Wolfsbane (Dark Hollow Wolf Pack 5)

“A hot shower will help, baby. Hurry now, before they get here. ”

Evan hobbled into the bathroom as quickly as he could, feeling the burn deep inside. Good thing that knot thing only happened on a first mating and then rarely after that, he thought. His ass would never hold up. He hesitated then, his hand still soaping up his chest as he realized what he’d just been thinking. This was a one-time thing for him, no matter what Brett had said. He was a Hunter, and had no intention of becoming Brett’s bloodmate. They’d come to extract him soon, and he’d probably never even see Brett again, and that’s the way it was supposed to be. So why did the idea make his chest hurt and his stomach churn with nausea?

He stood under the shower spray for a long time, relishing the feel of the hot water on his sore muscles. He scrubbed at himself and washed his hair with the shampoo the complex had provided. He got out and toweled himself dry, then wrapped the towel around himself and went back in to Brett.

Brett looked up and smiled at him, his green eyes lighting up. He pointed to the towel. “Take that off. When I get you home, you’ll be naked most of the time in our rooms. ”

Evan pulled the towel away and dropped it on the bed, stepping between his legs. “Get me home? Look Brett. This is just a one-time deal. I like you and you’re good looking and all, but I’m not your bloodmate. ” Brett sighed. “Evan, we’ve been all through this. Yes, you are. We’re mated now and you belong with me. We’re getting out of here, and I’m taking you with me to the mountains. You’re just feeling confused, baby. You’ll feel better when I get you away from here. ” He smacked Evan’s ass lightly. “Now get dressed before those asshole guards come in and see you again. This time I might have to rip off their faces for putting their hands on you. ”

Evan stepped over to retrieve his jeans from the floor and pulled them on, then slipped his T- shirt over his head. He needed to find some way to get through to Brett. He didn’t want to go anywhere with him. Did he? He turned back to Brett and held out his hands. “Better?”

Brett growled at him. “Not much. They’re too damn tight. Oncewe’re back at the lodge, you won’t wear something so tightagain. ”

“Jealous, much? You keep saying when you get me home, but I’m trying to explain to you that this is just a temporary thing. I mean, I only agreed to this as an experiment. I appreciate the sentiment and all, but my life is here with the Hunters. Besides, what do you have in mind? You think they’ll just let you walk out of here? We’re stuck in here till they let us out. ”

“Patience, baby. We’re leaving tonight. I told you that you belong to me now, and you agreed, remember? You’re not thinking straight. If you don’t drink my blood, you’ll become feral and play right into their hands. Unless you wantto be in their fuckin’ feral army?”

At the confused, yet horrified look on Evan’s face, Brett nodded. “Right. Get your shoes on. They’ll be here soon. ”

“Wait! No, Brett. Promise me you won’t do anything crazy. Don’t hurt anybody!”

Brett nodded solemnly. “I promise. ” And he meant every word. He had no intention of hurting anyone—if they didn’t mess with him. He only wanted to get out of there with his mate.

“But what. . . ” A slight noise at the door made him turn around quickly, and that was when Brett moved so fast it was frightening.

He wrapped one strong arm around Evan’s neck, the other around his waist, pulling his back and hips up close to his body. Brettcould feel Evan’s sweet body nestled against his crotch and a strong feeling of protectiveness washed over him. His scent clogged Brett’s nostrils, and it was all he could d

o not to take him down to the floor and make love to him.

“Be still, Evan. Look scared. ”

“Not a problem,” Evan said in a choked voice. “Let me go, Brett!” He didn’t know what was going on, and he really didn’t think Brett would hurt him, but this violence scared him more than a little. He put both hands around Brett’s strong forearm and tried to pull it down from his throat. He couldn’t budge it, and that was when apprehension and anxiety overcame him. What if this had all been a lie? What if the Hunters were right and he wanted to kill them all? His throat went dry and he struggled in earnest.

The door opened and the guards came in.

Brett was amused to see the guards do an almost comical double take and then quickly draw their weapons.

“Stop right there,” one of them yelled frantically, as the other one went for his assault rifle and took up a position behind the door. “Release that man!”

“Don’t shoot!” Evan managed to yell as Brett made his way almost casually across to confront them. He still gripped Brett around the throat and waist, but was totally unarmed. Brett hated using Evan as a shield this way, but there was no other choice if he was to get them both out of there alive. They had to believe that Evan was his prisoner.

“Shoot and I’ll snap his neck before I die,” he said in a low, menacing voice. “I promise you, I’ll take him with me. ”

Evan gasped at the words and began to struggle harder, forcing Brett to tighten his grip around Evan’s neck. In his peripheral vision, he could see Evan’s face growing alarmingly red, and his legs stopped moving as he was deprived of oxygen. Horrified that he might have hurt his mate, he loosened his grip just a bit, but the sight of Evan’s slump was enough to make the guards back off.

“Let him go!” one of them yelled.

Brett laughed shortly. “Not fuckin’ likely! Now back off and put your weapons down or I’ll kill him. ”

He could hear the guards’ sharp intakes of breath at the words, and felt Evan’s heart thumping wildly in his chest. His mate was frightened of him!Surely he knew Brett’s rough voice was only for the guards’ sakes. Their only chance lay in making the guards think he’d go through with it.

There was a tense silence as the guards tried to figure out what they should do next. Brett yelled at them. “I said put the goddamned guns down or I’ll kill this worthless human! Do you think I won’t do it?”

He tightened his grip slightly again and Evan choked, clawing at his arm in a vain attempt to get air. He kept up the pressure for about tenseconds, or until he was sure he had the guard’s attention before easing off. This time Evan collapsed over his arm, and Brettsaw that he’d passed out, probably as much from fear and anxiety as from the grip he had on his throat. He pulled his body up more securely and watched the guard drop their weapons.

Backing up a few steps, he called out to them. “Slide those rifles and cell phones over here. Now!”

They put them on the floor and quickly slid them toward him. He laid Evan on the floor carefully, his eyes never leaving the guards and picked up the rifle closest to him. “Get in that closet over there,” he said tersely, nodding toward it.