They startled, taking uncertain steps in different directions.
Ian wiped the rain from his eyes. “What path should we follow?” If this didn’t stop, he’d bust a gut laughing.
With a prolonged sigh, Pallas set his hands on his hips. “Do I look like a pack alpha?”
Clare ran out of the house. “This way.” She took off along the driveway toward the road. The others followed instinctively in her wake.
“She beat you to it.” Pallas shook his head as if in disbelief. “In my time, a female shifter would have been beaten if she attempted such a thing.”
“Your time must have been dull.” Ian took off after Clare. He meant what he said. Strong women didn’t intimidate him. Clare burned hot like a flame and he was her moth. It didn’t take him long to reach Penny. “How are you doing?” He couldn’t leave her behind. Where were the others? What had happened to their pact?
“Fine.” She wasn’t breathing heavy or appeared strained.
“Why are you lagging behind?”
“I didn’t realize it was a race. Do you want me to go faster?” She accelerated.
“Keep pace with me. If I’m going too fast, let me know. Let’s find the others.” The driving rain pounded his heated skin and he blinked his vision clear. Street lights lit their way so he could make out runners in the haze. The crack of lightening lit the street for a split second before thunder rolled over the sky.
Penny sprinted past him.
He threw back his head and let out a howl. The sound rose from his diaphragm, wild and ragged with disuse. This was what it meant to be a wolf shifter—running with a pack, no matter the weather.
A slim figure ran ahead of him. He’d know that perfect ass anywhere. Clare. “I thought you’d still be in the lead.” He slowed his pace to match hers.
“I know my limits. Five miles is long at a full out run. Those ahead of us will learn that the hard way. We don’t know what Pallas has planned for us after.” She moved and breathed without effort.
“You sound sure of yourself.”
She made a derisive noise. “Most of these shifters have probably never run in human form before tonight. I’d also guess that the majority of the males resent the fact that they responded to my order.” She peered at him. “You didn’t though.”
“You didn’t say please.” Clare proclaimed herself to be an alpha, and he didn’t doubt her, but the same urge to lead flowed in Ian’s blood. “Have you seen Blain and Darrell?”
“They’re ahead. Penny most likely has caught up to them by now.”
“Odd Pallas let Blain join this boot camp.” Ian couldn’t imagine losing his sight. Wait. How come a legally blind shifter was ahead of him? He picked up speed.
“I said the same thing about you.” She tossed him a dismissive side glance, sticking by his side.
“And now?”
She shrugged. “I still haven’t figured it out. When you do, let me know.”
He curled his upper lip in a mock growl to hide how much her words stung. Why had Pallas taken him in? The vampire had called him a troublemaker. It fit until now. This group of wolves had enough trouble. He didn’t need to add to their misery. With a shake of his head, he outpaced Clare.
Less than half a mile later, she passed him.
Lungs burning for air, legs crying for mercy, he pushed for more speed. She wanted to lead the group, make herself alpha of the misfits. Probably thought the job already hers. His alpha made it clear to him that he had no place in his pack unless he finished this training. He most likely thought Ian would run away or piss Pallas off enough to be killed. Let him believe.
To be an alpha, first he needed to learn to fight. Pallas would give him those skills. Then he’d see what his old alpha said when he lost his pack to Ian. Let him see how it felt to be tossed aside. He pushed ahead of Clare.
In the distance, he spotted a set of headlights. They pointed across the road in the wrong direction. Three people were ringed by men holding what looked like baseball bats. They were outnumbered two to one.
“Who is that?” Clare sounded winded but she managed to reach his side.
“Townspeople.”
She shot him a sharp glance and together they raced toward trouble. As they drew closer, Ian could make out Darrell taking a hit on the arm as he blocked a swing at Penny. An inhuman snarl tore from Ian’s throat. He ran head long into the closest human, tackling him against the pick-up truck. He’d held back his wolf when he’d been shot. Not this time, not now that he knew how far these humans would go.
“Ian!” Clare pulled him off the attacker.
Skin slippery from the rain, he yanked free of her hold and swung a punch. His gaze met the fear-filled eyes of a teenager. Diverting his swing, Ian punched truck’s hood, leaving a dent. “Get lost.” He bared his teeth at the humans circling the area. Water dripped from his hair and he ran his hand over his eyes to clear his vision.
One dropped his bat in his hurry to climb inside the truck. The others followed.
Clare pulled Ian to the side of the road before they could run him over. “That was close.”
“What do you mean?” He spun to face her.
“You almost hit a stupid kid.” She stepped closer, invading his personal space.
“Those kids had bats and outnumbered them.” He pointed to Darrell, Blain, and Penny. “They didn’t have a problem taking a swing at Penny.” Cowards, striking at an omega. He nodded at Darrell. “Nice work blocking that strike. How’s the arm?”
Darrell grimaced. “Broken, I think.”
Muffled sounds of feet hitting the pavement grew louder. More shifters raced by their group. To them, it looked like Ian and his friends were taking a break. They’d missed out on the drama.
Blain slapped Ian on the back. “Let’s finish this.” He started running.
Clare examined Darrell’s arm. “Does it hurt too much to run?”
The hair on Ian’s nape rose. He glared at where Clare brushed her fingers over the other male’s arm. With a growl, he turned and continued the run. He passed shifter after shifter. If she preferred meeker males, then she could have Darrell. He wasn’t the type to force himself on a mate.
By the time the manor came into view, Ian’s calves burned as if on fire. The physical pain was a welcomed distraction from the hollow ache in his chest. His friends kept pace. Clare next to him then Darrell. Penny and Blain brought up the rear.
Pallas sat on the charred front steps of the porch whittling a branch to nothing. He set his knife and wood aside as Ian came to a stop next to him under the burned yet waterproofed roof. “Congratulations on finishing. I thought you’d come dragging in last.”
“Fuck you, Pallas.”
The vampire moved so fast Ian hadn’t a chance to blink before he stood kissing close. “What did you say?”
Ian’s pulse roared in his ears. “Fuck you.” He whispered the words. “Sir.”
“That’s better.” Pallas gave Darrell’s broken arm a cursory check as the shifter arrived. “What happened to you?”
Clare arrived with Penny and Blain. The three of them went straight to the cooler for water.
“I tripped.” Lied the shifter. He didn’t even hesitate. The response came out so smooth Ian barely smelled the falsehood. If Ian hadn’t witnessed the attack, he would have believed the other shifter. Interesting skill.
“No need to set it. It will heal straight by morning.” Pallas marched to spot where he’d been sitting and rummaged through the first-aid kit Clare had used on Ian to close his wound. The vampire returned with a couple of ace bandages. “You know how to use these?”
Ian nodded. All too well.
“Bind his arm.” Pallas moved on to greet another group of shifters arriving.
Ian bent over Darrell. “Why did you lie?”
“Shush, he might hear.” Darrell grunted as Ian jerked the ace bandage a little too tight. “Fine, fine. Do you really want him to know a bunch of teenagers almost took u
s out?”
Ian stared at his bandaging work without really seeing. He couldn’t decide the right thing to do. Truth should prevail. Shifters could sniff a lie, unless the liars were freaks of nature like Darrell. Shifters also admired strength. Pallas witnessed Ian’s spectacular loss to the hunters. He didn’t want his mentor hearing about the boys. “We need to tell the others to keep quiet.”
“Penny and Blain are already taken care of. We discussed it on the way while you tried to flirt with Clare.” He eyed Ian. “You can explain this to her.”
“Thanks.” His voice dripped with sarcasm. He doubted Clare would see the honor in lying any more than he did.
“I didn’t think you knew that word.” A familiar scent circled Ian as Clare crouched next to him. She checked the ace bandage’s tightness. “Good. How are you feeling?” she asked Darrell.
“Fucking fantastic. I’m not made of glass.” He jumped to his feet and stormed to where Blain and Penny waited with water bottles in hand.
She took a deep breath and let it out slowly. “That could have gone better. He’s so prickly.”
Ian leaned to the side so he could see her face better. “Is there something going on between the both of you?” Jealousy gave off a sour smell. Luckily he’d just ran five miles and his body odor masked his feelings.
“What? No. Besides you, Darrell is the most dominant of the males. I need him on my side when I take control of the pack.”
“So you’re sweet talking him but giving me a hard time?” He raised his eyebrow. He was far from an expert when it came to understanding females, but they didn’t make him feel as clueless as Clare did.
“You have made it clear you’re only interested in one thing from me, and following me as alpha isn’t it.”
He grasped her hand and yanked her so close they shared air then brought her fingers to his lips. The kiss was slow and deliberate, his gaze locked on hers. “Power can be shared.”
“Fascinating.” Pallas hovered over them. “Seven hundred years and your kind still can’t curb your primal instincts.”
“Why would we want to?” Ian gave her wink.
Clare wrenched her hand out of his grasp. He glimpsed the tremble she tried to hide.
“I see.” Pallas frowned. “Hit the showers. You stink.”
Ian didn’t need to be ordered twice. A shower sounded great, even an ice cold one. The bathroom on the third floor was free by some miracle. It smelled like smoky Pine-Sol. He stripped off his rain soaked clothes. Being ordered around rubbed him the wrong way, probably why he and his alpha never got along. That didn’t happen with Pallas. The vampire oozed a sense of confidence that came with experience. He wasn’t sure when it happened but he was considering the bloodsucker a mentor more than an obstacle. What did that say about him?
Shutting off the water, he shook the freezing water from his hair. Someone knocked on the door. He wrapped a towel around his hips. “Come in. I’m almost done.”
Clare entered with a sandwich on a plate. “Thought you’d be hungry.” Her possessive gaze traveled over his wet body.
The hallway behind appeared empty and he couldn’t smell any other shifters close by. So not a trap. “You made me food.” He sniffed for hidden laxatives. Nothing.
“Don’t make a big deal. It means nothing.” She set the plate on the sink counter top and spun to leave.
He grabbed her arm and pulled her inside, shoving her against the wall. Fraternizing was against Pallas’ rules, but like the vampire pointed out on meeting, Ian was a troublemaker and troublemakers liked to break rules.
She gasped but he covered her mouth with his. Gripping her hair, he held her tight so she couldn’t escape.
Lips like velvet met his and teeth clashed. She dug her fingers into his shoulders and parted her thighs. Oh yes…
No doubt their chemistry sizzled. Too bad their personalities seemed so polar. He deepened the kiss, meeting her tongue and exploring her taste. She drove him mad.
He pulled back and caught his breath. His room was at the end of the hall. Blain and Darrell could find a couch to sleep on.
Her gaze narrowed as she set her hands on his bare chest and pushed. “What do you think you’re doing?” She slapped him across the cheek, dragging her nails over his skin.
Clapping a hand over the stinging scratches, he stepped away, giving her space to leave. He glanced at his blood stained palm. “What the hell?”
“I can’t do this. No matter what my wolf is driving me to do. We can’t be a thing.”
He growled and snapped his teeth close to her nose. “Don’t make such a big deal. It meant nothing.” He grabbed the sandwich she’d made for him and to make his point, he took a big bite. She might want to ignore her wolf, but he’d learned long ago that his wolf was wise and they both agreed that Clare belonged to them.
Chapter Nine
“One last thing. Maps are only as good as the map maker.” Pallas stood at the front of of a very modern appearing classroom with desks and electricity.
Clare wanted to bask in the light and the warmth. She dreaded leaving the basement. Next to her sat Ian. He leaned back in his chair, not taking one note the whole lecture about compass use and star guides. The vampire would probably dump them in the middle of the woods one night with nothing but the sky to lead them home and Ian would remain lost. She glanced at him and recalled how good he’d felt pressed against her. Her lips tingled at the remembered kiss.
He tossed her a smoldering look filled with promises and as if reading her mind, he gave a smug smile. Bastard, let him rot in the woods. It would be a shame…she shook her head clear of her wolf’s whispered desires. Pallas was right about one thing. After centuries, their kind still were ruled by their hormones.
“I’m assured by my modern kin that mapmakers in this age are much better trained, so there’s less chance of you finding yourself in Rome instead of Budapest.” He frowned lost in memory for a moment then plucked a map of the local area from her desk and tore it in half. “What if your map is destroyed or lost? What are the other ways to find your route?”
“Follow a path,” Ian mumbled.
“The stars or the sun,” Clare glared at Ian as she added her answer. They’d just covered this subject. Why was he being so lame?
Pallas nodded. “And you’re wolves.”
“Bushcraft,” Blain added and touched his nose. “We can track scents. Most animals’ tracks will lead you to water.”
“Exactly. The best compass in the world is attached to your face. Blain, I understand from your alpha that you have remarkable abilities with tracking.”
Blain shifted weight in his seat and shrugged. “Everyone knows I can’t see well. When one sense works less, the others grow more sensitive.”
“Is that how you get around the house so well?” Ian turned around in his seat suddenly interested for the first time that evening.
“Now that I’m used to everyone’s smells, I can track my way around the house using them. Thicker tracks mean that’s the main path people use to maneuver around furniture. I can’t tell you the scent of red or how nice the sunset is, but I can tell you who is hiding food in their room and who doesn’t wash their hands after going to the bathroom.”
Nervous laughter filled the room.
“You can aim your questions about tracking scents to Blain.” Pallas crumpled the map pieces in his hands and tossed them in the trash.
“They can?” Blain’s sounded nervous.
“They have to. If you haven’t noticed I’m not a shifter. My ability to track scents come from blood. Nothing else.”
“Don’t worry, buddy. We’ve all tracked scents before. You’re just a lot better at it.” Ian’s words seemed to sooth Blain as he sat taller in his chair.
Clare watched the interaction with great interest. First Penny bonded to Ian and now Blain. They respected and trusted him almost instinctually. He hadn’t won any great challenge like her father or thrown out a rival pack like the Van
guard’s alpha Eric. He seemed more of a natural leader than she was. Maybe her father was right and she should accept her place in a pack as a small wolf.
“Enough of this shit.” Pallas folded his arms. “The sun has almost risen. Time for bed. Get plenty of rest. No classroom time tomorrow night.”
Chairs scrapped the floor as everyone moved as one to follow his orders. Clare weaved through them, comparing her size to the others. Even meek Penny towered above her. Why had Pallas accepted her into the program? What made her special?
Like water, the shifters flowed around her until she stood alone in the class. She needed to find her position among them. If they didn’t accept her as a leader, she might end up with worse duties than in her birth pack. No daddy to save her here and there would be no third chances to start fresh. She was lucky to have found this one.
She crossed the threshold to the stairs and came to a halt.
Ian and Penny blocked her way, talking in whispers.
Penny jerked away from him at Clare’s arrival and wouldn’t meet her gaze.
Clare bit back a growl. If the omega wanted Ian, she could have him. Please let her take him, because he’d be out of her wolf’s head once and for all.
He gave Clare a summery smile, reminding her of sunlit lazy afternoons. “Penny wants to visit Jake’s grave. Want to come?”
“Sure.” The answer popped out of her mouth. No, no, bed should be her ultimate goal. Bed with Ian…No, no! Cold shower then bed would be her goal. After she accompanied Ian and made sure Penny didn’t pull any shenanigans. If only there were a pill she could take for these hormones.
“Lead the way.” He moved aside to let her climb the stairs first.
As she brushed past him, he trailed his fingertips over her ass. She glared at him over her shoulder and ignored the path of heat his touch produced.
A smug grin was his response.
Bastard. She took her time climbing though she wanted to rush from his gaze. Sighing, she let go of the urge and recalled the thin, frightened male who had been Penny’s only friend. She had barely known Jake, but he had taken care of Penny when she had arrived terrified. It was his suggestion that Penny room with her since the omega suffered night terrors. Being around a dominant female helped her fears. Clare paused on the back porch and took Penny’s hand before crossing the lawn. No matter what happened with Ian, she couldn’t allow that to destroy their budding friendship. Jealousy and wolf instincts be damned.
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