She studied him, as if trying to figure out whether or not to believe him. “But you thought I might be pregnant then. Did you not use protection on purpose? To…breed me?” she asked, struggling over that one word. He didn’t miss the fact she was choosing to ignore his confession.
His knuckles whitened on the steering wheel for a moment, then relaxed. “No,” he said. But was it true? Was his natural instinct for survival more powerful than his self-control?
“You asked me to tell you about my family when you knew about them all along,” she accused. “You knew my dad had been killed,” she choked and was quiet for a moment. He kept his eyes on the road, wanting to give her that little bit of privacy.
“I’m sorry, Kayla, but if I’d told you everything, would you have believed me?”
She considered. “Probably not. Not at first anyway. But you should have tried.”
* * *
They drove in silence for a while. Kayla was lost in her thoughts. How long had it been since this all had begun, she wondered. Less than a month, for sure. She looked at the man next to her. He was different from anyone she’d been with in every way, not even considering the wolf thing. To say she was attracted to him was an understatement. And this new knowledge of her own lineage somehow made that point more blatant. It was one more layer of connection.
She thought back on the previous night and as if on cue, she felt the soreness of her bottom. She hadn’t even had time to process what had happened between them last night. And now, everything just felt different. She felt more bound to him than she had before. Although a part of her kept reminding her of his betrayal, she still trusted his intentions were good.
“I need to buy a map,” Elijah said, pulling into a gas station. “I’d prefer you to come inside with me.”
“That’s fine. I need some coffee anyway,” she said.
Inside, he looked through the maps while she poured two cups of bad coffee. She bought some premade sandwiches and other snacks, assuming they’d be on the road for a while.
“Ready?” he asked.
She nodded. “I got you a coffee too,” she said.
“Thanks.”
Elijah paid and they went back to the car. Inside, he searched the map while she ate a sandwich.
“There’s another route through the forest. We can’t keep the car for much longer, but I think we’ll be safer that way.”
The sun was setting as they drove out of the little town.
“How long will it take us?” she asked. “I’m so tired.”
“We’ll take a motel in the next town tonight.”
“Have you thought about what’s going to happen when we get there?” she asked. “I mean, I’m guessing there’s going to be more than the dozen armed men we had here and you’re already doubting Eric’s intentions. They’ll have the anti-shift drug. What if it is a trap and we walk right into it? You said you’d keep me safe, Elijah. I don’t think driving through the front gate of this complex is going to do that. Not to mention what could happen to you.”
“I was neither going to drive through the front gates nor take you with me onto their complex. I planned on tucking you away somewhere safe while I took care of this once and for all. Somewhere they won’t find you.”
“This is becoming the story of my life.”
“It won’t be for long, I promise.”
“Right,” she said, turning away.
Chapter Twelve
Elijah’s mind was flooded with thoughts of keeping Kayla safe. He wouldn’t let himself get his hopes up about Marcus or Collin, not yet. Especially after Eric’s comment about Collin being weak. He needed to hunt, that was one thing. He was ravenous. He looked over at Kayla, who sat with her head back and her eyes closed. She looked tired. He took the next exit where a neon sign blinked vacancies at a roadside motel near a wood.
She opened her eyes when the car slowed and looked around.
“Where are we?” she asked.
“Central Valley in Utah,” he said. “Another few hours will put us where I want to be. After ditching the car, I’ll go by foot tomorrow. For tonight, I’ll get us a room. I need to hunt and you’re exhausted. Stay here; I’ll get us checked in.”
“Are you going to leave me alone tomorrow?”
“No, not exactly.” He looked at her. “I wouldn’t leave you anywhere if I thought they might find you.”
She exhaled, nodding once.
He went inside to secure a hotel room. It was only a few minutes and he returned. Grabbing a few things, he led the way into the room. Kayla collapsed on the bed immediately.
“You don’t want to eat anything?” he asked, watching as she stretched her arms and yawned.
She shook her head. “I’m going to sleep.” She pulled the covers back on the bed.
“Probably a good idea, but give me your clothes first.”
“What?” she asked, stopping and turning to face him.
“Your clothes. I need to make sure you’ll be here when I get back, Kayla. I can’t take a chance you’ll take off. I don’t have time.” My brothers don’t have time.
She folded her arms across her chest. “Elijah, I’m not going anywhere. Where would I go? I don’t have a good idea of where we are and really, I have nowhere to go. I have no money, I’ve just been through a day and night I really want to forget and I’m tired. Just go hunt. I’ll be here when you get back.”
“I’m sorry,” he said, waiting.
“Oh, Christ,” she said, and pulled her top over her head. “Fine.” She stripped off her jeans and didn’t hesitate to take off her bra and panties. She handed everything over to him. “Just remember, you haven’t exactly been very trustworthy either.” She lay on the bed and ignored him altogether.
Elijah didn’t say anything. He watched her pull the covers to her neck and turn the light out. He went outside and locked her clothes in the Range Rover before walking to the edge of the woods. There, he stripped, moved deeper into the dense wood, and shifted.
* * *
The hunt was invigorating. He’d run so hard his heart was still racing while he pulled his jeans back on. It was good to be out in the wild, free. He’d hunted, he’d killed, and he’d eaten. Fresh blood soared through his veins and he had enough energy to continue on tonight, to find Eric. Find his brothers and save them.
Marcus and Collin. He wondered how long it had been since either of them had been on a hunt. If they’d perfected the anti-shift drug, they’d be easy to contain.
Elijah unlocked the car and grabbed Kayla’s clothes before returning to the motel room. He entered quietly, hearing her soft, even breath as she slept even before opening the door. Light from the streetlamp shone on the bed. She slept on her side, her mouth slightly open, her hair working itself into knots all around her face. Elijah gently tucked one of those hairs off her forehead before pulling the blanket up over her shoulder. She made the slightest sound when he did this and he stood watching her for a moment before heading into the bathroom for a shower.
He considered what she’d said about Marcus and Collin, about it being a trick. What did Eric Maddox have to gain from helping them escape? Did he want Phillip dead so badly that he was willing to set them free? Or did he know that with the mention of his brothers, Elijah would be back? And what about Kayla? As long as any of these men lived, he could never set her free. But did he want to set her free? Was his intention to breed her all along? No, it was never a conscious thought, but the possibility had lain beneath the surface all the time, hadn’t it?
When he’d first learned about Kayla’s existence, he’d been almost forced to track her. But when he’d set eyes on her the first time, something inside him had wanted to possess her. Needed to claim her, no matter the consequences.
But that was the animal inside him. If he cared for her, he’d set her free. He’d manage the beast.
Cared for her.
He switched off the water and grabbed a towel. He realized in that moment tha
t if he had to choose between saving his brothers or saving her, he would choose her.
He shook his head, dried off, and went into the bedroom. She lay in the same position she’d been in when he’d tucked her in before his shower. He pulled the curtains closed on the single window in the room and slipped into the bed. Before he even closed his eyes, Kayla whispered something in her sleep and tucked herself into his chest, the top of her head just beneath his chin, her body curled in a fetal position, arms tucked between them. He wrapped his arms around her small, suddenly incredibly fragile body and held her close.
* * *
“Rachel’s house is a little out of the way, but it’s the only place I feel assured you’ll be safe.”
“Who is Rachel?” Kayla asked. It wasn’t quite 7:00 a.m. and they were already on the road. She felt better though. A good night’s sleep made everything seem just a little better, even if she had woken up naked in Elijah’s arms. She’d wondered how long he’d been awake and lying there, silently holding her while she slept. The memory of his body wrapped around hers so intimately wasn’t something she wanted to think about just now.
“She would have been Marcus’ mate. She’d luckily not been there during the massacre.”
“What do you mean would have been? Were they dating or something?”
Elijah looked at her and smiled. “No, I don’t think you could call it dating, actually.”
The look on his face told her he was amused by her simple comment. “Maybe you could enlighten me then,” she said, meeting his smile with a smirk.
“She was too young. Marcus was waiting.”
“Is she a werewolf?”
He hesitated for a moment. “She’s not a werewolf, but carries a similar gene.”
“Then I’m not the only one. So why did you have to drag me into this? I assume she knew you at least so you wouldn’t have to kidnap her.” She didn’t know why she said that, knowing it was just wrong.
“Because she belonged to Marcus,” Elijah said, his tone putting an end to the discussion.
“I feel like I go round and round in circles with you sometimes, Elijah.”
He didn’t react.
“Does she know we’re coming?”
“No.”
“Are you serious? So we’re just showing up and telling her ‘hey, this is Kayla, she’ll be your roommate while I go take care of some ass… jerks.’”
He only gave her a look at her quick correction.
She wasn’t sure why some part of her wanted to provoke him. All she knew was she was feeling under pressure. Going with him to confront Eric wasn’t a good idea. But being left behind without him just plain scared her.
“Where does she live?”
“Not too much farther. One thing; let me mention Marcus to her. I need to figure out how to do it.”
“Why?”
“Because I don’t want her to get her hopes up.”
“Because you aren’t sure it’s not a trap,” Kayla said.
“Either way, neither you nor I—nor Rachel if they ever found out about her—will be safe until they’re dead. They won’t give up their quest to breed and control the wolf pack. You and I play a role for them. I’m beginning to wonder actually how much more critical a role you play now that there’s the possibility that my brothers are alive. If that’s the case, they won’t need me to breed the pack, but they will need you.”
“I’m human. Can you stop using the word breed, please?”
“I’m sorry, it’s just the reality of things,” he said. They were on a residential street with huge trees and very old houses. Most were three stories tall and there was only one that looked like it had seen some renovation, from the outside at least. He parked the car in front of one of the homes and turned off the ignition. “We’re here.”
She reached a hand out to touch his. “What if it’s a trap? What if you don’t come back?”
He searched her eyes. She wondered if he could sense her fear now, her anxiety at being left behind.
“I will come back,” he said. “It won’t do you any good to worry; try to relax.”
She exhaled and shook her head. “Relax?”
“I’m sorry, Kayla.”
“Will they come after me if something happens to you?” Tears filled her eyes. “What will I do? What should I do?”
“No one’s going to hurt you and nothing’s going to happen to me. I’m going to come back and take care of you. I promise.”
“You can’t promise that if you’re dead!”
He reached forward, grabbed the back of her head, and pulled her to him. His mouth closed over hers in a kiss that wasn’t erotic, wasn’t even meant to be. He contained her within his grasp, his mouth. She felt a tear slide down her cheek and leave its stain across both their faces. His fingers softened their hold after a moment, caressed, then pulled her to his chest so his lips were on top of her head. “I’m coming back for you. Believe that.”
* * *
They walked up the long walk and took the seven or so steps to the front door. Elijah watched her, worried. She was scared. His words in the car had been real. He would come back for her, no matter what he had to do. Ever since Phillip had said the word breed aloud, Elijah hadn’t been able to stop thinking about the possibility. His feelings for Kayla had changed since the night at her apartment. He knew for a fact he wasn’t only protecting her out of a sense of duty. Not sure he ever had been. He would kill his enemy, their enemy, and he would return to claim her for his own. And he would rebuild his life with her. The thought of putting a baby in her belly did more than arouse him. Much more. He’d tracked her for years for a reason and this was it. He’d been unable to face this before, but now that he accepted it, a new and different need took hold. He would help her work through her feelings, help her understand the past, accept what was and what would be. He understood her conflicting emotions and didn’t blame her for them. He needed to be strong for her, guide her.
He rang the doorbell. He wondered how Rachel would react at seeing him. In the beginning, he’d checked in on her every few months, but he hadn’t been sure if it was helping her. She was young, barely twenty-two now. He hadn’t seen her in two years.
The door opened and Rachel stood with her hand on the doorknob, looking at him. Her mouth fell open.
“Oh, my God! Elijah!” she said, immediately placing herself in his embrace.
Elijah didn’t miss Kayla’s upraised eyebrows at this easy intimacy between them.
“Rachel,” he said, hugging her tightly before separating, looking at her. “You’ve grown up.” Rachel stood 5′ 2″ tall, same wide eyes looking up at him like she used to when she was a kid. He’d always been like a big brother to her and that hadn’t changed over the years. “It’s good to see you.”
Rachel smiled, then turned to Kayla. “Hi,” she said, holding out her hand.
“Kayla, this is Rachel. Rachel, Kayla.” Elijah put a hand at Kayla’s low back as she extended her hand into Rachel’s.
“Nice to meet you,” Kayla said. Elijah felt the slight change in emotion from Kayla. She was sizing Rachel up. Competition? That made him smile.
“Come in,” Rachel said. “It’s been so long since I’ve seen Elijah and he’s never brought a girlfriend before.” She smiled a warm, wide smile at Kayla.
“Oh, I’m not…we just…”
They walked inside and Rachel closed and locked the door behind them. “I can’t believe it. Come in, sit down. Let me get some coffee on, or something else? What would you like?” They walked down the hallway, passed the living and dining rooms, and went into the kitchen with her. The house was old but cozy. It seemed entirely too big for her to be living here alone.
“If you have a soda, I’d love one,” Kayla said.
Rachel took one from the fridge and handed it over. “Here you go.”
“Thanks.”
“Coffee would be great for me,” Elijah said.
“I haven’t seen you i
n two years, Elijah,” Rachel began. “Why the surprise visit? What’s going on?”
She’d never been one to beat around the bush.
“Phillip found us a couple of days ago,” Elijah said, noting the fact that Rachel’s face paled. “There’s a new player I didn’t know about. I’m going after them tonight and need a safe place to keep Kayla.”
“How did they find you?”
“There was an incident a few weeks back,” Elijah began, not wanting to go into details of that night.
“I heard about that, actually,” Rachel said, looking at Kayla. “Are you all right?”
“Well, considering everything that’s happened over the last weeks, I’m remarkably still standing. Although once this is over, I’m sure everything will come crashing down, but for now, I’m ok. I think.”
Elijah noted how her hand shook when she brought her drink to her mouth. “Rachel, can we run a bath for Kayla?”
“Of course,” Rachel put her coffee down and left the two in the kitchen.
Elijah took Kayla’s hand. “It’ll help you relax.”
She pulled her hand away and concentrated on twisting the lid of her soda. “I don’t want to relax. I want to go home. I want this to be over. I want my life back.”
“You know that’s not reality anymore. The sooner you accept that, the better it will be for you.”
She looked at him, her eyes tired as she rubbed her hand over her face.
“You’ll feel better after a bath, I promise.”
“Stop making promises, damn it!” she said, yanking her hand free for the second time.
Elijah contained his emotions, knowing to be patient with her. This was a lot to take in. But he also needed her to remain calm.
“Bath is ready,” Rachel said from inside.
“I’ll come get you in a little bit, Kayla,” Elijah called out.
* * *
“Come on, I think you’ll fit my clothes,” Rachel said, taking Kayla’s hand and walking with her up two flights of stairs to the third floor. “Here,” Rachel said. “It’s the only room up here. Bathroom isn’t new, but it should work.” They walked into the bedroom and Kayla looked around. It had the slanted ceilings she imagined it would from the shape of the house. A large bed took up the center, a bookcase one wall. A dresser was set against another wall and a bench stood against the foot of the bed. There was one window where yellowed lace curtains hung. The scent was that of an unused room that hadn’t been aired for a while. Rachel opened the window wider.
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