Ignoring my cramped muscles, I took off at a sprint for Kai. If I could get to him in time, I could pull him back, and we could run before they—
Right before my eyes, Kai peeled his shirt off, and it took me a full blink to realize the rest of his clothes were already gone. In the next second, he shuddered and transformed. Then he dropped to the ground on all fours. But not hands and feet. Four paws. A snout that hung open revealing deadly sharp teeth. A body covered in thick, brown fur.
Holy shit.
Kai Stone was a werewolf. And when his glowing eyes landed on me still approaching him at a run, he looked just as deadly as the rest of them.
But I didn’t have time to stop myself now. I was too close. I—
A hard chest slammed into me, knocking me sideways. We both went tumbling, and the air was knocked from my lungs. A strangled scream got stuck in my throat.
When I rolled to a stop and managed to look over, I could only stare in complete surprise at the person who’d saved me.
“Oscar?” I whispered.
He jumped up, looking beyond pissed and a little desperate. “Ash! What the hell are you doing out here?”
“I—”
A wolf growled from somewhere way too close by.
I looked over and met a pair of eyes that should have belonged to Kai. If they hadn’t been looking at me from the face of a giant black wolf.
This time, the scream unstuck itself, and I opened my mouth and let it rip.
The other wolves in the clearing growled and snarled as they began to make their way closer. I imagined teeth gnashing at my flesh any moment now.
Oscar jumped up and grabbed my arm, yanking me backward fast enough that I nearly tripped. Only his iron grip on my arm kept me on my feet.
“She’s not to be touched,” he yelled.
Was he talking to the wolves? Was he insane?
Before I could decipher what was happening, he was turning me around and urging me into a dead sprint.
We took a different path than the way I’d come in. I stumbled over brush and barely avoided running into trees.
Over and over again, I looked back, but there were no wild beasts on our tails. No wolves running us down so they could eat us for dinner. Still, I didn’t slow, and by the time we reached the gravel road and Oscar’s parked pickup truck, my lungs were burning, and my vision blurred.
Oscar hurried to the truck, yanking open the passenger door. “Get in,” he ordered.
I didn’t argue.
The moment I was inside, Oscar slammed the door and hurried around to the driver’s side. He slid in and started the engine, gunning it so hard we kicked up gravel and spun out until the tires caught and we were propelled out of there.
I sucked in large gulps of air, struggling to get my thoughts under control. My heart slammed against my ribs in wild, erratic beats. My lungs burned, and my hand gripped the armrest of my door like it was the only thing anchoring me to my own sanity. Maybe it was. Because what had just happened…it was insane.
I was actually legitimately crazy.
That was the only explanation here.
Because the alternative was too unbelievable to fathom.
Chapter Ten
Ten minutes later, we pulled into the gravel lot behind the Throttle, and Oscar cut the engine. I started to get out, but Oscar stopped me with a hand on my arm. I met his eyes, still reeling.
“I need you to go inside, lock the doors, and don’t come out again until I get back,” he said firmly.
“You’re leaving?” I asked, panicked, terrified, and more alone than I’d ever felt.
He winced but held his ground. “I need to make sure you’re safe.”
“I’m right here. With you,” I said. “You can see that I’m safe.”
“No, I mean—”
His phone rang.
“Yeah,” he answered it.
He listened for a few seconds then said, “Okay. Yeah. Thanks.”
Then he hung up.
“Never mind. Let’s go inside.”
Relieved, I let him pull me across the bench seat and out his door. His arm remained around me as he led me across the gravel and inside the Throttle. I waited while he re-bolted the back door then followed him farther into the garage.
He didn’t bother turning the overhead lights on, and that only made me more scared of whatever might be chasing us. Instead, he clicked the switch on a small lamp over his workspace.
“You’re safe here,” he said like he’d read my mind. “Have a seat.”
He gestured to a stool I’d seen him use while working on bikes.
But I couldn’t sit.
And I damn sure couldn’t go another second without an explanation. Because whatever the hell those wolves were doing in the woods just now, Oscar clearly knew all about it.
“What the hell was that?” I demanded, my voice only shaking a little.
Oscar winced.
I could tell, even after everything, he really didn’t want to explain any of this. For some reason, that hurt. I thought of my dad, never actually explaining his paranoia or what he was afraid of. No answers. Just running. Constant running. From ghosts. From monsters. From me. And now Oscar, the only family I had left, was doing the same.
“This town isn’t like other towns,” he began.
I bit back the sarcasm that wanted to slip out, waiting for more. But he remained quiet.
“That’s it?” I asked. “The big reveal is that your town is different?”
“It’s the truth.”
“You know what, forget it.”
I turned for the door, and frustration flashed in his eyes.
“We don’t allow outsiders for this exact reason,” he grumbled. “Explanations get complicated.”
My eyes widened. “You’re making this my fault?”
“No, I’m not— I don’t know where to start. What to say.” His expression softened, and for just a moment, I could see he was trying.
I swallowed some of my panic and said, “How about you start by telling me how it’s possible that Kai Stone just turned into a werewolf.”
“First, we prefer the term shifter,” he said. “Werewolves are a product of Hollywood, but we were born this way so—”
“Wait. We?” I echoed.
He nodded; his expression wary now. “I’m the same as Kai. And so are the other wolves you saw.”
My heart thudded, but it wasn’t anything I hadn’t already guessed. Oscar being there earlier could have only meant one thing. He’d known the wolves would be there.
Except that now he was saying he was one of the wolves there.
“You’re saying all of you turn into wolves,” I said. “Shifters.”
Oscar nodded.
I frowned, my thoughts careening in a direction I knew I couldn’t return from. Oscar seemed to understand and simply waited while I put the pieces together.
“But if you were born that way, does that mean your entire family line was too?” I asked, not sure I wanted to know the answer.
Oscar nodded, slowly, deliberately. His eyes never left mine, and I knew he was gauging my reaction as the truth sank in. What he’d said about my dad being one of them… It finally made sense. And I wasn’t sure how I felt about that.
“My dad was a shifter,” I said.
He nodded again.
For some reason, it was a relief. Having an explanation for the monster he’d become. It looked nothing like the wolves I’d seen tonight. It had been much grislier. Less formed. More stunted. And definitely angrier.
But somehow, they were the same creature.
At least, I could dismiss the idea he’d been possessed by a demon.
That left only one question.
“And me?” I asked quietly.
He nodded again.
I blew out a breath and slowly sank onto the stool he’d offered.
“You don’t look nearly as surprised as I expected.”
Oscar’s words shook
something loose. The words bubbled up and out of me, probably more from holding them in than wanting to trust Oscar in any way.
“The night my dad died,” I began, “before they shot him, he…he changed. Became something else.”
I didn’t look at Oscar as I spoke. If I had, I would have given in to the tears that burned my eyes as I spoke of those last moments. Instead, I stared blankly at the red toolbox against the far wall and did my best not to feel anything about what I was describing.
“He didn’t look like the wolves tonight. His change was different. And it seemed to cause him a lot of pain. The monster that came through was deformed or something. Not quite wolf and not human either. Bones sticking out. Snout half-formed. It was like something out of a horror movie.”
Oscar muttered a curse.
I swallowed hard and forced my gaze to Oscar’s. “What happened to him?”
“It sounds like your dad probably stopped shifting when he left,” he said. “It happens. If wolves aren’t around their own kind, the ability to shift recedes. Becomes suppressed. If he hadn’t shifted in a long time, he was probably unable to complete the process.”
“Like, he got stuck or something?”
He nodded, a pain flashing in his eyes. “I’ve seen it a few times. It isn’t pretty. And the beast becomes more monster than animal.”
“So, he did it to himself?” I asked.
“More than likely.”
I didn’t know what to say to that. My dad had always made it sound like someone else was after him. Some threat hunting him down who wanted to harm him. To know he’d denied his nature—as unbelievable as this all seemed—and done this to himself, was a hard blow.
We both fell silent.
But all too soon, more questions bubbled to the surface.
“How have I never…? I mean, I’ve never changed into—into that.”
“If your dad’s wolf was suppressed, it probably kept yours from rising in the first place. It happens.”
“Does that mean I’ll never…you know, shift or whatever?”
Oscar frowned. “If you hadn’t come here, I probably would have said yes.”
My temper flashed. Once again, he made it sound like this was all my fault.
“I didn’t ask to come here,” I snapped.
I huffed. He had a point, but that didn’t help my mood.
“You could have told me,” I said.
“From the moment you walked in, I tried scenting your wolf, but it’s not there, kid.”
“So?”
“So, I am not going to just spill all my secrets to an outsider. And a human one at that. You might be family, but so are those wolves back there. And I won’t put my people at risk, not even for you.”
I looked away, fighting tears again. Everyone had someone—except me.
Instead of the piercing loneliness, I embraced anger. It was safer. Less vulnerable.
“I get that you think I’m a risk,” I snapped. “But you’re at fault for this too. Especially after deserting my father and leaving him alone all those years.”
It was a dick move, blaming Oscar, but my emotions weren’t exactly playing nice right now.
Rather than act offended, Oscar shook his head sadly. “Your dad left when he was twenty-six and never came back. I searched for him for years but never could find a trace. I didn’t know you existed until the moment you walked into this shop two days ago.”
“So, that’s your excuse for not telling me you’re a …”
“You can say it.”
For some reason, his calm, steady demeanor pissed me off. I spoke through clenched teeth. “A fucking wolf.”
“That’s ridiculous,” said a familiar voice from the doorway. “I don’t fuck anyone when I’m in wolf form.”
Kai’s sarcasm, or maybe it was him showing up here at all, only spiked my temper more. Not to mention the hurt. Which I refused to acknowledge. Why in the hell Kai’s secrets were hurting my feelings was not baggage I wanted to unpack. I hardly knew the guy. He sure as shit didn’t know me. Why did it matter?
“What the hell do you want?” I demanded.
Instead of answering me, he looked over at Oscar, their eyes meeting across the space and conveying much more than I could understand. “I can take it from here.”
“You sure?” Oscar asked.
Something like worry flashed in Oscar’s eyes. Worry for Kai. It would have made me laugh if I wasn’t such a mess. Hadn’t Oscar just saved me from Kai? And now he wanted to save Kai from me?
“Yeah, I think we need to get some things out in the open,” Kai said, his gaze hard and glittering as he stared at me. “For her own good.”
“If I hear that phrase one more time—” I said, my fists clenching as I pictured how satisfying it would be to knock Kai for a loop Idrissa-style.
Oscar nodded slowly. “All right. I’ll be upstairs if you need me.”
I had no idea if he meant me or Kai. Maybe both. He gave me a concerned look as he left.
When we were alone, I stood up and walked over to the counter, leaning against it. Something about that stool, and being lower than Kai, didn’t feel right.
He smirked knowingly, which only made it worse.
I glared at him, enough anger left in me to keep me from giving in to the nerves that trickled down my spine now that we were alone. And underneath it all was that same visceral lure that always seemed to pull me toward him. Why did I always want what wasn’t good for me?
“You okay?” he asked.
His words almost surprised me into being nice, but this was Kai. I knew better.
“Yes, no thanks to you.”
“You have no idea what kind of thanks you owe me.”
“What the hell is that even supposed to mean?” I demanded. “You want me to thank you for scaring the hell out of me and almost eating me?”
He blinked slowly as my words registered.
My cheeks heated at the innuendo I’d just accidentally made. The air between us seemed to thicken with tension, and I wondered if he was seeing the same mental images as me. Isaac hadn’t been wrong about the deliciousness that was Kai. Just the idea of him eating…
Ugh. Stop it, Ash!
“I was never a threat to you,” he said, forcing me to refocus.
I crossed my arms. Mostly to hide the fact that my nipples were hard now.
“Then why did Oscar have to tackle me and get me out of there? I saw you growl at me. Seems like you were the threat in that scenario.”
“I would never hurt you, Ash.”
His expression, the way he said it—I had no doubt in my mind he meant it. And more, I’d never felt threatened by Kai’s wolf. Only surprise. And awe. He was huge. And beautiful, although, I didn’t plan on telling him so.
“I growled in response to the others picking up your presence. And what I knew they would do if they got to you. I told Oscar to grab you, and I stayed behind to make sure you weren’t followed.”
It was incredibly terrifying to think he was telling the truth. I’d nearly been torn to shreds back there, and my brain couldn’t let me go there. If I did, I’d lose my mind. Or maybe my bladder. Covering my fear with sarcasm was so much easier.
“So, you what? Fought an entire pack of wolves for me? Right.”
At my words, whatever softness had come over him vanished, and the scowl returned. “In fact,” he went on, “you’re lucky I was there. Otherwise, the others would have—” He broke off and ran a hand through his already mussed hair.
“Would have what?” I demanded. “And who are the others?”
When he didn’t answer, my anger spiked again. More secrets. It never ended.
“I already know Oscar is part of your little pack. Who else?”
“I’m not betraying my pack,” he said in a low voice. “I’ll tell you anything else, but not their names.”
“Fine. What were they all waiting for then? Other than for my legs to cramp so I couldn’t flee?”
/> He looked at me like I was crazy. “What are you talking about?”
“I don’t know. When I got there, they were all just standing around like they were waiting on something. It was weird.”
He gave me a strange look.
“What?” I demanded.
“Nothing.” He shook his head. “You’re a lot more perceptive than I gave you credit for.”
My brows rose. “Is that supposed to be a compliment?”
He sighed. “They were waiting on me.”
“You?” I frowned. “Why?”
“Because I’m sort of like their leader. Well, me and Oscar, though for him, it’s more of a formality, I guess.”
“What are you, like, the alpha or something?”
If so, would that make Oscar the beta? Man, I was pulling from every werewolf movie I’d ever seen. Mostly Twilight and Teen Wolf, but I wasn’t about to tell him that.
“No. I’m not the alpha. Our pack is different.”
“Different how?”
“We’re— Ugh. Fuck, you ask a lot of questions.” He ran a hand through his hair. Again. “The bottom line is you shouldn’t have been out there.”
I crossed my arms. “If you’re about to tell me all the ways I’m the one in the wrong, you can save your breath. Oscar already did that.”
His dark eyes flashed, and he strode over to where I leaned against the counter.
I straightened, refusing to be intimidated by the way he towered over me. This close, I could smell the woods on him. That pine scent of his reminded me of those handfuls of seconds I’d seen him as a wolf. Those dark eyes trained on me. The way he’d transformed. And the fact that I’d seen him naked just before he’d shifted. An image I would never, ever forget.
“Oz is trying to protect you, Ash. We both are.”
“Please,” I snorted, shoving away the mental image of a naked Kai before I did something super embarrassing. Like mount him. “At least have the decency to stop piling on more lies. You’re here to protect your secrets. And your little werewolf family. Not me.”
I’d used “werewolf” on purpose, just to piss him off.
Bull’s eye. His expression hardened. “Fine. Believe what you want about me. I’m here to tell you that leaving is no longer an option.”
Wolf Cursed (Lone Wolf Series Book 1) Page 9