“Claudia, open this door, or I’ll bust it down.”
When I hear the door open, I imagine the death glare Claudia is stabbing him with.
“What? The slap to your face didn’t get my point across? You came back for another lesson?”
“Oh shit,” Milo whispers while I chuckle.
“Stop acting like a child and turn that damn music down.”
“I need to stop acting like a child? Really? No, you know what? Sure, almighty Alpha, you got it. I’ll adjust my music to a more pleasant volume.”
Silence falls between them until they break.
“Fine!” Blave yells.
“Fine!” Claudia yells back, slamming the door shut again.
“Let’s go, Catherine.”
“Finally. I don’t know why you invited me for dinner with children who have no respect for you,” she purrs, grabbing Blave’s hand.
He twists away from her touch. “Stop. Now. I’ve had enough.”
The song changes again just as Blave’s hand reaches the knob. He sighs, jerking the front door open and storming out without another word.
“Wow, that’s some angry music,” Granger muses.
“Like a Storm. I like that band,” Milo smirks.
Granger leans back in his chair, pulling the tie out of his hair and running his fingers through it. “I can’t believe she slapped Blave and got away with it. That right there tells me all I need to know. I don’t care who he tries to convince otherwise; he’s interested.”
I hit the start button on the dishwasher and grab a seat at the table. “What do we do now? We might as well talk about it while she has the music turned up.”
“The last thing we want is to freak her out and have her disappear on us. She already has enough on her plate with the Bryce matter, and that’s only half of the problem. Unless Blave pulls his head out of his ass and starts acknowledging what she means to him, we can’t force a relationship between them, and I’m not touching that with a ten-foot pole.”
Granger makes valid points.
“Milo, any thoughts?” I sigh and scrub a hand down my face. What a clusterfuck tonight has turned out to be. Milo puts his phone down and starts fidgeting with his lip ring, which tells me he’s contemplating all angles, analyzing each step of the problem.
“We’ll deal with Blave later. From what I can tell, he’s still in the area, but I can’t figure out what he’s up to. My concern is losing her; I have a suspicion she’s planning on running soon.”
The worry in Milo’s voice has my own anxieties spiking. “Guys, she can’t leave. Just talking about it is making me anxious. I can’t fathom how I’d feel if she were to go.” My heart is racing a mile a minute. There must be something else we can do to help her, some way to convince her to stay with us.
“What if we each take her out individually? Let her get to know us? No talk about her being our mate, of course. Maybe if we spend time with her and earn her trust, we can talk her into staying here.”
A jolt of excitement has me wiggling in my seat. “I love that you’re so smart. I’m game. What about you, G?”
“I wouldn’t mind spending some alone time with her, but I think she deserves to know that we’re all interested and there’s no jealousy between us. Also, we need ground rules.” Granger pegs me with a dirty look.
“What? Why are you looking at me like that?”
“You know why.”
“Psshhh. Whatever, man. That one taste I had of her wasn’t enough. This craving is all I can think about. If she tells me she can’t live without some Ascher inside her, I sure as hell won’t say no.” I say the last part jokingly, but my need is real. However, I know better than to just throw myself at her. I’m not a dick.
The way the other two adjust in their seats demonstrates we’re all struggling with her effect on us. I have to cage my basic instincts every day. It’s not easy, but Milo is right. Claudia needs to trust me before I open that door with her. The truth is, that moment we shared in the kitchen was intense. I can only imagine how It’ll feel when I’m finally inside her.
We pause the conversation when the music softens, waiting to see if she emerges from her room. When there’s no movement, I lean in and lower my voice. “Let’s get together tomorrow and work out the details.” They both nod and we disperse into separate rooms.
Time to plan my date.
Blave
“I am so glad to be out of there. Your friends have no respect for you, and that little girl is a nasty slut. What self-respecting woman would be involved with more than one man? Disgusting. Where did they find her?”
My grip tightens on the steering wheel, and I force myself not to yank the car over and dump her ass on the curb. I don’t know how much more of her mouth I can take.
“Catherine, now would be the perfect time for you to shut the fuck up.”
I didn’t even want to spend the day with her, let alone the evening, but as usual, I didn’t get much of a choice. My father insisted, seeing as Catherine is my future mate. Bile churns in my stomach at the thought of being shackled to her long-term.
“Don’t get nasty with me. I did nothing wrong.” She sniffs. “You’re better off without them anyway. My father has some promising future Betas. Once they come of age, they’ll make a faithful addition to your team and help you rule over both packs with an iron fist. Daddy’s been talking to your father and me about adding some of the upcoming Betas to your group now, so you can get to know them. Personally, I think they’ll be a better fit than the ones you currently have. It’s obvious those friends of yours will put their personal feelings before you and the pack.”
At this point, I’m surprised I haven’t snapped the steering wheel in half. It’s taking all my strength to keep from lashing out at her. I want too, so badly. I fucking hate having to play nice with her because of my status.
She doesn’t even want to be with me. Her interest is based solely on my name and status. My gut feeling tells me so, and I always listen to those instincts. I just don’t have proof yet to back up the theory. That’s why I’ve been spending more time with her instead of putting up my usual fight. My hope is she’ll slip up and spill the information I need to break this mating arrangement. I need to prove our bond would be a detriment to the overall wellbeing of the pack.
The other guys don’t know what I’m doing, and I prefer to keep it that way. I feel guilty about keeping secrets, but this is a problem I need to fix on my own.
Catherine’s house comes into view, and I sigh in relief, not caring if she hears me. Turning into her driveway, I pull up to the front door.
“Do you—”
“Good night. I’m sure we’ll be talking soon.” I cut her off before she can finish that statement because there’s no way in hell I’m coming in for a nightcap.
“You know what? You’re a real ass.”
Shocking.
“You can continue to treat me like shit, but we both know, in the end, you’ll be mine. But go ahead; keep traveling down this road. You fail to see just how miserable I can make your life.”
“Are you threatening me? Because I can promise you that won’t end well for you.”
Does she think that her words will sway my decision? This woman is fucked in the head if she honestly thinks she has me wrapped around her finger. Nothing could be further from the truth.
“It’s not a threat. It’s a promise. There will be consequences unless you change your behavior and start acting like my fucking mate,” she snarls, her eyes bugging out of her head.
Seeing her anger makes me happy. I want her to feel as miserable about this situation as I do. She can play the fake mate part all day, but when night falls, she’ll never be the female at my side, and that’s a promise.
“Night, Catherine.”
“Fuck you.” She gets out and slams the door shut.
She’s the second female tonight to treat me like that.
How’d I get so lucky?
Ste
pping on the gas, I drive away without making sure she gets inside safely. Her safety is not my concern. My concern, besides getting rid of her, is trying to find out more about Claudia and the trouble she brings. My wolf is drawn to her in ways I can’t begin to understand, and that’s causing unneeded stress. Catherine I can handle, but Claudia, not so much. She bothers me to no end.
I’ve spent the last few days hiding in my office or my house, purposely avoiding my Betas. They finally cornered me, and in a moment of weakness, I agreed to join them at the condo for dinner. Though I’d rather not see Claudia, I decided dinner might be a good opportunity to question her. Show the guys why she can’t be trusted.
But that wasn’t the only reason I acquiesced. Claudia’s invaded my every thought since the party. I wanted to go tonight to prove to myself that I could be around her and feel nothing; that every confounding thought in my head came from my wolf and not me.
All my plans got fucked when my father forced me to bring Catherine. Then the shit hit the fan because of her big mouth. My wolf raged at the way she was talking to Claudia, and I hate to admit that Catherine and her judgmental attitude riled me up too.
I tried to defuse the situation before things escalated, but Claudia decided to screw that idea. When she got in my face—challenging me, pushing me, calling me out—she stirred my primal side no matter how hard I fought against it. The moment that fire lit her eyes, my cock went hard, and I hated every second of it.
What is it about her?
The guys have become more protective of her in the last few days. I’ve known them long enough that their tells are easy to read. What surprises me, though, is that all of them feel the same way about her. Sure, we’ve shared women in the past, but there’s never been a mutual interest in a female beyond one night.
Did I just consider myself in the mix?
My cell ringing pulls me out of my thoughts. I glance at the screen on the dash. Great. This night keeps getting better and better. I press the talk button to access the call.
“Yeah?”
“I can hear your attitude hasn’t improved since this morning.”
Ah, my father can be predictable sometimes. Condescending shots right off the bat; oh, how they hurt. I can already tell how this conversation will go, which is why I know better than to respond to the jab.
“It’s late. What do you need?”
“I had an interesting meeting with some Alphas today. New information has come to light, which means I need you here tomorrow morning. At nine.”
Information?
When did my father decide to trust me with pack dealings? Something’s not right and it’s putting my nerves on edge. I run through the possibilities of what tomorrow’s meeting could entail but come up with nothing.
“Sure. Nine. Got it.”
“Don’t be late.” The line disconnects.
Great: my problems are once again sidelined because I have no choice but to comply with my father's requests. I’m ready for this day to be over with. Shoving thoughts of my father and Claudia out of my head, I turn onto pack land, where a bottle of Johnny Walker and another sleepless night await.
Milo
Wind whips through our blue-black, white, and brown marbled fur as we dart through the forest. The mid-afternoon sun is peeking through the canopy casting shadows as we dash over and under fallen branches. The smell of decaying leaves mixed with the cool, crisp air announces the coming of fall. This is my favorite time of year.
Since Claudia’s presence has us all worked up, I suggested a quick run before we talk with her. I’ve been anxious all day, which is not something I am used to handling. A few days ago, we gave her a heads-up that we wanted to discuss something with her. She questioned us at first, but after convincing her it was nothing to do with Bryce, she seemed to relax some.
My wolf slows as we reach the pile of our clothes. I let the wash of magic flow through me as I shift back into human form. Reaching for my pants, I see Granger’s wolf approach. I bite the inside of my cheek, taking in the mud caked all over his blond fur. I’m about to ask what happened when Ascher’s grey wolf comes prancing up behind him, covered in mud as well.
Granger shifts first. “You’re a fucking dick. What the hell were you thinking?”
Ascher shifts and busts out laughing. “That it was the perfect prank and would be funny as hell.” He’s laughing so hard he has to lean against a tree for support. Granger growls and stalks over to his pile of clothes.
“Do I even want to know what happened?” I ask, tugging my shirt over my head.
“We were over by that creek, and G stopped to take a piss. Mid-stream, I jumped him, knocking him into a huge pile of mud. The best part is that he pissed all over himself.” Ascher clutches his stomach, falling to his knees in a fit of laughter. I rub my hand over my mouth to cover up a smile.
“Shit was not funny, and now I have to ride naked in my truck. Just for that, you’re sitting in back,” Granger snaps.
“Worth it,” Ascher snickers, flashing Granger a devilish grin.
“Hello? Claudia, you here?”
Guess I’m the first one to arrive.
“In the kitchen.”
I shut the front door and head to join her. My wolf stirs, excited we’re about to see her for the first time today. The scene I walk in on stops me in my tracks, though. Blood rushes down my body, swelling my cock. Claudia is wearing a pair of shorts that show the curve of her ass and a black tank top. She’s standing on a chair, digging through one of the cabinets, and the bottom of her lovely ass is peeking out from her shorts. Oh, the things I want to do to that body.
“Claudia, it's Granger and Ascher.”
“I’m in the kitchen! Milo’s here somewhere.”
I register the exact moment Granger and Ascher round the corner. We all stare at her, muttering strings of hushed curses. The thought of asking her if she needs help occurs to me, but I decide against it. I’m going to enjoy the show as long as I can. Claudia may only see me as the smart, quiet guy; she has no idea how skilled I am in the art of pleasure.
Claudia turns around and shrieks when she sees us. I blush hits my cheeks at getting caught checking her out. Not a normal reaction for me. You’d think after everything I’ve seen and done, I’d be able to handle my attraction to her. But one look at this female ties me up in knots.
“Shit! You guys scared the crap out of me. What are you doing, standing there?”
“Well . . . umm . . . do you need any help? Smells amazing in here, by the way.” I blurt, trying to brush off the questioning look she’s giving us.
“Thanks, but I’m almost done. Sorry, I hijacked your cooking job, Ascher, but I wanted to surprise you guys. Uh, also, I have something I want to discuss tonight as well, after dinner, of course. Food should be ready in about ten minutes.” Claudia steps down off the chair and moves to the stove.
I cast a glance at Granger, curious if he has any idea what she’s referring to. He shrugs, and Ascher does the same. Maybe I should be worried, but until I have more of a reason to be, I’ll continue with business as usual.
We pile into the kitchen, and I can’t help the pride that fills my chest, seeing her cook for us. Granger walks up behind her, placing his hand on her shoulder, and kisses the top of her head. She looks up at him, her whole face lighting up. Watching their exchange brings me nothing but happiness.
“Move over, stop hogging her.” Ascher playfully shoves Granger out of the way. Granger gives Ascher a pointed look and reluctantly moves to the side. “Hi, Scooter. It’s been a long day. Can I get a hug? It’ll make me feel better.”
“You’re ridiculous,” Claudia laughs, wrapping her arms around his neck. He pulls her in tight and, surprisingly, keeps his hands high on her back. Since coming to this agreement between the three of us, we decided to show Claudia some affection and see how she responds. If she shuts us down completely, then we’d know it’s not the right time to approach her. However, she took to the small ges
tures with ease.
My turn.
Ascher releases her and I step into his spot. She’s so beautiful, and as my mate, she stirs my primal side.
“Hi.”
Pink colors her cheeks, her eyes falling to the floor. Damn, I love her submissive response to me. I’m not sly like Granger or flirtatious like Ascher, but I know what I want and how to go about getting it. I usually take a more direct approach, but in her case, she recognizes my dominant side unconsciously. All I have to do is look at her and she responds as naturally as she breathes.
“Hello. How was your day?” she asks quietly, shyness taking over.
My body hums with desire, and as the color in her cheeks deepens, I wonder if her ass will turn the same shade. The mental image has my body burning hotter, my hard cock throbbing for release. I reel in my urge to claim her before the scent of my arousal ruins the moment.
“My day was good, thanks for asking. I attended a few meetings and worked on some research. How was yours?”
She smiles, turning back to stir the contents of a pot. I discreetly adjust myself.
“Work was good today. I met Hannah for lunch and then ran a few errands after. Bryce still hasn’t contacted me, which may or may not mean anything. Who knows with him. This extended radio silence has me worried about what he’s planning.”
Her shoulders tense up the second she starts talking about him. I hate that he has that level of control over her. I place my hand on her shoulder, rubbing my thumb back and forth.
“Claudia, look at me.”
She puts the spoon down and faces me. I throw my arms over her shoulders and hug her close. She wraps hers around my waist and lays her head on my chest. Instinctively, I lean down and breathe in her essence, letting the scent wash through me.
She smells like heaven.
“Sweetheart, you have every right to worry. I commend you for how strong you’ve been all this time. We’re all here for you and will do whatever we can to keep you safe. I know we’ve told you this before, but I don’t think it hurts to remind you. Whatever he’s planning, we’ll be ready for him.” I kiss the top of her head, pulling her in tighter.
The Chase Is On (Pack Everhart Book 1) Page 18