Releasing the Wolf (The Rossi Pack Book 1)

by Aimie Jennison

  Kelly’s mouth drops in astonishment. “That’s not possible. He was in wolf form, you can’t have heard him?”

  “I don’t know.” I try to think back to the memory, but I can’t see anything different. It was definitely Jesse’s voice I was hearing. I know it was. At the time I didn’t even think about him being a wolf. In my defence, I was just about dead. “It was him. He was saying sorry over and over, he was begging her to come forward. She was just… biding her time!”

  “It sounds like you have the gift of hearing the wolf,” says a voice from behind the door as it opens in front of Kelly. I look over his head to see a surfer looking guy, who you would expect to find at Cottesloe, not on a farm in Caversham. He looks tall, maybe six feet give or take an inch. His shoulder length wavy blonde hair is what gives him the surfy look, although his bare feet fit the theme too. The police uniform he’s wearing certainly doesn’t.

  “I thought only Alphas could hear wolves while still in human form?” Kelly questions the newcomer.

  He shrugs. “Me too, but I guess maybe the wolfborn can too.” He glances across at me. “Hi, I’m Nate. I guess you’ll be joining the pack now, since your wolf has finally decided to grace us with her presence?”

  Kelly looks at me with curiosity in his eyes, but doesn’t question my wolf hearing anymore. “Is it okay if I leave you with Nate?” he asks instead.

  “I can go call Jesse, but Kelly hasn’t slept all night so I thought I’d relieve him. I can get Tracey to come back up if you’d prefer her company?” Nate offers showing the gentleman behind the surfer.

  His words about my wolf being present surprises me for an instant and I open my mouth to argue, before closing it again when I feel her, a churning inside me, it’s somewhat similar to the butterflies you’d feel in your stomach only this is all over me. She’s rippling just beneath the surface. “I guess if I’m going to have to join the pack, I might as well add you to list of those I know.” I give him what I hope is a reassuring smile, as he steps into the room and Kelly leaves. He heads straight to the wicker chair, sitting with confidence as though it isn’t the first time he’s sat there. I’m suddenly hit by the smell of rain just before it arrives. I strain to see out the window, somewhat surprised not to be feeling pain; whatever Tracey gave me must have been good stuff. “Is it raining? It smells like there’s going to be a storm,” I ask.

  Nate smiles. “No, the sky is clear tonight. That will be my scent you can smell, we all have our own scent. It’s how we can tell who is nearby when we hunt. It might smell strong at first but in time you’ll learn to ignore it unless you need it.”

  “Oh no, I love the smell of a storm coming. I find it quite calming.” I blush, realising I’d just told him I love his smell. I look up at his eyes, hoping he hasn’t caught onto my embarrassment and I’m stunned by how beautiful his eyes are, one is the colour of an emerald and the other’s as blue as the sky at twilight. Words pour out of my mouth before I can stop them. “Your eyes are beautiful.” I feel myself blush from head to toe, but I can’t pull my eyes away from his.

  “Thank you,” he says with a genuine looking smile. “Not many people call them that. In fact I think you might be the first. I’ve had them called freaky and ugly, but never beautiful. Thank you.”

  I start to think of everything Jesse had said earlier and feel panic suddenly setting in. “Nate, Jesse said something about my dad. He kept me away from the pack because I’m an… O…” I break off as I try to remember the word he used.

  “Omega,” Nate offers.

  “Yes, Omega. If I join the pack, will that cause problems for everyone? After all the trouble Jesse has gone to, keeping me safe all these years?” I start to ramble as my body trembles in panic and, if I’m honest, fear.

  “Hey,” Nate says in a calming voice, as he strokes my hand. A jet of energy flows from his hand through mine and my wolf becomes alert from where she’s laid deep inside me. “There are plenty of us around, we’ll make sure things don’t get out of hand. No one will get near you without your say so,” he says looking deep into my eye’s. It’s as if he’s looking through me and directly at my wolf. “Alright?” he asks her.

  With his words, she sends out a pulse of energy feeling for his wolf. She eases back into wherever she’d been resting before. She likes the feel of Nate, and urges me to trust him to keep us safe.

  “What was that?” I ask, not quite sure what just happened.

  “She’s calmed down now,” Nate states. “She was worried like you were. I just reassured her everyone will be safe.” He removes his hand from mine and relaxes back into the chair. “You should rest now, it will help you heal.”

  Gently rolling over on the bed I close my eyes and try to sleep, an uneasiness running through me. I’m uncomfortable and I can’t work out what’s not quite right. This is the most comfortable mattress I’ve ever slept on so I know it’s nothing to do with the bed. I slowly shuffle around on the bed trying to get more comfortable, putting it down to my injury even though it’s no longer hurting. But it doesn’t matter what position I lay in it doesn’t feel any better.

  “I think you need to feel a pack member next to you. Do you want me to call Carter? We sent him to Jesse’s a few hours ago because he wouldn’t sleep while he was here, he just sat watching you.”

  Carter. I hadn’t even thought about him and he’s been sat at my bedside. Guilt runs through me.

  “Joey’s asleep on the couch downstairs, I can get him instead if you’d like?” Nate suggests obviously remembering Joey and I are friends.

  I sit up and look at Nate. It’s what Jesse needed when he was hurt, he’d said he needed to feel my wolf and it worked for him; he relaxed instantly when we touched. “No, don’t wake them, they need their sleep. Would you mind getting in with me?” I ask warily as I pat the bed next to me. I see him blush and immediately back track. “I understand, if you don’t want to. We don’t really know each other. I…”

  Nate laughs. “It’s not that. My wolf very much wants to lie there and comfort you. But you’re naked under those sheets. I just thought you would feel more comfortable having him in the bed with you.” He points to his uniform trousers and shirt, “I’d have to take these off,” he adds.

  “I don’t mind, if you don’t.” The minute the words fall out my mouth, I know something inside me has changed. I’m flirting with an almost stranger and inviting him into bed with me while we are both practically naked.

  Standing up with a nod he silently strips off his uniform, leaving him wearing tightly fitted black boxers that don’t leave much to the imagination. Leaving his clothes neatly folded on the chair, he climbs in beside me, lying on his side facing me. I turn over and give him my back before wriggling back until he’s spooning me. The movement causes pain to run through me in a wave, the injection obviously starting to wear off. I hold my breath until it passes while Nate places his arm over my side and holds me close, being careful not to disturb my wound. My body relaxes instantly. I feel almost weightless. His warmth, energy and scent a comfort to us, my wolf knows he’ll protect us while we sleep.

  “Is this okay?” I hear him ask, but being too close to sleep I don’t reply.

  Chapter Ten

  Frankie

  I’m chasing a fox through the bush, my mouth watering at the thought of how delicious it will taste. Nate moves beside me, slipping out of the bed and the dream fades away. Being too tired and just wanting to snuggle back down to sleep I don’t stir or ask where he’s going. It’s not exactly any of my business; he probably has a girlfriend or wife to get back to. It’s so strange thinking of how intimately we have just been sleeping when we don’t know a thing about each other.

  Hearing the door open, I lay still waiting for Nate to close it behind him.

  “What the fuck is going on in here?” Carter shouts, causing me to flinch on the bed. I keep playing asleep as I listen to the sounds of Nate moving quickly across the room.

  “Shh,” Nat
e says. There’s a ruffle of clothing before the door closes to and a thud sounds against the wall. “Calm down Carter. Let go of me or this will lead to a fight you won’t win.”

  “You were getting dressed after being in bed with my girlfriend. What the hell do you expect me to do?” Carter demands.

  “Don’t you dare lecture me about sleeping around, not when you know you don’t smell like you slept alone either. Frankie was hurt and couldn’t settle - she needed pack. I asked her if she wanted me to call you or Joey but she didn’t want to disturb either of you. We slept, that’s all.” Nate states, the fury clear in his voice.

  They may have taken the argument out of the room, so not to wake me up, but I can hear every word even though they don’t seem to be shouting. I guess good hearing is another perk to being a werewolf.

  “I was stressed and Clarissa was at Jesse’s,” Carter says, his voice sounding distant during some of that making me think he’s pacing.

  “What?” Nate says with a sarcastic sounding laugh. “So your girlfriend can’t sleep next to another guy to feel his wolf because she is hurt, healing and in need of the comfort, but you can have sex with another woman because you are stressed? You’re a jerk, Carter. Frankie won’t put up with it, her wolf isn’t weak like Clarissa’s.”

  I listen as someone stomps downstairs and whoever’s outside the door takes a deep breath before the back door slams shut. The bedroom door opens as a car speeds away on the gravel road outside.

  I smell sex and lavender before I see Carter come through the door. “Hey baby,” he says as he walks over to the bed and sits where Nate had just been laid. He leans over to kiss me and I pull away before our lips make contact. Is he seriously going to act like he’s done nothing? My wolf’s energy runs through my veins making my anger stronger than it would normally be in a situation like this.

  “You’ve had sex.” I state with confidence, I can smell it after all.

  His smile wavers. “No, I—” he starts to lie.

  I stop him mid-sentence. “I can smell it, and I heard what was said between you and Nate too, so don’t bother denying it. It just makes you look like a bigger jerk.” I say crossing my arms and narrowing my eyes in annoyance.

  He reaches his hand out to touch me. “Frankie…” he starts.

  I pull away and get up out of bed. “No Carter, I don’t want hear it. Just get out,” I order. I walk across the room surprised to be steady on my feet, I was stabbed a couple of days ago and I feel better than I have in a long time. Opening the door I stride across the hall and into the bathroom, I haven’t peed in a couple of days, granted I’ve not really had any liquid intake in that time either, but I’m still busting. After emptying my bladder I look into the mirror above the basin and notice I’m still naked. I sigh, deciding there is no need to be embarrassed, Carter has seen it all before. Thinking of Carter, I realise I’m not mad anymore - in fact I’m surprisingly calm about what I’ve just heard. I know I don’t need a jerk like that in my life so I don’t really care what Carter does now.

  I open the glass door on the shower and lean in turning the tap to hot before stepping in. This shower is no power shower but it’s hot, which is more than I can say for the shower in my shitty apartment. The heat on my shoulders and running down my back and over my chest feels amazing. It feels somewhat therapeutic, like I’m washing away the old me, and a whole new person is going to step out when I’m done. I peel the bandage off my wound to find nothing but a well healed scar. Granted it’s a big jagged scar that looks like I’ve been a wolf’s chew toy, but it doesn’t have the pink angry look a fresh scar would. I run my finger over what is a souvenir to remember Jesse by. I take my time in the shower until the water turns cold; just as I turn the shower off and start to dry myself with the fluffy purple towel that I pull off the rail, there’s a knock at the door.

  “Are you ok in there, Frank?” Joey asks, worry clear in his voice as he calls me by my shortened name.

  Grabbing the robe off the back of the door and tying it around myself, I unlock the door and pull it open, excited to see my friend again. I’ve missed Joey so much; it feels like a lifetime ago when we were sat watching True Blood the other night.

  He pounces on me, pulling me into a big hug. “You were dead Frankie! I’m so glad you came back, I don’t know what I’d do without you?” he says, almost squeezing the life out of me. The waver in his voice tells me he’s getting emotional.

  “Hey, don’t get upset. I’m here and I’m not planning on going anywhere, okay?” I reassure him patting his back.

  He relaxes and pulls back to look at me, holding my gaze for twenty seconds before glancing down at his feet and speaking. “You smell like Nate. Is that why Carter left so quick?”

  It’s not a question about Nate’s smell on me; his werewolf senses make him certain of that. Which is something I’ll have to talk to him about later. He’s a werewolf and he never told me anything about it. “I told Carter to leave. He came up smelling of sex and lavender, according to Nate it was someone called Clarissa.” I shrug my shoulders as I say her name, not really caring if the names correct or not, before walking out of the bathroom. The smell of coffee and bacon hits me, making my mouth water. “Mmm... I’m starving and that smells so good,” I tell Joey as I edge towards the stairs and closer to the smell of food.

  “Hang on a sec, Frank.” Joey demands.

  My wolf stirs inside me as I stop and I hear a growl. I turn and notice belatedly that the growl was coming out of my own mouth. She isn’t happy about Joey telling me to ‘hang on’; it sounded too close to an order. I feel her power creeping down my arms and reaching out towards Joey, testing his dominance. No one has had time to give me a run down on all things wolf but I know I’m right in my assessment. I just know.

  “Shit… I… I mean… I brought you some fresh clothes… they’re on your bed,” Joey manages to stammer out, no doubt hoping to turn this around and satisfy my wolf with his back tracking.

  The smell of bacon and coffee gets stronger as someone opens the door at the foot of the stairs. “Everything okay, Darl’?” Kelly’s concerned tone calls. “There’s a bit of a power surge going on.” I turn to his voice and see him looking past me, at Joey.

  Pushing my wolf down, I tell her Joey wasn’t meaning it as an order. She fights for a second and I worry she might just go through with her dominance war. I feel my eyes change and I see Kelly’s eyes widen in shock at the sight. She glances up at Joey and he averts his eyes showing that he didn’t mean it as an order. Pleased with his response she retreats back to the place she rests.

  “We’re fine, Kelly. It was a miscommunication, Jo was just suggesting I might want to get dressed before going down for food.” I look down at the robe I’m wearing and blush in embarrassment; I wrap my arms around myself trying to hide from Kelly’s eyes. “I guess it was a good idea,” I say as I turn around to head back to my room before stopping on the landing and giving Joey a quick hug. “Thanks Jo.”

  I instantly spot my overnight bag on the white wicker chair next to the bed, taking the place where Nate’s clothes had been neatly folded not long ago. As I sort through the clothes I know Joey had packed it. I can smell his sandalwood scent, which takes me by surprise. It’s the first time I’ve used my sense of smell like that since releasing the wolf. I take a moment to test my other heightened senses out, I close my eyes and listen; I can hear Kelly and Joey talking downstairs, there is a woman’s voice I don’t recognise too. Not only can I hear them, but deep within me I can feel them. It’s like I have an invisible rope tethering me to them. It has to be a pack thing. Maybe since my father was their Alpha and at one time I was part of the pack, I still am. Perhaps I was only ever hidden from them, like my wolf was hidden and buried from me. Reaching another rope I follow it to the end and find Carter; he feels angry and miserable. I reach out for another rope to see if I can feel all the pack members like that. I follow the first one I come across and find Jesse on the other en
d. He’s only there for a second before he vanishes, leaving me overwhelmed with guilt. His guilt. I pull back from the invisible ropes and decide I should leave them alone. I shouldn’t be intruding on other peoples’ private feelings.

  As I pull on the a red tank top, clean undies and a pair of denim shorts I come to the conclusion that it’s a good job I’m not one of those girls that won’t be seen in public without make up because Joey didn’t bother to pack me any. I run my fingers through my hair, grateful for my short bob since Joey didn’t think of packing a hairbrush either.

  I quietly stride down the stairs and head straight for the kitchen and food. I open the door and the conversation in the room halts.

  Kelly, who’s stood over the stove frying some bacon calls out to me. “Hey, Darl’, what do you fancy to eat?”

  Before I can open my mouth to answer Joey places a coffee cup in my hands and answers for me. “Pancakes are her favourite.”

  “Pancakes it is then,” Kelly says, throwing me a wink over his shoulder.

  My eyes roam the room and fall on the female that must belong to the voice I heard, she has a familiar look to her and as I take in her features I can’t quite put my finger on where I may have seen her before. Her long blonde wavy hair is loosely pulled back at the nape of her neck and her emerald green eyes are smiling at me having caught me looking.

  “I’m Kate, Nate’s twin sister. You must be Frankie?” she says, offering me a hand to shake. “Nice to meet you at last.”

  “Hi, I thought you looked familiar. I didn’t know Nate had a twin,” I say as I accept her offered hand. “Nice to meet you too,” I add, trying not to resist as she pulls me into a hug. She’s tall, at least four inches taller than my five foot four.

  Kelly places a number of plates stacked with food on the table and we all take seats. The plate before me is full of pancakes, more than I could ever imagine eating. The others all have full breakfasts on them; bacon, eggs, tomatoes, sausage and mushrooms. We all dig in. The sound of four stomachs being filled is the only noise in the room. The pancakes are divine, the best I’ve ever tasted. I tell Kelly as much. “Oh, Kelly, these are delicious.” I glance at Joey and give him a remorseful look, before speaking again. “I don’t think I’ve ever tasted a pancake this good.”