Break Her Fall

by JoAnna Grace

  “We’re going to get a drink and then I’ll join you,” Ami said with a gentle smile.

  “Of course, of course. I’ll see you on the floor.” He turned with a flourish and melted into the crowd.

  They ordered drinks and Ami told Ezekiel all about the various dancers. She knew these people based on their physical skills. The lady with the killer calves, the guy who could move his feet fast, the woman who tried really hard, and the man with the roaming hands. Many people waved at her or came to say hello—all of them pleased to see her and especially pleased to see her with Ezekiel.

  “Don’t sit here and babysit me, Amilynn. I’m just the chauffer. Do your thing, woman.” He waved her towards the dance floor. Her eyes sparkled as she handed him her drink. It was hard, watching her mix with the crowd and immediately finding a dance partner. Ami’s abilities always amazed him. He couldn’t and wouldn’t stifle her passions, even if it meant watching other men twirl her around the dance floor.

  An hour later, Amilynn leaned up against the bar, out of breath and smiling from ear to ear.

  “You’re quite popular,” Ezekiel said.

  “So are you. I’ve seen the women asking you to dance.”

  He’d hoped she hadn’t. At least ten women had approached him. He would smile and send them on their way. He only had eyes for one lady tonight.

  “I don’t really dance like this.” Ezekiel wrinkled up his nose.

  “Come on.” She took his hand. He tried to resist. “No, it’s okay. This is a slow song and I can lead.”

  There was no way in hell he could turn her down. Ami’s smile and her shining eyes entrapped him. Ami pulled him into the crowd. She positioned him with one hand on her back. Ezekiel had rhythm and he wasn’t too bad at keeping up with the footwork. Each time he tripped up, they would laugh. Ami guided him, teaching and teasing him at the same time.

  Ami made good on her promise to Jean and the two of them lit up the floor. Ezekiel could only watch in awe. They moved well together and, to his surprise, it didn’t bother him or his wolf in the least. His mate was happy and beautiful, spinning around and attracting the attention of all around her.

  “Thank you for this,” she said as she slid into his car a couple hours later. She removed her heels and put her feet up on the dash. “I love dancing. But the shoes still kill my feet.”

  “You’re . . .” He blew out a breath. “ . . . incredible, just like Jean said.”

  “He’s incredible too. He asked me to compete with him, but that was about the time Vivian and Kasey were having their issues and she disappeared because of her heat, blah, blah, blah.”

  “Would you like to do something like that? Compete?” he asked.

  “I don’t know.” Amilynn leaned her head back against the headrest and closed her eyes. “Our lives have been about survival for so long, it’s hard to think about anything else. Maybe one day, when the shit isn’t constantly hitting the fan, I’d consider it.”

  “I thought about something while you were out there.” Ezekiel drove slower on the way home, drawing out each minute with his sexy mate. “You use dance moves when you fight, or maybe it’s the other way around. That same ability to train your body helps you in both situations.”

  For the rest of the ride home, they covered that subject. Ami talked with passion and vibrancy, totally and unexpectedly at ease. She’s our mate, moron. Of course she likes to talk to us. His wolf rested his head on his paws, listening to the soothing tone of Ami’s voice. He was almost upset when they pulled into the driveway and parked. But they talked for another hour in the car until Ami yawned.

  Like a gentleman, he walked her to her bedroom door and bid her good night.

  “Z?” she asked when he turned away. He faced her and saw the glint in her eye. “Thanks, really. It was a lot of fun.”

  Ezekiel smiled. Her angelic face would star in his dreams tonight. Taking a chance, and giving her plenty of opportunity to back away, he leaned in and kissed her. It was just the slight touching of lips, but it set his body ablaze. Instant and gut-dropping need hit him with the force of a 747 hitting a brick wall. He’d never felt anything this visceral, this wild and unexplainable.

  He pulled away and gauged her reaction.

  “Did you feel that too?” Ami’s voice was airy and her chest moved up and down with every shallow breath. Those bright green eyes were wide and sparkling with inner heat.

  “Yeah.” He kissed her again and, this time, his wolf nearly clawed his way out.

  Ami made a sound like purring and he moaned into her mouth. He could’ve used his cock as a sledgehammer at that moment and he could scent Ami’s potent arousal. Their lips mingled and danced, both of them heating up with every second. He pinned her against the wall and feasted on her lush mouth.

  Then he remembered why sleeping with Amilynn was a terrible idea. She was accustomed to this part of the date, the part where two people simply wanted to fulfill an animalistic need, to scratch an itch so it would go away. He didn’t want this to go away, though. He didn’t want Ami to think one night of sex was all he wanted or expected out of her. She was his mate and he wanted a life with her, not just a night.

  Reminding his wolf that their actions could win or lose the leopard’s heart, he reined him in and broke the kiss.

  “Do you want to come in?” she whispered against his mouth, her hands clenched on his collar.

  “You know I do.” Ezekiel pressed his erection into her belly and she gasped. “But I don’t think I should.”

  Ami pulled back. Her lips were swollen and pink, so fucking sexy. “Oh.” Her brows dipped and he could see the uncertainty in her face. Had anyone ever told her no? Hell, had anyone ever asked first? Her eyes darted to the floor and shifted around, probably trying to figure out what to do next.

  “Ami.” Ezekiel tilted her chin up so she would look at him. “We have plenty of time. No need to jump in. Tonight was about hanging out without killing each other, remember?”

  Her smile lit up his heart. “Yeah.”

  Ezekiel kissed her cheeks, her forehead, and her nose. Then he kissed the back of her hand and walked away.

  He was going to have to sleep in ice water to calm down.

  “Still in one piece.” Tyrone stepped out from the shadows. Ezekiel tried not to jump, but hell, the bastard snuck up on him.

  “Yeah, we had a good time.”

  “Good.” Without another word, Tyrone left. The dude was just intimidating. Period.

  Ami stood in front of a meadow of Pack members. They all examined her the same way one would a dead bug. Their lips curved up in disgust and some turned up their noses.

  “I don’t understand,” she pleaded with the crowd. “We’ve become friends, haven’t we?” she implored of some of the students who had wanted to work extra hours, but they only scoffed and turned away. “I’m doing this to protect you, don’t you understand? The Nevada Pride will kill you. They’ll slaughter your families and torture your children. Please!”

  Ezekiel placed a reassuring hand on her shoulder. When her eyes met his, peace came over her and she knew the Pack would listen to him. “Sweet, beautiful woman. Don’t you understand? They know who you are. They know what you’ve done.” He touched her cheek, the kindness in that touch almost glazed over what came next. “You’re a whore, Amilynn. My beautiful whore. I’ll never make love to you. You’re not worthy. You’re merely my pet.”

  Ezekiel’s laughing face morphed into Brian’s, making Amilynn scream. Soldiers from the Nevada Pride rounded up the Pack members and readied a firing squad.

  Brian slipped a gun into Ami’s hand. “You know what you have to do. You’ll always be my pet, my instrument of death.” He put his lips to her ear. “You said it yourself; you’d rather be my whore than his housewife.” Brian helped her lift the gun and point it at Ezekiel’s family.

  Vivian, Melissa, Tyrone, and Conall were all in the crowd with the Pack. They screamed and begged her not to do it, not to sh
oot.

  But Ami was Brian’s pet. She lifted her gun of her own accord, closed her eyes, and pulled the trigger.

  Ami awoke with a start. She clawed at her neck, trying to catch her breath, expecting to find something choking her. But her hands came away empty except for the sweat that covered her body.

  “Only a dream,” she said aloud, letting her voice chase away the shadows. “I so need a brain transplant.” She attempted to go back to sleep, but the nightmare wouldn’t leave her consciousness. “All this just because Z’s trying to be noble.” She shook her head and went to the bathroom to splash cold water on her face. It was two in the morning.

  Ami? a sleepy voice whispered in the back of her mind.

  Z. She sighed his name, a smile tugging at her lips. She could feel the delicate thread that searched for a more secure connection between their minds. It wouldn’t happen until they were joined as mates, both human and animals committed to one another. Until then, it was like a static radio signal.

  Come . . . sleep . . . me. His thoughts were so lethargic she knew he was half out of it.

  Are you inviting me to sleep with you or sleep with you? She pushed the thought into his mind.

  Hold you.

  Well, that would be a first—actually catching sleep in a bed with a man she was wildly attracted to.

  “Yeah, and ice cubes are forming in hell,” she said to her reflection.

  There was a knock on her door not two minutes later. She opened it, and there stood Ezekiel, shirtless and half asleep.

  “Your dream woke me up.” He pushed her over to the bed and crawled in right on top of her. Then he flopped over to her side and snuggled her back to his chest. “Sleep, stubborn woman.”

  Ami was in such shock that she couldn’t formulate a snarky or even rational remark. As soon as his head hit the pillow, he fell back asleep. His body relaxed around hers. The weight and warmth of him soothed her cat into a deep slumber and took Ami right down with her.

  AMI WOKE UP again before the sun came up. She was too hot and smothered, held captive by the enemy. If she didn’t get away, Brian would take her again.

  No, her leopard soothed. It’s not Brian. It’s our Ezekiel. It took Ami a moment to calm down and breathe in his tantalizing scent before she could think straight. Safe. She was safe.

  Her nightmares still haunted the edges of her thoughts. It felt like a sickness taking root in the pit of her stomach and vines of doubt were growing in every crevice of her body.

  Beside her, dead to the world, lay Ezekiel. She allowed herself a moment to take him in. He was undeniably handsome. The blanket pooled around his waist, and she stared at the ridges of his defined abs. Her wolf was in peak physical shape. More than that, she was transfixed at the rugged beauty of his face, relaxed in sleep. Thick black lashes lay in crescents across his cheeks, his lips looked perfect for kissing and nibbling. Stubble shaded his straight jaw line.

  Delicious, her leopard purred, a fine mate indeed.

  Amilynn smiled. Yeah, she had to admit that her leopard had good taste in men. Gingerly bending down, so as not to disturb him, Ami pressed a kiss to his neck. He stirred but didn’t wake.

  The crazy emotions that filled her had her blinking fast. What was it about these damn wolves that made her cry at the drop of a hat?

  They were so different. How could things ever work between them outside the bedroom in the real world? Ezekiel came from a good family. Sampson and Bianca were two people she had come to love and respect as friends. Nathaniel and Thomas were brothers from another mother. She cherished them and they belonged to her. Nate was silly with his random comical relief and shameless obsession with her. Tom had the biggest heart of any fourteen-year-old she had ever known and was incredibly intelligent. Both of them were adorable.

  What did she come from? A mother who was nothing more than a punching bag for their father, who was a despicable perverted bastard. She already had blood on her hands and had it not been for Vivian putting together the group, she would have no future. People were correct in calling her a whore. She’d used sex and allowed men to use her. It was all she knew. Conall had been the only man she had ever been with that she didn’t feel dirty and ashamed about afterward. That was only because they cared for one another.

  Ezekiel was everything she could want in a mate. He was dominant enough to make her cat feel challenged and he could make her human side very happy. He was young yet and would only grow stronger with age. But would she be enough for him? Could she ever be what he wanted or needed? Or would he see her for what she really was—something to be used for sexual gratification and nothing more. Cursing, she got out of bed, clothed herself, and went around the corner to the garage entrance. Her room was the closest to an exterior door and she was grateful she could sneak out with no one waking up. Ezekiel would be upset when he awoke without her, but she just couldn’t face him.

  The world was still and quiet, hushed by the sun’s absence, yet the early morning had a life of its own. Amilynn shifted into her leopard form. Stretching every leg muscle and arching her back, she shut down her human mind and let the cat take over. She made her way around the house, passed all the various buildings and houses that surrounded, and sauntered into the woods. Nature was much better appreciated with the eyes, ears, and nose of a leopard. Every rodent’s scurry, every owl’s beating wing, and every cricket’s chirp could be heard. She could see just as easily now as she did with her human eyes during the day, if not better. The forest was alive with movement. Animals woke from their slumber and foraged for food; others were going to sleep after a night of hunting. Amilynn made her way higher and higher into the mountains, keeping alert for humans and other shifters. Kasey kept sentinels all over the area at all times. He never took their safety for granted, something she appreciated.

  When she found just what she was looking for, Ami sighed with contentment. The tree was perched on an outcropping of land. From the tall branches, she could look down at the mountains below. Her leopard loved being up high and safe. It was one of the best vistas her eyes had ever beheld: snow-capped mountains with a river slicing through the middle of it all. The trees were dots of color: some evergreens, some orange and red; their leaves changing with the onset of the cooler weather. As the crisp air filled her lungs, Ami leapt upwards branch by branch until she came to a perfect perch. The sun would peak over the mountaintops in about an hour, just enough time to let the cat rest.

  Ezekiel woke up, reaching for a woman who wasn’t there. Shit. His wolf growled and shook his head. Even though last night had been all about connecting with her, Amilynn still left him like some cheap one-night stand. He threw off the blanket and set his feet on the floor, leaning his elbows on his knees.

  What the hell? He’d been the perfect gentleman. He’d freaking danced for her, damn it! And when the time came, he’d gently turned down the sex and gained another point for sainthood. Even when he was in bed with her, he didn’t try anything. If that didn’t make self-control his bitch, then he didn’t know what would.

  So what went wrong? Why did she leave? Should he have slept with her after all? He needed answers.

  “Dad,” he said aloud, his feet moving before the thought solidified in his mind. His father had spent some time with Amilynn and was a much safer source of advice than her scary-ass brother.

  Ezekiel knocked on the bedroom door. It was still early, but emergencies don’t heed clocks. “Dad? Dad, open up.”

  Sampson opened the door, wiping his eyes and yawning. It took the wise old wolf one good sniff to recognize Ami’s scent on Ezekiel’s body. “Please tell me you didn’t sleep with her.”

  “No,” Ezekiel spat, defensive of any relationship he might have with Ami. “I mean, yes, but not like you think.”

  Sampson sighed and narrowed his eyes. “Hold on.” He grabbed a shirt and shut the bedroom door behind him so he didn’t wake Bianca. “Tell me what happened. Start from the beginning.”

  Ezekiel arche
d a brow. The men headed to the kitchen.

  Sampson gave him an annoyed, narrow-eyed glare. “I’m not an idiot; this started a while ago. I’m also not a virgin, son. I know how this works and I know Ami is a very sexually active person.” He started a pot of coffee and leaned against the sink while it brewed.

  Ezekiel went through the whole story. When Ezekiel mentioned how his wolf had claimed her the day they met, Sampson took a deep breath but said nothing. His father nodded along as Ezekiel retold how he’d fought with her, followed her, left for her, and came back in fear for her. Sampson growled when Ezekiel explained what Martin had said and how it had hurt Ami. He listed out everything right up until he bid her goodnight and ran into Tyrone, and how he’d ended up sensing her nightmare.

  “I was half out of it, but I could feel her pain. I dreamt of it. So I came upstairs and crawled in bed with her. I fell right back asleep and, when I woke up, she was gone. My wolf didn’t even sense her leave.”

  “And no sex? You can tell me, son.”

  “No, I swear!” Ezekiel threw his arms up in the air.

  Sampson held up a steadying hand. “Okay, okay, don’t get defensive. You’re twenty years old and sex is all she’s ever known. It’s not like it’s a huge leap.”

  Ezekiel rubbed his temples. His head was pounding. “I don’t know what went wrong. Why did she leave?”

  Sampson took a deep breath and poured himself a cup of coffee, offering one to Ezekiel too. His father seemed to process everything before he spoke. “One thing you need to consider first, is that her leaving might not have anything to do with you at all. Women are weird, seriously weird, and sometimes they just want to be alone. If she was having nightmares, maybe she simply didn’t want to wake you. Have you checked anywhere else in the house?”

  “Uh, no.” Ezekiel’s cheeks burned. If Amilynn was upstairs, asleep on the couch, he was going to feel like a complete dumbass.