by Kele Moon
The knocking started again.
Obviously, Jason didn’t have patience either. “I’m coming! Go downstairs. I’m getting dressed!”
Werewolves were clearly not morning people. Though, it honestly didn’t feel like morning anymore, but regardless, they didn’t seem to wake up on the bright side of the bed.
“He has a goddamn phone.” Jason buttoned his jeans. “Stay here, darlin’. I just have to see what he wants.”
“Who is it?”
“One of my alphas.” Jason headed toward the door, but then said under his breath, “The pain-in-the-ass alpha.”
“I heard that!” a voice called from downstairs. It was lower than Jason’s, gruffer, with a dark edge of authority that kept the hair on Brandi’s arms up as he added, “Jason, I can smell what you don’t want to tell me! You better get your ass down here! Right now!”
“Are you in trouble?” Brandi asked in concern.
“Probably.”
Brandi watched him go. Then she heard those big feet of his as he stomped down the stairs, and she found herself more than a little curious. She must’ve lost her mind sometime in the night because the last thing she should want to see is an alpha werewolf when the regular ones were so menacing, but she couldn’t help herself.
She threw on Jason’s hand-me-downs and deliberately avoided looking in the mirror. She didn’t want to know what she looked like this morning. She opened the bedroom door and hurried down the stairs. Jason had a clock in the living room and she noticed that it was well past noon, like she’d originally suspected.
The two men weren’t talking, likely they’d heard her coming, and she squared her shoulders as she walked into the kitchen.
She stopped, temporarily stunned, because an alpha wolf looked nothing like she’d expected. She’d come to see Werewolves as very salt-of-the-earth men, but this one could easily be perceived as a high-powered, bad-boy business executive in the human world.
Impossibly tall and broad, the Werewolf leaned against the counter in a finely tailored gray suit instead of wearing jeans and T-shirts like all of the other Werewolves she’d met. He had long midnight-black hair that he’d tied back. If he were human, Brandi would think he was Native American. Tan, with a strong jaw line, but he had piercing blue eyes that were almost off putting. She couldn’t look away from him, especially when he took a long drink from the coffee cup in his hand and arched an eyebrow curiously at her.
“Brandi, this is my alpha, Desmon Nightwind.” Jason was sitting at the table, still looking like a very grumpy Werewolf as he gestured to the long-haired man. “Desmon, Brandi.”
“Hello, Brandi.” Desmon’s voice was low, commanding, like that of an incredibly powerful man used to being obeyed. “I hear you’ve had a bad few days.”
It wasn’t hard to understand why he was the alpha.
“I, um…” She hesitated, feeling unnerved as she looked back to Jason. Worried he might be in trouble, she shook her head. “It started bad, but it improved. Jason’s been very kind.”
“Kind?” Desmon said with an edge of sarcasm in his voice. “Is that what we’re calling it?”
“Is there some sort of rule against humans and Werewolves having sex?” Brandi asked, feeling brave in the face of this intimidating Werewolf.
She didn’t want Jason to get into trouble. It was obvious Desmon could smell what happened the night before, so there was no sense in denying it or shying away from it. One thing she was learning real fast—with Werewolves, you had to stand your ground.
“No.” Desmon shook his head. “There’s no rule against wolves sleeping with humans. There is, however, a rule against other things involving consent and a full understanding of the commitment both parties are agreeing to, and that seems to be the rule that slipped Jason’s mind in the heat of passion.”
“What’s the issue?” Brandi asked him. “It was an accident that I went into heat. We dealt with it. Why does it have anything to do with you?”
Jason snorted, the first smile of the day showing on his face. “She does have a point.”
Desmon took another long drink of his coffee before he looked to Brandi. “You really think your accidental heat is the big issue here?”
“Isn’t it?”
He just shook his head, looking exasperated for a long moment before he glanced back to Jason. “You better lay on that charm, because I don’t want to deal with a fallout when she freaks and takes off. We have enough problems.”
Jason sighed and looked at the table. “I’ve got it, Des. I told you I’d take care of it.”
“Usually I’d believe that, but your track record isn’t all that great this week.”
“She’s not unhappy here while we look for her attackers.” Jason gestured to Brandi. “Are you?”
She shook her head. “No, but I’d like to call my friends and let them know I’m okay before they file a missing person’s report for me.”
Desmon seemed to agree with that. “What are you going to tell them?”
Brandi glanced to Jason, who seemed to be trying to silently communicate with her—and oddly enough, she understood what he was saying with that deep scowl. He really needed her to sell the idea to Desmon that their pack was safe with her. So she said, “I’ll tell them my car broke down at a gas station. I mean, I don’t actually have my car. They abandoned it in the woods so the cops wouldn’t find it, but I guess I can deal with that problem later. I’ll just tell her Jason helped me. We got rained in and he wasn’t the worst company to get trapped with for the night.”
Desmon tilted his head back and forth like he was considering it, and then pointed to Jason. “Let her make the call.”
“Right now?” Brandi gaped at him. “In front of you?”
“I have a pack to protect, women and pups who are very vulnerable to the viciousness of the outside world. Can you imagine what your government would do if they found out about us? As much as I empathize with your situation, we don’t typically broadcast to humans what we are. I’m not saying there aren’t humans in our inner circle, but we’re selective. I usually get to approve new members of our pack.”
“I’m not the only wolf guilty of this,” Jason cut in with a low growl. “It happens all the time. Wolves mate outside pack lines more than they do inside, and they’re not calling you asking for permission before they do it.”
“No, you’re just the only one who did it with a human who has no knowledge of what she’s gotten herself into.” Desmon’s voice got lower, a little more growly, sounding slightly inhuman. “How do you know she won’t expose us when she freaks out?”
“I wouldn’t hurt children,” Brandi said in insult. “You said you have young Werewolves you protect. I wouldn’t put them in jeopardy, and if I haven’t freaked out yet, I’m probably not going to. Trust me, I have had a lot of reasons to freak out over the past twenty-four hours. I’m still relatively sane. Is sex one time such a big deal?”
Desmon studied her for a long time, as if gauging her honesty, and then shrugged as though it was out of his hands. Then he glanced back at Jason, giving him a side-eyed look that made it obvious they were silently communicating. “You might want to give her your landline phone to make the call. The storm is messing up cell service. I haven’t been able to reach Jazz. Of course, he’s probably still out scouting with the others.”
“That sucks.” Jason got up from the table. “Last thing I need is company.”
“It does suck for you. Big time. Unless this storm lets up, you’re guaranteed company. That’s what you get for living all by yourself out here on the north border. It’s the only place they’ll have to crash if they get sick of the rain. Jazz doesn’t exactly have the same tact that I do, and he’s the best of that crew. So I’d handle your situation as quick as possible.”
Brandi got the impression Jason wasn’t telling her something, but she didn’t feel like hashing it out in front of this intimidating, if not extremely well-dressed alpha werewolf. So she
made the call on the portable landline, feeling very self-conscious with both Jason and Desmon watching her like hawks…or wolves.
“Hello,” Jenny answered on the first ring, sounding frantic.
Brandi felt guilty. “It’s me.”
“Oh my God!” Jenny took a shuddering breath. “We’ve been talking to the police. We thought you were dead in a ditch somewhere!”
“Jesus.” Brandi put her head in her hand, feeling more guilt-ridden by the second, even though she almost was dead in a ditch. “I’m sorry. Are you okay? Did the stress affect the baby?”
“Me?” Jenny shouted in disbelief. “Where are you? What the hell is going on?”
“It’s stupid. My car broke down. There’s a horrible storm. We had no cell reception. I couldn’t get through.” Brandi winced at the series of half-lies, and then looked at the phone in her hand, wondering if the police could figure out it was a landline. “Jason’s cabin got struck by lightning. It blew out everything. Even destroyed his home phone. We have no Internet either. I’m in a little town. Their cell service probably sucks on good days; with a storm like this, it’s impossible. Jason’s friend just brought over his landline so we could plug it in and make calls.”
“Who the hell is Jason?”
“Um.” Brandi looked to Jason, who was staring at her across the table. “He’s, uh…” She hesitated, knowing Jenny probably wouldn’t believe Brandi hooked up with a stranger, even though that’s what actually happened. “I met him a few months ago. I was going to bring him with me as a surprise, but then my car broke down. We happened to be close to his hometown. He called his friends to pick us up, but when we got here, the skies opened up and I couldn’t call. I am so, so, so sorry.”
“You met a man and didn’t tell me?” Jenny sounded thoroughly insulted. “Are you serious right now?”
“Surprise,” Brandi whispered weakly.
She winced at Jason, realizing it may sound to him like she’d just turned their one-night stand into a months’-long relationship.
“I am so pissed off at you right now.” Jenny broke into Brandi’s thoughts with her annoyance. “I didn’t sleep at all last night and now you’re telling me I missed out on months of juicy gossip? What the hell? Is he hot?”
“Yes.” Brandi didn’t even hesitate.
“How hot? Like smoking hot?”
Brandi’s cheeks flamed, but she didn’t dare lie in case Jenny did meet Jason one day. “Smoking hot.”
“Chippendale-dancer hot? Playgirl-centerfold hot?”
Brandi’s felt as if her whole face was burning up, but she had to say, “Hotter.”
“Holy shit. I want a picture. Send me a picture right now,” Jenny demanded, clearly forgetting the fear of Brandi being missing in action. “Do you know how worried I’ve been about you since the divorce? Send me a picture of you two together. I’ll post it on Facebook. You know someone will show it to Carl. I’m still friends with his sister. Oh, please, please, please.”
“No cell service,” Brandi reminded her. “And I sorta lost my phone. I can give you Jason’s number.” She gestured to Jason, and he jumped up, getting the message. “That way you’ll have it if you need to get in touch with me.”
“Yeah, good idea. I actually called the police. I didn’t have any proof that something terrible happened to you, so we had to wait to file a report, but we were walking out the door to get it done. I cannot believe you didn’t tell me you had a Chippendale boyfriend!”
“What’s a Chippendale?” Jason whispered to Desmon as he handed Brandi a paper he’d written his number on.
Desmon just shook his head and said under his breath, “Don’t ask.”
“Who is that?” Jenny asked. “Is that him? Is he there?”
“Yeah.” Brandi looked at the paper with his number on it. “You ready for his number?”
“I want a picture, because something’s off. I smell bullshit. You’ve been a total social recluse since the divorce. You’re home every night.”
Brandi covered her face, still completely mortified because she knew Werewolf hearing allowed both men to hear everything. Not to mention, signing Jason up for a fake relationship he probably didn’t want to be in was the last message she wanted to send to him the morning after.
“Let’s see, maybe we can get reception to send a picture.” Jason wrapped an arm around Brandi, catching her off guard when she was still hiding her face.
“What?” she looked up just as he snapped a picture of the two of them together with his cell phone. “I have no makeup! I probably look like shit.”
“No, you look beautiful,” Jason assured her with a smile. “You always look beautiful.”
“His voice is sexy,” Jenny whispered, now completely distracted from Brandi dropping off the face of the earth. “Carl never said sweet things like that to you.”
“Carl’s an asshole,” Jason half-growled it, sounding almost inhuman.
“Is he on the line?”
“No, he just has really good hearing,” Brandi said with a glare at Jason.
She was starting to suspect Jason didn’t spend much time with humans.
Desmon was glaring at him too.
Jason just shrugged. “Her ex is an asshole.”
“Did he get service? Can he send me the picture?” Jenny went on, now sounding way too excited. “I’m practically your sister. It’s not weird to need proof you’re not being held captive by a psycho.”
“My word should be your proof.”
Jenny wasn’t fazed. “I need more.”
Brandi wrote Jenny’s number on the same paper Jason wrote his on and waited for Jason to text the picture.
Jenny put her on speaker when she got the text, and then screeched in her ear. “You bitch! I cannot believe you are having a torrid love affair with that tall, sexy, buff-as-hell piece of—”
“Really good hearing,” Brandi reminded her. “I have to go, Jen.”
“I bet you do,” Jenny said in a singsong voice. “So when are you two getting out here? When do I get to meet him?”
“My car.” Brandi sighed because she had no idea if she’d ever see it again. “It’s in bad shape.”
“God, that car is brand new,” Jenny said in disbelief.
“Soon,” Jason said as he leaned in and spoke against the phone. “Brandi’s told me all about you. We’ll find a way to get out there. If we can’t make it in her car, we’ll take mine.”
“I can’t wait!” Jenny spoke louder than normal, obviously trying to make sure Jason heard her. “Take good care of her. Protect her from the big mean storm.” Brandi got the impression Jenny was doing air quotes when she said “storm,” because the sarcasm was dripping in her voice as she added, “Make sure you stay warm.”
“Okay,” Brandi said drily. “I love you. Call Jason’s phone if you need anything.”
“Sure thing,” Jenny went on, still sounding very amused. “Don’t get too wet.”
“I have to go, Jen.”
Brandi hung up the phone and set it down. She was certain her face was a violent shade of red as she dropped her forehead to her folded arms on the table and hid.
“I am so sorry,” she mumbled against her arms. “I swear, I’m not going to turn into some crazy, clingy bitch who’ll boil your bunnies after what happened last night. I just couldn’t think of anything else.”
“What are you talking about?” Jason sounded mystified.
“It’s a movie reference.” Desmon chuckled. “Besides, Jason doesn’t boil bunnies. He roasts them, unless he’s out scouting. Then it’s rabbit tartar.”
“Oh gross.” Brandi lifted her head and turned to Jason. “Is that true? You eat bunnies?”
Jason met her look of disbelief with one of his own. “I’m a wolf. I eat pretty much anything I can catch.”
“You can catch me,” she reminded him, unable to help the shudder that came from the memory of yesterday. “Do a lot of Werewolves eat humans? Is that a thing with you guys?�
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“Brandi, no,” Desmon answered for him. “We like humans. Most Werewolves do. We’re cautious for survival purposes, but we don’t attack humans for no reason. Just like you have nuts in the human world who commit terrible, senseless crimes, we have them too, but we’re going to take care of the ones who went after you. I promise. Our criminal justice system is much more swift and effective.”
Brandi nodded, because something about Desmon was easy to believe.
“You’re Jason’s now. That means you’re under my protection.” Desmon reached across the table and squeezed her arm. “No one fucks with my pack.”
“What do you mean I’m Jason’s now?” Brandi asked.
“I thought I was your man.” Jason’s voice was low and husky as he leaned in and pressed a kiss against the curve of her neck. “Isn’t that what you told your friend?”
“I’m out.” Desmon stood up, but smirked at Jason. “Well played.”
“It was a cover.” Brandi’s cheeks were hot again.
“I don’t mind being your man for the time being.” Jason kissed her again and then whispered against her ear. “Are you going to tell me what a Chippendale is?”
“No.” Brandi shook her head, though she went back to hiding in the cover of her arms. “Don’t you use your Internet?”
“Rarely.” Jason sounded bored at the mention of it. “I’m an enforcer. I work outdoors. I’m not managing finances or buying real estate. What do I need to use the Internet for?”
Brandi turned her head on her arm. “Do you have a computer?”
“No.” Jason shook his head. “I have my phone. That’s all I need. We text with each other when we’re scouting in skin. Desmon made sure we all know how to keep in touch.”
“In skin?” she repeated.
“Instead of fur.” Desmon raised his eyebrows at her. “They don’t take their phones with them when they’re shifted. Where would they put them?”
“Right, good point.” Brandi dropped her head back to arms. “I need some of that coffee you guys are drinking without me.”
“Take off, Des.” Jason sounded amused. “I got this.”