by Jodi Vaughn
Damon grinned and shook his head, sending droplets of sweat raining down onto the floor. “No, thanks. I’ve got Ava waiting on me at five o’clock sharp at the door with nothing on.” Damon reached down and adjusted himself and Jayden could tell the Were was getting aroused just talking about his woman.
An unexpected jolt of jealously hit Jayden in the gut. He’d never expected Damon to be mated at all, let alone be mated before him.
“Being mated looks good on you, Damon.”
Damon straightened and held out his hand. “Thanks, brother.”
Jayden shook his hand and pulled away. “I got a meeting with Barrett and I don’t want to be late.” As he walked away, Damon called after him.
“Just wait, Jayden. Once you’re mated you’ll be trying to find someone else to pick up your overtime too.”
#
Jayden walked up to Barrett’s steel door and knocked. Barrett’s office, like the rest of the compound, was built like a fucking tank. Reinforced steel and concrete. After a bomb that took out a building some months back, they’d made sure to make the building was as bomb proof as possible.
“Come in, Jayden,” Barrett’s booming voice called out from the other side of the door.
A shiver ran up his back as he opened the heavy door and walked in. It was freaky how Barrett had this sixth sense of knowing who was on the other side of the door without even looking. Jayden often wondered if the Pack Master could see inside Jayden’s head as well.
He lifted his chin in greeting as Barrett motioned for him to sit in the chair across from his desk. Barrett continued studying a pile of papers in a brown folder.
Jayden eased into the leather chair that looked so out of place in the dreary room. The cinderblock walls looked more like a jail cell than an office. Even Barrett’s worn and scarred desk looked like he had bought it from the yard sale of a retired attorney. The walls held no pictures, except for one elaborate shield with the Arkansas state flag and the words, “LEADER AND COMMANDER BORN TO UPHOLD THE LUPINE LAW.”
Jayden fidgeted in his seat, the mood in the room growing heavier with each passing second. The other jobs that Barrett had assigned him had taken no more than a minute of discussion to find out the details before he was out the door.
Whatever papers Barrett was currently focused on had an uneasiness crawling up his spine.
“I see that your interior decorator has been on vacay,” Jayden joked as he looked around the room.
Barrett cut his eyes at him.
Jayden sat up straighter. Not that he was a pussy, but Jayden always got this lethal vibe off Barrett, like at any minute he could rip your throat out and then sit politely down and have a mocha latte.
“My decorator is dead.”
Shit. “I’m sorry.” Jayden swallowed and made sure there wasn’t a smirk lingering on his lips.
“Don’t be. I killed him.” Barrett lifted his head, fixing his blue-eyed stare on Jayden.
“Well, if he made my office look like shit, I’d kill him too.” Jayden cringed. He always did have a hard time holding his tongue.
Barrett cracked the slightest of smiles. A rare sight indeed.
“I have a new assignment that is going to need your utmost attention.”
Jayden leaned forward. Now they were talking. “Absolutely. Whatcha got?”
Barrett sat back in his chair and steepled his fingers. “It’s Haley Guthrie.”
Jayden felt the blood drain from his face. “What about her?”
“It seems that she has picked up a stalker.” Barrett pushed the folder towards him. “It started a week after she moved into the dorm.”
Jayden picked up the first note. It read “Hello beautiful. Hope you have a wonderful day.” He met Barrett’s gaze and shrugged. “Could be just an infatuated guy. And if gets more serious then just order her back to LSU.”
Barrett narrowed his eyes. “It’s more than an infatuated guy with a crush. And her parents are the reason she’s not at LSU anymore.”
Jayden looked up. “What do you mean?”
“When we rescued Haley, her parents weren’t exactly excited to have their precious little girl home.” Barrett narrowed his eyes as he eased back into his chair, never once taking his focus off Jayden.
“Why the hell not?” Anger flared in Jayden’s gut at Barrett’s words.
“It seems, in their eyes, Haley has brought shame to their family. To them, a raped female werewolf is ruined. Damaged goods.” Barrett’s voice vibrated with utter distaste for Haley’s parents. Jayden’s hatred for them doubled.
“How could a parent do that?” Jayden snarled.
“To some in this world appearances mean everything.” Barrett stood and walked over to the far wall and flipped a switch. The wall slid away on a track revealing a secret interior room.
Jayden followed Barrett inside. This room was vastly different from the Pack Master’s office. TV’s lined the wall, each capturing a different surveillance camera within the city. There were at least five computers along with monitors lined up on the stainless steel desks. There were no windows and only one way in and out. It appeared to be a safe room of some sort.
Barrett walked over to the far side of the room where a large map of the state of Arkansas hung on the wall, littered with colored stickpins. He pointed to the bright red pig that had been stuck on the city of Fayetteville.
Jayden chuckled.
LSU had their tigers. University of Arkansas had their razorbacks.
“So if she is being stalked then why not just move her to another state?” Jayden curled his hands into fists.
“I believe he’s dangerous and will follow her wherever she goes.”Jayden crossed his arms over his chest. The hair on the back of his neck was standing up and he knew whatever was about to come out of Barrett’s mouth wasn’t good.
“Stalkers like this usually turn out to be serial killers.” Barrett turned back to him.
Jayden’s heart sped up. His fingernails cut into his palms and he knew if he looked he would see blood trickling out from the wound. The urge to shift into wolf swamped him in a rush.
“How long has this been going on? Has Haley gone to the police?” Jayden forced himself to keep his voice calm despite the volatile storm raging inside.
“It started when she arrived at the University of Arkansas. She went to the campus police, but they said they couldn’t do anything, since they don’t know who it is. I sent a couple of Guardians down to Louisiana to investigate the ex-boyfriend.”
“Ex?” Jayden knew she had a boyfriend. The night she was kidnapped she was on her way to visit him. She’d left LSU to go visit him at his home in Lafayette.
Barrett seared him with a glare. “Apparently mommy and daddy aren’t the only assholes concerned about damaged goods. That little prick dumped her the second he found out what happened.”
Anger surged through his entire system making him wish he had a bad guy, drug dealer, kidnapper—any would do—in front of him so he could rip them apart with his teeth.
“My money is on the boyfriend. He might be regretting what he lost and is now making her pay for it.” Jayden looked away before Barrett could see the yellow orange tint to his pupils, signaling the shift into wolf. He needed to get it together. He didn’t need to be out of control in front of his new Pack Master.
The last thing he needed was to shift in front of Barrett. Being a Guardian meant being in control of yourself at all times. Humans, except for the government, didn’t know werewolves existed outside of novels and movies. Hell, humans had enough to keep them fearful: global warming, sucky economy, and episodes of reality TV.
“Okay, so what do you need from me? Gathering Intel? Asking around at the college? Surveillance?” Every muscle in his body trembled with the urge to find whoever was scaring Haley and make them pay in blood. He could most certainly make it look like an accident, or at least an animal attack.
“All of the above. I have a house in Fayetteville. I s
tay there when the Razorbacks are playing. You’ll stay there. I’ve talked to Haley and told her I will have someone in place protecting her while she goes to her classes.”
“Have you told her she will have to stop going to parties with her friends at night?”
Barrett arched a brow. “What parties? She gave me her daily schedule and the only time she leaves her room is to go to class. Her roommate, Dana, is the only friend she’s made since moving to Fayetteville. Hell, she doesn’t even go out to eat. She eats every meal in her room.”
Jayden scowled. Was she as fucked up as him over what had happened? Had he done this to her by not being able to save her?
“You okay with this assignment?” Barrett gave him a long assessing look.
“Yeah.” Jayden gave a quick nod.
“Good. I’m counting on you to keep that girl safe. God knows we’re the only family she’s got now.”
Jayden swallowed.
He had failed Haley once.
Whatever it took, he wasn’t going to fail her again.
#
“Holy shit, here comes Barrett Middleton.” Dana spoke out of the side of her mouth, as they stood on the sidewalk outside the boutique in the town square. “I wonder if he caught me trying to sneak a peek at him in the Guardian’s gym?”
Haley almost stopped breathing when she spotted Barrett Middleton headed straight for her. She had come to him under the cover of night to explain her situation and show him the letters. As her new Pack Master, Barrett was her last resort for protection.
She had screwed up every last ounce of courage to actually walk into the Guardian building. When a large werewolf with a scar across his cheek had stepped in front of her, she was sure her heart had stopped. For a brief second she had wondered if her parents would even come to her funeral.
His name was Damon and he’d pierced her with a glare before leading her to Barrett’s office.
While Dana knew about the first few notes she’d gotten, she didn’t know about the latest one, the ones that had her lying awake all night wondering if she was going to live another day. Even though Dana was a werewolf, Haley hadn’t told her what had happened in Louisiana or the real reason behind why she transferred colleges. She didn’t want her friend to disappear like her family had.
“Hello, ladies.” Barrett nodded and turned his gaze on her friend. “Dana, how is college going? Not partying too much are you?”
Dana blushed. “It’s going good. Keeping my grades up and staying out of trouble.”
“Good, good.” Barrett turned back to Haley. “Are you going to introduce me to your friend?”
“Oh, shoot, of course.” Dana laughed. “This is Haley Guthrie. She just transferred to the university from LSU.”
Barrett stuck out his hand and Haley blinked. Of course Dana wouldn’t have a clue that she’d already met the Pack Master.
Haley accepted his outstretched hand.
“Nice to meet you, Haley. I think you will find the Weres in Arkansas welcoming and very protective of their own,” Barrett said.
Haley’s heart hitched at his underlying meaning. She’d lived in Louisiana all her life, but her own family had failed to protect her or even accept her after she had been hurt. Even the Pack Master of Louisiana had refused to see her when she went to him about what had happened the night of her kidnapping.
Yet standing here on the sidewalk in front of the whole town, Barrett Middleton, the Pack Master himself, had sought her out. And promised his protection.
Haley blinked back the tears burning the back of her eyes and cleared her throat. “Thank you, Mr. Middleton. I appreciate that.”
“I see you two are heading back to Fayetteville.” Barrett turned to Dana. “Dana, do you mind running across the street to Hilda Mae’s bakery? I believe she has a welcome basket for Haley with lots of her homemade cookies.”
“I’ll be happy to.” Dana gave Barrett a besotted smile. “I’ll be right back.”
Barrett folded his arms and looked across the town square as he spoke in a hushed tone. To anyone passing by it would appear they were talking about something as innocent as the weather.
“I have one of my men following you back to Fayetteville. Dana won’t notice. She’s too busy trying to get a glance at me while I’m working out.”
Haley’s face heated.
“My Guardian will be following you to class and back to the dorm to make sure you are safe. If you get another letter, text me and I’ll have him pick it up.”
“I don’t have your number.” Haley dug around in her purse to find her cell phone.
“I already put it in your phone.” Barrett glanced at her and the looked away.
“When?” Haley tried to keep from showing her surprise.
“The other night. When you were in my office.”
She remembered dumping out her purse contents which held the letters. She’d been desperate to the point of tears when she was asking him for help. He must have slipped his number into her phone then.
“Thank you.” It came out as a slip of a whisper as emotion clogged her throat.
“Don’t thank me. It’s what we do. I don’t want you to feel like you’re alone anymore, Haley. Because you’re not. We protect our own.”
Dana stepped out of the bakery, her arms loaded with a large basket filled to the brim with baked pastries and cookies. The basket was so large that Dana had to hold it up to check for traffic before crossing the street.
“Don’t say anything to Dana about this. The less she knows the better. If you have problems or feel unsafe, text me and I’ll have my Guardian come get you. He will only be a few feet away during the day and five minutes away at night.”
“Thank you.” Haley swallowed, as a weight lifted off her shoulders. “You don’t know how much I appreciate this. If there is anything I can ever do to repay you. Let me know.”
“Actually there is. Don’t let Dana know you have my number. And tell her to stay out of the Guardian’s house.” Barrett shot Dana a wave before he walked away.
“I didn’t get to say goodbye.” Dana huffed as she reached Haley.
Haley looked at her friend.
“He is totally hot.” Dana licked her lips a little.
“You don’t find him scary?” Haley looked at Barrett’s large retreating back. Sure the man was built like a model, but there was something so intense that it intimidated her.
“Of course I find him scary. Scary and hot. I wouldn’t mind if he tied me to his bed and spanked me.” Dana purred.
“Tell me how you really feel.” Haley snorted.
Dana looked at Haley and laughed. “I can’t help it. I need some alone time with my honey. My fantasies are all I have.”
Haley opened the door to the backseat of her car and stuck the basket on the seat. “Not anymore. You ordered all that sex stuff from Granny.” She adjusted the seatbelt around the basket.
“Maybe I’ll break it in with a good fantasy starring Barrett.”
“Enough.” Haley stuck her fingers in her ears and hummed, trying to ignore the visual.
Dana straightened and frowned. “What were you two talking about anyway? I don’t think I’ve ever seen Barrett make a point of talking to someone on the sidewalk. He’s rarely comes out of his office.”
Haley pressed her lips into a thin line.
“I know that look. Spill it. What did Barrett say?” Dana crossed her arms.
Haley blew out a breath. She wasn’t going to say anything, she really wasn’t. But she didn’t really have a choice.
“Barrett said for you to stop trying to peep into the Guardian’s gym while he’s working out.”
CHAPTER TWO
For three days Jayden arrived on the campus of University of Arkansas early enough to station a position out of sight yet near enough he could intervene if Haley was in danger.
For three days he followed her as she went from her dorm to her classes.
For three days Jayden had observe
d her manner and demeanor as she so desperately attempted to blend in to the crowd and not draw attention to herself.
And for three days nothing happened.
Jayden lifted the Styrofoam cup to his lips. The steam rolled out of the top and he blew it a little before taking a sip of the bitter gas station coffee. The door to the dorm opened and his gaze locked on Haley as she walked to her first class of the day. The spring breeze caught her blonde hair and lifted it into the air. Her delicate hand brushed a strand of yellow silk out of her eyes.
Jayden frowned. Even from this distance he could see the faint dark circles under her eyes.
She wasn’t sleeping.
This would explain the drop in her grades.
Jayden hadn’t left the campus until late last night, watching for anything out of the ordinary. He saw nothing. So he spent the rest of the night on the computer hacking into the university’s database, gathering any information he could find on Haley. Her grades had progressively spiraled downward and even her teachers had commented on her state of withdrawal from participating in class. Where she had once been a dedicated student, she was now showing signs of disinterest and possibly failing out of college completely.
That pissed him off. The stalker was now controlling her life as well as affecting her future.
Jayden eased closer as Haley headed for the entrance of the building where her last class was held. She hurried past a group of college guys, head down, her fingers clutching her backpack like a lifeline.
“Hey, beautiful.” One guy wearing a bright orange T-shirt called out to her.
Haley kept her head down as she walked. Jayden’s gut clenched as he tossed the Styrofoam cup into the nearest garbage can and hurried near.
He had been given strict orders to stay back and watch, only revealing himself to Haley in an emergency. But when he saw her blue-eyed gaze dart nervously and how she clutched the straps of her backpack in a white-fingered grip, the only thing he could think of was protecting her from the group of assholes.
“What’s your hurry?” The guy reached out and grabbed her arm. Haley stared up at him, eyes wide with fear.