt me and his spit had healed the wounds on my neck and cheek. What was he so furious about?
“The ones on your back.”
“Oh, those. I don’t know. I’ve always had them.” And usually I forgot about them. Four ragged white stripes marred my back from my left shoulder to just above my right hip. Dad had never given me an explanation for them. He’d always looked haunted when I asked, so I’d stopped asking.
“They look like claw marks.” He stalked over to me and I stepped backwards until I hit the wall. I grabbed a towel, trying vainly to hide myself from him. With another growl, he gripped my arm and spun me around. I barely felt it happening, he was so damn strong. His nose practically touched my shoulder, heat seeping into my skin, and he inhaled deep.
“What the hell? Did you just smell me? You said I stank. Why’d you do that? Gross.” Anger covered my quivering muscles. I was out of my depth with Cole, and I just hoped he wouldn’t realize it. A part of me wanted to take refuge in his arms and let him keep the other monsters at bay. The other part of me was disgusted by my weakness. Trusting someone else to keep me safe was stupid and shortsighted. Once he grew bored of protecting me, then where would I be?
Fingers, featherlight, trailed along the puckered skin, and if I’d been a cat, I would’ve purred.
What was happening to me? I’d never felt the urge to purr before and Cole himself didn’t appear to be the reason for my extreme reaction. The intense dichotomy distracted me from his actions.
“I can’t pick up the scent. It’s masked by vampire stench.”
“Well, I do have blood and gore all over me, remember?” My muscles bunched and the strong urge to escape washed over me. “How about you leave so I can take a shower?”
Cole stepped back, finally giving me space. I snuck a peek at his face, then wished I hadn’t. Jaw muscles clenched, his cheekbones stood in stark relief, and long canines pressed against his bottom lip. Amber swirled in his irises. He stalked out of the room without another word.
I let out a slow, unsteady breath as the tension seeped from my limbs. Standing next to an aggravated alpha was like taking the first step off a cliff—gut-clenchingly scary.
Stepping into the stall, I turned the knobs, squealing as the cold water hit me. I hadn’t expected the instantaneous spray, but damned if the coolness didn’t feel good. Yeah, I was one of those weirdos who enjoyed a cold shower every once in a while. Then again, if I couldn’t get a shower at work, I was stuck with a lukewarm one at the shelter. They rarely had hot water when I showed up.
Rummaging through the umpteen shampoo and conditioner bottles, I found one that smelled like tropical fruit. My stomach growled. I needed food and soon. No longer feeling the urge to linger, I shampooed the crud from my hair, then slathered conditioner through the squeaky-clean strands. Water cascaded over my body, and my sigh of pleasure turned into one of regret. I didn’t want to leave the stall.
Turning off the knobs, I stepped out, grabbed a towel, and dried myself off. The mirror was fogged up, for which I was grateful. Studying the cuts and bruises on my skin could wait until later, when I had time for a mini-breakdown.
For now, it was time to confront a werewolf.
Chapter Ten
Dressed, feeling determined—and curious about whose clothes I wore—I strode into the sitting room. Cole was right, it was easy to find, directly across the hall from the bathroom. The large doorway gave me a clear view of the man. He sat on a couch with his back to me, his legs sprawled before him and arms stretched across the back cushions. His attention was on the fireplace, which gave me a moment to study him.
His black hair was damp and he’d changed into a dark blue polo shirt. For an insane moment, I fantasized that this was my home and he was my husband. I’d just come home from a long day at work and we’d cuddle for a bit before eating supper—a normal life where I didn’t worry about bloodthirsty creatures tracking me through the night.
Shaking myself from my stupid thoughts, I moved forwards and plopped myself on the chair next to him, dropping my knapsack on the floor beside me. Cole wasn’t my fantasy man. He had no qualities that attracted me. Bossy, manipulative, aggressive, and more.
Even his generosity towards me was suspect, since it had strings attached.
Combing my fingers through my still-wet hair, I glared at the crackling fire, angry at him and the whole situation. “So, why now? You’ve known me for what, five years and not once have you offered to train me. Seems a little dickish if you ask me.”
Turning his head, the flames glinting in his grey eyes, he shrugged. “Things have changed. You’re no longer safe at night.”
A sharp laugh burst from me. “You’re mental. You know that, right? I haven’t been safe at night since the first attack.”
“They were weak vampires, ones low on the food chain.”
He rubbed his chin, lost in thought. Was our conversation over so quickly? I ground my teeth together, vainly hanging on to my temper. Exploding at Cole wouldn’t get more answers.
Finally, he continued, “You’ve drawn the attention of the sires. And one of them’s given orders for your capture.”
My anger drained out of me, replaced by fear. I hunched forward, cradling my forehead in my hands. “Who and what the fuck are the sires? I don’t understand any of this. Why me? What did I ever do to the damn vampires? Are they pissed I killed some of them?”
Cole chuckled, a soft sound that irritated me. How dare he find amusement in my being hunted? Prick. For a moment, I wished my glare could turn him into stone or set him on fire. Instead, he leaned over and ran his fingers along my cheek. I flinched away, not appreciating his newfound need to touch me. I wasn’t his to touch.
“No, they don’t care about the fodder.” Cole didn’t appear upset with my movement. He settled back on the couch, his eyes trained on me. Looking for chinks in my armour? “Come now, I’ve already told you I won’t harm you. You’re under my protection. Wolves are affectionate creatures, and touch is how we interact. I meant no disrespect.”
I huffed and crossed my arms. I didn’t appreciate him making me feel like I was overreacting. My body, my rules. And the first rule was no touching without my permission. “Let’s just pretend I’m not a werewolf and therefore don’t want to be touched, okay?”
“Fair enough,” he said, dipping his chin. “I’ll keep my hands to myself unless you ask.”
The suggestive tone and glint in his eye was meant to throw me off the scent. Flirty Cole was back in full force. I rolled my eyes and stared at the ceiling, praying for strength. Whether I wanted mental strength to deal with his bullshit or physical strength to strangle him, I wasn’t sure.
“You were explaining to me why the sires are after me. How about you be straight with me for once, huh?” My gaze slid to him and I caught the slight tightening of his lips. Seems the big bad wolf didn’t like me calling him on his crap.
“You’re better off not knowing some things.” Cole rested his elbows on his knees, his attention once again on the fire. “Learn too much and you become a liability.”
“You shitting me? How about I’m done wandering around in the dark w
hile there’re monsters waiting to chew on my neck? Quite literally! You owe me an explanation.”
“Supper is ready, Alpha.” Lena’s low, pleasant voice almost made me growl. I swear she’d interrupted us on purpose. If Cole thought I’d forget the topic, he was dead wrong. First, though, I’d stuff myself with food, and then when I was sated, I’d hammer him until he broke.
He stood and held his arm out for me, and I hesitated. He’d said he wouldn’t touch me unless I asked, yet not five minutes later, he was ignoring his own words. Was he testing me? Seeing how far he could push me? Why did his actions always seem to come with an ulterior motive? Was I reading too much into it? When I studied his face for clues, all I received was a bland smile in return.
Clamping my teeth together, I wrapped my fingers around his arm and pulled myself to my feet. Dizziness hit me hard, reminding me about my lack of food and blood. A moan spilled from my lips as nausea churned my stomach and a nasty headache pounded in my temples.
“I think I’m gonna be sick.” I sounded pitiful and weak, but I couldn’t muster up the energy to care. Cole’s arm wrapped around my shoulder and we shuffled down the hall. Walking any faster would’ve caused a rebellion in my stomach, which he seemed to understand. Damn him for his moment of kindness.
“Food will make you feel better. And then sleep. We’ll argue in the morning, okay?” His amusement didn’t endear him to me.
“Yeah, fine,” I mumbled, deciding it was in my best interests to shelve my interrogation until I had my wits about me. Hunger clouded my mind and I couldn’t keep a solid thought in my head. Asking questions now might yield me answers, but I couldn’t swear I’d remember them.
An eternity later, we were in the kitchen. I wasn’t expecting to eat in the kitchen at a cosy table set for two. Made no difference, though. Give me food and then once my gut was full, I might have a thing or two to say about the setup. Dropping into the chair Cole pulled out for me, I eyed the stew in the pot sitting between the two of us. Help myself or wait?
A growl from my stomach solved the dilemma for me. I grabbed the ladle and spooned some thick stew into my bowl, then grabbed a slice of buttered, homemade bread. The scents were heavenly. I dug in before Cole had a chance to grab his first spoonful. Rude, yes, but I was past the point of caring. I needed to eat. Now.
No words passed our lips as we consumed two bowlfuls each. Cole, however, ate most of the bread, though I could tell he held back. Making sure I had my fill first?
With a sigh, I leaned back in my chair, my stomach uncomfortably full. I had no regrets. It’d been so long since I’d stuffed myself, thanks to my meagre pay.
“I have to say, your place isn’t what I imagined it to be.” Pleasantries might get me further with Cole than irritation and anger. Of course, I could be delusional.
“Hmm, you thought about me?” A sly grin tilted the corners of his mouth and my fingers itched to smack it off his face. I should’ve known he’d take it the wrong way on purpose.
Since it’d be rude to smack my host, I instead gave a little laugh. “I haven’t thought about you in such a manner, so you can get that idea out of your head right now. Mild curiosity and nothing else.”
Arrogant, know-it-all males didn’t rate high on my list for boyfriend material. Add in werewolf and he sank to the bottom of my list. I had enough issues with supernaturals; I didn’t need to be sleeping with one.
“Mm-hmm.” Cole sounded entirely too pleased with himself and the situation.
Deciding a change of subject was in order, I raised an eyebrow and said, “So you want to train me? How, where, and with who? And if you say Doug, I won’t be responsible for my actions. He hates me.”
“Yes, I know.” Cole’s grin veered into the shit-eating category. “Doug’s been vocal in his dislike for you and your continued employment.”
“And yet, I’m still working there. Am I really that important in your fight against vampires?” I toyed with my fork, positive I wasn’t. It’d been a long time since anyone had considered me important, not since Dad had died.
Cole chuckled, a warm sound that brushed against my raw nerve endings. “You are, but my reasons behind your employment with Doug are childish. It pisses him off, which amuses me. I could’ve transferred you to one of the other clubs in town, but where’s the fun in that? Plus you’re closer to my home at his location, so you stay.”
Nope, I wasn’t touching his last comment. He’d already proven he liked to play mind games and I wouldn’t be one of his victims.
Lacing his fingers together over his stomach, he continued, “As for the training, it’ll be with me. I don’t trust anyone else.”
“Seems a little paranoid. Afraid one of them will kill me?” Truth be told, now I was afraid one of the wolves might decide to off me. I’d probably caused them enough headaches over the years if they’d been protecting me.
“More like afraid they won’t push you hard enough. I can’t have them go easy on you because you’re human. Some members think you’re weak. Me, I know better.” The predatory glint in his eye gave me pause. What thoughts swirled around in his head? Did I want to know or was ignorance bliss?
I took a sip of water, my throat dry as the implications of his interest smacked me in the face. Was his flirting an act or—
Nope, not going there. Our relationship would stay friendly and professional, nothing more.
Slouching in my chair, I absently scratched an itch on my cheek, my mind bouncing to a safer topic, like murderous vampires.
“Why is your place safe for me? Won’t the vampires attack? You said your pack was tired.”
Cole slowly chewed his last piece of bread, his expression thoughtful, all hint of attraction gone. “They can’t enter my house. The threshold is too strong, since most of my pack considers here their home. And I have sentries whose sole job is to protect the inhabitants. The sires would love nothing more than to wipe out those I care about.”
“You’ve mentioned them before. The sires. Who are they? Why do they matter?” I kept my eyelids at half-mast. Would he assume I was too sleepy to retain the information? Fat chance of that. I was wide awake and ready to interrogate.
“The sires are just that. They’re the ones who create new vampires and they control all the nests. At last count, there are five of them worldwide, which means each of them has thousands of vampires under their control. The one we have to worry about is Maxwell Winter. We’re in his territory, or so he claims. He forgets us wolves were here first.” Cole’s voice dropped into a growl and the amber shone brighter in his eyes. I shivered, aware of how close his other side was to the surface. If he wolfed out, would he remember me or savage me in his anger?
I hoped to never find out.
“So then why do the sires care about me now? I haven’t done anything out of the ordinary in the past few weeks. Hell, I haven’t even killed that many vampires, barring this evening.” I was missing something and Cole had the puzzle piece. His eyes flicked to the side, as if debating how much to tell me.
He slouched in his chair, running his fingers through his hair. “It’s complicated and I’m not sure how much you’re ready to hear. There’s a lot at play, not just you. When we protected you at Halvar’s, some vampires escaped and told Winter we’d joined the battle. We broke the rules.”
“But attacking humans is just fine and dandy?” I could barely keep the anger from my voice. I’d been terrorized by vampires for a decade, which seemed well within their rules, yet someone sticking up for me got their panties in a twist?
“Vampires consider humans food.” Cole shrugged, not in the least apologetic. “We live for hundreds of years, some for thousands. Your race dies so easily and so most of us don’t get attached. It’s a heartache waiting to happen.”
“Why the fuck did you save my life then? Why protect me?” I asked, slamming my hands against the table, no longer pretending to be sleepy, too offended at the thought that I was considered expendable. My life mea
nt nothing to these assholes. I’d already suspected the truth, but to hear it confirmed pushed me closer to the edge of raging bitch.
Cole stood, his lean body loose and no expression on his face. “Come, I’ll show you to your room. Tomorrow we’ll talk more and begin your training.”
The set of his jaw told me I wouldn’t get any more information from him tonight. Sharing time was over. So be it. I was ready for uninterrupted sleep, something I hadn’t experienced in ages. A yawn slipped out before I could cover it.
I stood up and reluctantly placed my hand into his outstretched one, worried he was conditioning me to accept his touch. Why hadn’t he exhibited his touchy-feely nature before? Maybe he felt comfortable showing this side since he wasn’t hiding his werewolf status from me anymore.
“Off to bed then? I’ll clean up.” Lena popped her head into the kitchen from a side entrance, a giant smile on her face. She fanned her hands at us. “Shoo now. You two have a big day tomorrow.”
Cole’s fingers tightened for a fraction of a second around mine, though he didn’t say anything, simply tugging on my hand as he walked towards the main hallway and up the giant, curving staircase. Of course his house had such a monstrosity.
I took the opportunity to remove my hand from his, pretending I needed to hold on to the railing. When we reached the top, I glanced around, though I couldn’t see much, only a hallway with closed doors lining both sides and a set of oak doors at the end.
With a smug grin, Cole led me to a room next to the double doors and pushed it open.
The name “blue room” became crystal clear as I stared at the eggshell-blue walls, the dark blue sheets on the bed, and a pale bluish-white carpet. A walnut-brown dresser sat to the right of the bed, near what I assumed was the closet. End tables sat between the four windows, each one topped with an opaque blue lamp. Landscape paintings hung on the wall and I had no clue if they were expensive or not. My education hadn’t encompassed art. A derisive laugh tickled the back of my throat; my education had stopped at grade eight when Dad had died and the vampires had attacked my first group home.
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