by Milly Taiden
“Alexi, thank you for coming so quickly. I hope I didn’t pull you away from anything important.”
“No, Alpha. How can I be of assistance?”
“Can you explain to us what you saw here when you followed the group?”
“The kids never saw me. They weren’t even trying to be sneaky or hide. I was able to get up to the outer edge of the circle but no closer. They had lights, so I couldn’t risk it. I counted about twenty in all. They were just talking and laughing, normal things we all did at that age.” Alexi trailed and frowned in thought. “Suddenly a hush went over them all. They went stock still for a good minute or so before they began talking again. This time it was different, though, their words were slow and slightly slurred. They were stumbling around as if…well, it almost looked like they were drunk.”
“Did you see them drink anything?” Garrett asked as he moved closer to the man.
“No, sir. I saw them take nothing. No food or drinks. I didn’t see them smoking anything and I didn’t smell smoke for that matter. If it were pills, I sure didn’t see any of them popping them in their mouths.”
Garrett grunted. “It doesn’t make sense anyway. The way you explain it, they all froze at the same time.”
“That’s correct, sir.”
Luke stepped forward. “Alexi, do you smell anything odd here?”
The wolf sniffed the air and frowned. “Yes, sir. It’s a sweet odd smell. I didn’t notice that before.”
“Have you smelled it before? When the kids froze, did you notice this smell or anything else odd in the air?” Luke persisted.
Alexi frowned and slowly shook his head. “There was nothing out of the ordinary I could tell, at least. Well, other than their reactions, I mean.”
Brannon sighed and nodded. “Thank you. I appreciate your help.”
Garrett watched as Alexi left the clearing, thinking about what they had learned, which was basically nothing. His frustration was increasing with each passing day. He’d learned that his sister was not among the kids staying out all night. He was frightened to find out what might be next.
“Anyone curious to know what happened after Alexi left? I mean, where did they go?” Caelen tossed out as the men all exchanged puzzled looks.
“Can anyone get a track on their scents? A group that large would be pretty obvious for us to follow,” Bastien replied.
One by one, the men all shook their heads. No one had found a trail leading out when they were searching the area.
“How in the hell is that possible?” Garrett demanded as he kicked at a loose stone on the ground. “They couldn’t just disappear. They had to have gone somewhere.”
“That’s true, but we aren’t going to discover it tonight. Let’s go home and check in with the other scouts. With luck, someone will have seen something somewhere,” Brannon replied.
Caelen cleared his throat. “By the way, I won’t be going with you tomorrow on the date. Brannon is going in my place with Kasey.”
Garret cocked an eyebrow in amusement. “She may not be too friendly to you after yesterday’s comment as you ran out the door. It was a bit insensitive even for you.”
“What comment are you talking about?” Brannon asked in confusion. “She wouldn’t even look at me or talk to me, how could I have offended her?”
Luke and Bastien chuckled at his affronted tone. “Maybe when you took off after Caelen, hollering about why he was taking her on a date,” Garret supplied with a twinkle in his eyes.
“Oh, fuck me. That’s not what I meant and you all know it,” Brannon grumbled as he glared at them.
“We might, but something tells me you’re gonna have fun trying to convince her.”
Garrett couldn’t help his smile as he thought about Toni. She was a handful all growly and feisty. She wasn’t going to give in easily, but that was half the fun in his opinion. He hadn’t lied in his note to her. The minute he’d seen her, he and his leopard had known she was the only one in the world for them.
“Hey, wake up. Damn, can you go five minutes without thinking of getting in her pants?” Luke called out teasingly as the group made their way away from the clearing.
“It’s not like that…entirely. I was thinking how the stories were true. That when you see your mate, you just know. I’ve been with and around a lot of women, but none of them have even come close to Toni. I guess it kind of surprised me.”
Bastien and Luke shared a smile at his words. “It only gets better once you claim her,” Luke said with a pat on the back. “By the way, Bastien and I packed picnic baskets for us. We have blankets to sit on. Is there anything you can think of we need to bring?”
“Nope, that should cover it.” Garrett frowned. “Brannon, are you cool with the arrangements I set up?”
“Yeah, no problem. I’m all set. I took care of it already. I know I’m picking her up at the restaurant at one p.m. Caelen filled me in on all the information.”
“Sounds like a plan then. See you all tomorrow at one,” Garrett called as he headed to his home and the clock that was going to slowly drag by until he could see Toni again.
He was just entering when his cell phone rang. He quickly pulled it out and answered without looking at the caller ID. “Garrett here, what’s up?”
“Hi…um, Garrett…it’s Toni.”
Garrett froze in his tracks as her voice filled the line and sent need crashing through his body.
“Hey, beautiful. I was just thinking about you.”
“I hope you don’t mind I got your number from Kira. I wanted to say thank you for the necklace. It’s gorgeous and so dainty.”
“I’m glad you like it. I hoped you would, but…well, you know,” he stammered out like a freshman on the phone for the first time with his crush.
“Am I disturbing you? I can talk to you tomorrow if you’re busy.”
“No,” he said quickly in an almost panicked shout. “Not at all. I’ll never be too busy for you. Can you just hold one second, though? I just walked in from tracking down a group of teenagers.”
“How about you just give me a call in about fifteen minutes? My number should be on your caller ID and this way you can get in and do whatever you need.”
“You don’t mind? I’m hot and sweaty. I’d kill to jump in the shower and get cleaned up but I swear in fifteen minutes, your phone will be ringing.”
Toni’s musical laughter filled the receiver and Garrett had to clench his teeth at the overwhelming wave of desire that flooded him. Make that a cold shower.
“It’s a date. I have to admit, I’m already in bed. I just had this overwhelming urge to call you and thank you. I didn’t even stop to think how late it was.”
She was in bed. Did she sleep naked, or wear skimpy shorts and tanks? The images he was seeing in his head were going to kill him. Why did she have to tell him now?
“I’ll talk to you in a minute. Don’t leave that phone. I have so many things to talk to you about.”
“You got it,” she whispered then hung up.
“Fuck,” he growled as he ended the call. “One frigid, cold ass shower coming up.”
12
Thirteen minutes later, Toni’s phone rang. She picked it up with a breathless hello and froze at the voice that filled the phone.
“Eager to talk to me? That’s a change. You never gave a shit when I called when we were together. What’s the change for?” Jared asked with a snide bite to his voice.
Toni wanted to hit herself for not checking the caller ID before answering, assuming it would be Garrett.
“Why are you calling me? You came and got the last of your stuff from the attic last week. We’re done; we have nothing left to say to one another. You’ve made your point many times. Now, just leave me alone and go on with your new life with the boy toy,” Toni growled as she hit end with a growl.
Within seconds, the phone rang again. Toni groaned and answered. “What do you want, you bastard? You’ve made your point plenty of times. I don
’t want to hear it again. I’m fat, useless, and frigid. Go fuck your boyfriend and leave me the hell alone.”
“Toni?” Garrett’s shocked voice filled the air.
She hadn’t bothered checking the ID again, just assuming the limp dick bastard was going to be the one calling back. He’d never been able to handle it when she’d hung up on him in the past and it was standard practice to call back repeatedly until he got out what he wanted.
“Garrett, I’m sorry. I thought you were someone else,” Toni groaned as she fell back in her bed in embarrassment.
“Who in the fuck is saying shit like that to you? Give me his name so I can rip his vocal cords out through his nose,” Garrett growled in anger.
“That’s graphic,” Toni said with muffled laughter.
“Sorry, I just can’t stand the thought of someone saying such fucked up things to you. I should tell you that kiss today in the bathroom sure as hell showed me you were far from frigid. I think my reaction to you proves how hot I find you. You’re a goddess, and I’d love to do nothing more than spend hours worshipping your body.”
“Garrett―”
“Fuck!” He growled. “I have another call. It’s my mom. Let me call you back in a few.”
Toni got out of bed and decided to go outside. Get some air. Maybe then she’d figure out what it was she wanted out of all this. She sipped her wine, ignoring her silent cellphone. The stars were bright, winking as each one woke to the carpet of black above the far trees beyond the back deck.
Sighing, she poured what remained of the half bottle of wine Carly gifted her.
Toni spared another glance at her phone.
Nothing.
He’s not going to call, dummy. Hot guys don’t call girls like you.
She put the stemmed glass on the small, round café table and leaned back against the cushioned deckchair, closing her eyes. Garrett wasn’t just sex-on-a-stick, he was nice, too. Intelligent.
Toni smirked to herself. Funny, because hot and nice were two traits that almost never went together. In fact, they were usually mutually exclusive or at least that was her experience. Hot was never nice. Not to her, anyway.
Most guys took one look at her ample curves and stuck her in the ‘has a great sense of humor’ category. In other words, dating Siberia.
Then again, who was she to judge? Carly was her friend, and Bastien was so in love with her he could barely stand it, and she was just as big and beautiful. Maybe shifters had better taste than regular human guys. She smirked, her mind taking a detour into dirtyville.
Better taste.
If Garrett tasted as good as he smelled, she didn’t stand a chance. She slid her eyes to her phone once more and jumped when it rang as if on cue. Garrett’s name flashed across the caller ID for Facetime and she swallowed the sudden lump in her throat.
Accept the call, Toni. He is not the kind you play hard to get with. Her fingers curled into her palm. No, he was the kind you played with hard.
Holding her breath, she hit the green button on her iPhone and waited for his gorgeous face to show on the screen. “Hey, Garrett. What an unexpected surprise.”
He grinned. “Unexpected for you, maybe. I waited about as long as I could. I can’t stop thinking about you, Toni.”
“Wow.” The minute the word left her mouth, she cringed. She was speechless, not smug.
“Did I catch you at a bad time?”
You’re fucking this up, Toni. Be real.
She shook her head. “No, not at all…and I didn’t mean to sound so offhand. Truth is I’m stunned. I haven’t stopped checking my phone all night, afraid I missed your call. I’ve been thinking about you, too. In so many ways.”
Garrett chuckled deep and throaty and he flashed a crooked, sexy grin. “Now that sounds promising.”
Her brows knotted, confused. “What does?”
“That we’re both on the same wavelength, or at least I hope we are because thinking about you has teased me to the point of distraction.”
“I don’t understand.”
He grinned again. “Let me paint you a picture. What are you wearing?”
Toni blinked, confused and then heat flushed across her cheeks. “Uhm, I’m in my robe. It’s soft pink satin.”
“Mmmm. Smooth and slippery. Are you outside? It looks like you’re on the deck.”
“I’m lying on a chaise lounge. Alone.”
“Prop the phone up on the table and point it at yourself so I can see you and then untie the front of your robe, slowly. Like unwrapping a present.”
She closed her eyes, a small smile on her lips as she untied the satin belt, letting the robe’s silky material slide to either side, leaving her exposed. “I’m fresh out of the shower.”
“Perfect. Fresh and ready to fuck. Touch your tits, Toni. Tease your fingers over your nipples until they harden.”
She cupped both full breasts and arched, pushing them up into full view as she squeezed the stiff peaks. “What about you? Are you hard?”
“Like a rock, baby.”
She sucked in a breath. Goose bumps covered her exposed flesh, both from the cool night air and from the racy talk. “Let me see. I’ve imagined you in so many ways, now show me.”
“Oooh, I love that you’re into this, baby.” He propped his phone up as well, a full display full monty. “My head is damp with precum just watching you. I can’t wait to run my palms over your luscious curves, but right now, I want to watch you play with yourself. I want to watch you get off. Slide your hands to your pussy. Are you wet for me?”
Garrett’s eyes were dark and unfathomable, but it was the size of his cock in his hand that made her slit drip. “Yes.”
“Good. Let your knees fall apart. My cock is straining to pound your pretty pink pussy lips, to feel your slick juices run down my balls.”
Toni moaned watching him stroke his long, corded cock. The organ was huge and her eyes widened at the tiny barbs, rough and ready along his wide shaft and swollen head.
“Slip your fingers deep, Toni. Let your thumb work your clit.” He licked his lips. “That’s it, baby.”
Her head dropped back and she let his voice drive her toward climax with every breath, every word and erotic demand. Whatever embarrassment she felt melted away at the desire in his intense stare.
Garrett was gorgeous, and watching him aroused and ready made her want to please him by pleasing herself. She threw caution to the wide and plunged her fingers hard and fast, matching the pace of his hand on his shaft.
“Come for me, baby. I want to watch you quiver and tense and then explode. Imagine my tongue in your pussy, sucking your clit and your ass. My cock stretching you, riding you until I shoot my load deep.”
Toni cried out, her eyes locked on Garrett’s as he fisted his cock. Her back arched even higher as she rode her hand, her climax rocking her back on the chair. The sight of her wanton and open as she came hard sent him over the edge. He sucked a breath, hot spurts jetting from his swollen head.
She slumped back on the chaise, her robe twisted and wet underneath. “I’ve never done anything like that before,” she whispered, catching her breath.
“You’re a natural, baby. Now imagine how good it’ll be in person.”
“Gimme a chance to recover first.” She laughed.
“Not a chance.” He grinned.
13
Garrett was up and pacing the floors as the sun rose. He was dying to pick up his mate and show her that last night and that naughty video call aside, okay—and the bathroom at the restaurant—he could be a gentleman.
However, in his opinion, the woman could never complain he wasn’t proving how attracted he was to her. All that phone call had done was fire up his blood and make his leopard scream for its mate, not that he wasn’t in full agreement.
A knock at the door startled Garrett out of his thoughts and he jumped and laughed at himself. He glanced at the clock and frowned, it was barely past daybreak. Who in the hell would be callin
g on him at this hour?
Garrett opened the door and frowned at the two men in his doorway. “Can I help you gentlemen?”
“Garrett?” the taller man asked in a clipped, no-nonsense voice.
“Yes, that would be me. Who are you and what can I do for you at this hour of the day?” Garret asked suspiciously.
“I’m Agent Wilcox and this is my partner, Agent Grant. We’re with the Federal Bureau of Investigation.”
“I know who you are. You’ve been involved with things here on the mountain before. All the Alphas know of you.”
“Good, that will make things easier for us then. I’m sorry we’ve come at such an early time, but we wanted to do this without a lot of attention. We’d have called and arranged a meeting, but you don’t have a phone number listed that we could find,” Agent Wilcox explained as he trailed off as if he was waiting for an explanation.
Garrett nodded. “That’s fine. I was awake and up.”
Agent Wilcox smirked slightly in good humor at Garrett’s sidestepping their implied inquiry. “Would you follow us into town so we can talk, please? We’d rather not be seen on the mountain if we can for now.”
Garrett frowned but agreed. He grabbed his keys and followed the men out to their non-descript sedan. “You guys really do use sedans like they show in the movies or is that just to help perpetuate the myth?”
Wilcox chuckled and glanced at his partner who just rolled his eyes. “As a matter of fact, it’s a loaner. My partner here had a run in and our normal car is in the shop.”
The trip into town was quick, the whole time Garrett debated calling one of the other Alphas in, but decided to see what was going on before he made that move. He couldn’t think of a reason they would be at his door or why they’d want to keep things so quiet.
The agents pulled into a twenty-four-hour diner on the main highway just outside of town and waited for Garret. “Breakfast is on us,” Wilcox said as Garrett joined them by the doors of the greasy truck stop.
No one said anything as they found a table and glanced around the restaurant, taking in the customers and staff. Once the two men relaxed, they picked up their menus. Garrett didn’t know what was going on, but he followed their example and did likewise.