by Jessica Ryan
“I don’t need him to do that, though,” Eva said, rubbing the back of his head. “I have you for that now. My wolf.”
* * *
Eva felt a little sadness as she watched Rowan’s truck pull out of the driveway, heading to work. She sat down on the bed in her little room, trying to figure out what to do with herself.
“Two days into captivity and I’m a housewife,” she said, with a laugh.
She silently cursed herself for thinking of it as captivity still. Rowan was protecting her and he had done everything possible to make her comfortable, yet the thought still lingered in her head.
It wasn’t that she didn’t want to be here: she was really digging the entire town. After growing up in the fast-paced city, surrounded by enough money to make anything she ever wanted happen, this was a nice change of pace. It was one of the reasons she’d chosen a college so far from home, in a more rural part of the state. Perhaps she was a farmer or druid in a past life; she definitely felt a connection with nature.
Still, she wanted to be able to tell her rotten parents she was okay. Surely they’d heard their little girl was missing. They had hearts, they had to care. She didn’t have many friends, thanks to Jason, but she wanted to at least let her bosses know she was still alive and not tied up in Buffalo Bill’s basement.
The lack of freedom to truly do whatever she wanted was what irked her, but Rowan had his reasons. She didn’t know anything about these Satan’s Angels, but they were clearly enough of a threat to shake a mountain like Rowan.
“Damn it all to hell,” she said, going to her drawer to find some clothes. It would be a lot easier if she’d had a wonderful life back home, one that she couldn’t wait to get back to. Then she’d be escaping while Rowan was at work, although she was forty miles from Cedarville and escaping a town full of werewolves with expert noses probably wasn’t going to happen. The hot sex from the night before was enough to keep her bolted in place, too—she had never experienced anything like that.
For the first time in my life I’ve found a man who cares about me and wants to protect me, she thought. Why do I want to mess that up and escape?
Eva walked to the window and stared out at the neighborhood before her. Beyond that was the wonderful little town of Bucklin.
“Dammit,” she said out loud. “This is my home now. I’m not a captive. I want to be here.”
Just saying the words out loud lifted a huge weight from her chest. For the first time in two days she felt like she could breathe easily again. No, for the first time since her father had disowned her she felt like she could breathe again. She had spent her time with Jason feeling trapped, alone and unwanted as he toyed with her. Then she spent every day hustling for money, barely able to keep her head above water as she tried to make ends meet on her own, all with the dream of one day making it back to college. She could barely afford electricity in her tiny apartment—how could she ever afford tuition again? This was where she belonged now; she had a whole new life. Eva Thompson the victim was no more, a woman of the past now dead. The thought brought a smile to her face as she got dressed. The walls didn’t feel like a prison anymore.
Chapter 12
Rowan parked his old Chevy in the parking lot behind the police station, as he did every day. The sun was shining and the birds were chirping, another perfect spring day. Sometimes he lost sight of how sweet he had it compared to most humans.
All those good feelings immediately melted away as he opened the back door to enter the station, a familiar smell creeping up to meet his nostrils.
“Aster,” he muttered, as he took a deep whiff.
It wasn’t that he didn’t like his alpha; he used to enjoy the playful banter they’d have when they got together. However, since Aster had become head alpha, his visits had become more and more infrequent. Now he only came when there was trouble—and there was plenty of that to go around lately.
He silently walked through the desk area, noting that none of his deputies were in the office. He could hear Vicki, his dispatcher, answering calls up front. The door to his office was closed and the shades of his window that overlooked the outer office, were closed. No doubt Aster was waiting for him inside, not wanting anyone else to know about the meeting.
Rowan took a deep breath and opened the door. Aster was seated in front of the desk, not presumptuous enough to steal Rowan’s chair. Instead, he sat up straight, looking uncomfortable in the three-piece suit he wore to keep up appearances as mayor of Bucklin. His leather briefcase was tossed casually in the chair next to him, probably filled with nothing. Aster was all about appearances; if any outsiders came to town he wanted to appear to be a clean-cut mayor who had it all in hand. Of course the wicked ponytail he sported didn’t help the image a whole lot.
His eyes actually lit up when Rowan entered the room, like he hadn’t seen his surrogate brother in many moons. Aster rose and pulled Rowan in for a tight hug.
“Brother,” he said. “It’s good to see you again.”
“You saw me yesterday,” Rowan said, patting his alpha on the back.
“Yes, I saw you,” Aster said, making quotation marks with his hands. “But I didn’t see you.”
“I understand,” Rowan said, taking a seat behind his desk. He leaned forward, resting on his elbows as Aster settled himself back into his chair.
“I hate doing that dog-and-pony show for the other alphas,” Aster said. “We’ve moved out of the forest, we’re not cave wolves anymore, so why do they insist I strip down to furs and make a show of everything for the human?”
“She wasn’t impressed,” Rowan said.
“I didn’t expect her to be,” Aster said. “She seems like a good bird. You really did claim her?”
“Yes,” Rowan said, his eyes narrowing.
“Figures,” Aster said. He wrinkled his nose and cut his eyes at Rowan. “I can smell her on you.”
“And I can smell your whores on you,” Rowan said, chuckling.
“Well, an alpha does have to spread his seed,” Aster said.
“According to the old ways,” Rowan said, wagging his finger at his alpha. “You just told me you want to throw those out.”
“Well, some of them aren’t so bad,” Aster said.
Both men erupted into laughter, their voices so strong the window in Rowan’s office rattled.
“I don’t understand you, brother,” Rowan said.
“What’s there to not understand?” Aster asked.
“You tell me you think the old ways are a dog-and-pony show.”
“They are.”
“Yet at the same time you hate wearing a suit and hate making appearances as mayor.”
“That’s right.”
“So what do you want?”
“I guess I want all the perks that come with being alpha and none of the drawbacks.”
“We’d all want to be alpha if that was the case.”
“What are you talking about?” Aster asked, puffing out his chest. “Everyone does want to be alpha. It’s been a long time since I’ve had a challenger for alpha of our pack or head alpha of Bucklin. I’m sure someone is waiting in the wings to try his luck.”
“Not everyone wants to be alpha,” Rowan said, winking at him.
“Yes, of course,” Aster said, shaking his head. “I wish you would have taken this damn crown brother, then I’d be on the other side of that desk.”
“You wanted it,” Rowan reminded him.
“I did,” Aster said, shaking his head. “The folly of youth, right?”
"I have grown quite fond of the human though," Rowan said.
"Did you actually claim her?" Aster asked.
"Yes," Rowan said, his voice dropping lower. "Nobody can take her from me now."
"What if her kind come looking for her?" Aster asked.
"Then I will deal with that when it happens," Rowan said. "Nobody will take her from me. Nobody."
"I don't plan to," Aster said, putting his hands up. "I hope she realizes what you
claiming her means, that she can never return to normal society now. You know how humans are when they find out they're stuck in Bucklin forever."
"She’ll be fine with it," Rowan said. "She doesn't have much of a life to return to."
"Why didn't you just kill her, Rowan?" Aster asked, his eyes almost pleading with Rowan. "Things would have been so much easier. Now I've lost my top enforcer right before trouble strikes."
"I can still be your top enforcer," Rowan said.
"Of course you can, but will you be so willing to put your life on the line to defend your pack knowing you have a mate waiting at home? That's what was always good about you Rowan, you were fearless."
"You think I fear anything now?'
"No," Aster said, shaking his head vigorously. "I do think you'll think twice before putting yourself into extreme danger, though. It happens to every wolf who takes a mate."
"I'm the same wolf," Rowan said, on the very edge of rage. He did not like his courage being questioned.
"I know that," Aster said. "But I don't think I can allow you to put yourself in that kind of danger."
"What do you mean?" Rowan asked, sitting up straight at his desk.
"I'm assigning the Skyvale Pack to investigate her disappearance," Aster said. "If she was taken by one of our own then they will find that person."
"You can't do that to me," Rowan protested, slamming his fist on the table. "I’m head enforcer and I have the right to lead the hunt."
"I know that," Aster said. "But you're too close to the situation, brother, you know that. Besides, you have a far more important task—you must facilitate a mating bond with the human female to protect our way of life. If she decides to run someday, well I can't protect her or you."
“Our bond will be fine,” Rowan said quickly.
“Really?” Aster asked. “Have you formed the neural link yet? Have you?”
“It will form soon,” Rowan said.
It was true—he hadn’t completed his mating bond with Eva just yet. When two wolves were mated they formed a psychic bond with one another. The mated pair were able to feel one another’s thoughts and emotions. He didn’t have that with Eva yet, which was disturbing. It meant she hadn’t fully given herself over to him and accepted him as her mate.
“You have to get it formed, “Aster said, shaking his head. “There is no way around this Rowan. She’s a flight risk every single day it’s not formed. Plus you’re too close to the situation. I said that, but it bears repeating.”
Rowan looked down. The words that Aster spoke were true. He was too close to the Satan's Angels situation. What he’d said about Eva was true as well.
"You're too close to this situation as well, brother," Rowan said, looking back up.
"That’s why Hawk will have total autonomy in his search and investigation," Aster said. "If he finds her, he is not to bring her to me. He will set up a deal with the Angels himself."
"A wise move," Rowan said, smiling. "Would you really be able to give her away again?"
"I don’t know," Aster said. He looked around at the walls, trying to find a way to change the subject. "I can't believe you killed one of their lieutenants."
“He deserved it," Rowan said. "He was a filthy mongrel."
“You killed him because of the girl,” Aster said, a half-smile forming on his face. “Do you really think you can fool your oldest friend?”
Rowan could only laugh. Aster was as sharp as he’d ever been. Years of running the show hadn’t diminished his ability to read Rowan like a book. “I did it for Leena too. Would you not have done the same if Leena was in that situation?”
The half-smile instantly disappeared, and darkness fell over Aster’s face. Rowan was the only one who could get away with talking to Aster like he did. The alpha would not stand for that from any of his other members.
“I gave her to them,” Aster said, shaking his head. “For what? To save a bunch of ungrateful wolves who spend every day plotting and conniving behind my back? They spend every waking moment trying to figure out how to grab power.”
“I’m sorry I brought it up,” Rowan said, putting out a hand to calm his old friend.
“What the hell are we going to do if Hawk can't find her?” Aster asked. “They’re coming for her, and coming soon.”
“What if he does find her?” Rowan asked, looking down his nose at Aster. “Will you give her up a second time?”
“Will you?” Aster shot back.
“I’d prefer not to think about it,” Rowan said, putting a hand over his face.
“I feel the same,” Aster said. “Someone took her from them, trying to undermine my authority. Someone wants this war.”
“We can’t let them have it,” Rowan said, shaking his head. “We have more soldiers than they do, but we still can’t win, not in the face of the demon.”
"Nobody can," Aster said grimly.
"Are we sure it was one of our own who took her?" Rowan asked.
"Who else could it be?" Aster asked. "They obviously followed her scent to come all the way back here. It had to be one of our own."
"Who knows about the deal?" Rowan asked.
"Only the alphas," Aster said. "Which means one of them took her. They had to."
Rowan agreed with his logic, but he still felt like they were jumping to conclusions. Satan's Angels made a lot of enemies, and any one of them could have kidnapped the alpha's mate. What if one of their own hadn’t taken her? They would all be eradicated for no reason.
Aster stood up, a heavy sigh escaping his lips. “This is a fine mess, my friend, I knew it would come back to bite us.”
Rowan leaned back in his chair, trying to read Aster with everything he had, but the alpha was a mask of pain.
“Do you think someone took her from them?” Rowan asked, another idea creeping into his head. “Or do you think she came back to us?”
“She’s not the same Leena anymore, Rowan,” Aster said shaking his head. “She’s one of them.”
Hearing her name twice, once from his lips and once from Aster's, brought a vice-like clamp down on Rowan’s heart, tugging at his chest. It was a name he hadn’t heard spoken in many years, one he’d hoped he would never hear again.
“I loved her, Rowan,” Aster said. “I guess I loved Bucklin just a little bit more.”
“It was her idea,” Rowan said. “She wanted to save us. We would both be dead now if it wasn’t for her.”
“But we agreed to it,” Aster said.
“We had to. There was no other way.”
Aster opened the door slightly before shutting it again, resting his forehead against the frame. “She was my mate. The only one I’ll ever have.”
“She was my sister,” Rowan said, choking on the words as they escaped his lips. “The only one I’ll ever have.”
Aster didn’t say another word. He just exited the office, leaving Rowan alone with all the pain and guilt that he thought he’d buried years ago.
Chapter 13
So what the hell do I do now? Eva wondered as she exited the bathroom, ready for the day. Rowan hadn't thought far enough ahead to even give her a toothbrush, but she found an unopened one under the kitchen sink. Luckily, even werewolves cared about good hygiene, at least this one did. She had questions about the Oakdale pack, whose leader looked pretty grungy.
She wandered around the house, trying to find something to do. There wasn't much to Rowan's old house. You entered the house into a small foyer. Directly to your left was the kitchen, followed by the dining room. Off of the dining room was her tiny bedroom. The dining room opened into a large living room with a small hallway leading to the bathroom and Rowan's room.
In the living room was an ancient television that didn't look like it had been used in decades.
"I assume this thing doesn't get Netflix," Eva muttered. She was behind on Orange is the New Black and it didn't look like she was going to get a chance to catch up out here. Eva quickly made a mental note about talking
Rowan into a new smart TV, cable and maybe even Wi-Fi. If he was going to leave her here all day while he was at work, then he needed to leave her with something to do.
She grabbed a dust rag and wiped the TV down, hoping at least the local news would come through.
The old tube TV groaned to life, static assaulting her on screen. Eva banged on the sides a few times as the picture began to come into focus. The colors were horrible, and she could barely make out what was going on, but the sound was working.
"We haven't had much problem with wolves around here," a voice said. She could barely make out the letters under the man’s name; he appeared to be with animal control in Cedarville. "Usually they don't attack people, especially out in the open like this."
"Police say an unidentified man was killed due to a massive bite to his throat," the news reporter said. "A waitress at the establishment, twenty-two-year-old Eva Thompson, is still missing."
"I'm not sure a wolf would just drag one body off and leave the other one in the parking lot," the animal control expert said. "Maybe it was an attack dog?"
"Police have found no evidence of foul play or anyone else involved," the news reporter said. "The search continues for Ms. Thompson."
"What?" Eva shrieked, dropping to her knees in front of the TV. Rowan must have panicked after the attack and taken her away, leaving Axel's dead body in the open. They were trying to find her in Cedarville. Were the police the only ones looking for her, or were the Angels trying to find her too?
I can't let everyone think I've been kidnapped, she thought. Calling in to the police department and letting them at least know she was alive began to dance through her head, but that would be foolish—they might come looking for her. But did she really want the world to think she was dead?
Eva let out a long sigh and shut off the TV. One step forward and two steps back. Things were looking up after the understanding she’d come to with Rowan, but now everything was looking complicated again. If she intended to stay with Rowan how would she ever get a job? She'd have to live completely off the grid, relying on Rowan for everything. He appeared to be the big, strong protector type who would see to her every need, but she had been through that once before with her parents. Eva wasn't the type who wanted to be taken care of twenty-four hours a day; she needed room to breathe and be her own person.