I stopped, completely dumbfounded by the fact that she thought it didn’t bother me. She couldn’t be further from the truth and the fact that she didn’t understand that disturbed me. She paused when she realized I was no longer next to her and turned to stare at me.
“It bothered me,” I told her quietly. “Never doubt I’m just as dangerous to you as they are.” She flinched at the blunt answer and I stepped closer, needing to erase the fear I saw in her eyes. This time I didn’t resist the desire to touch her, allowing my finger to stroke over her jaw, and lightly trace the skin to her delicate collarbone. I leaned in and her eyes drifted closed as she attempted a shaky breath. “The only difference between them and me….is that I’ll never force the decision on you.”
Unable to resist, my lips skimmed the curve of her neck, the touch light as a feather, but it flared with the burning heat of a mark. I knew she felt it when her eyes flew open, wide with startled astonishment.
Need throbbed through me and when her fingers touched the mark I’d made, a growl ripped from my chest. I took several halting steps away from her, fighting the lure of her mark. She lowered her hand and the desperate need lessened enough I could stop, and I was able to break the hold she had on me.
“We should keep going,” I muttered, gesturing for her to go ahead. Her back was tense as I prowled behind her, once again aware I was a predator and she was prey.
“Remember,” I said gently, careful not to push her any further. “Don’t go anywhere alone. They won’t give up so easily.”
She nodded, clearing her throat, an obvious question fighting to come out, and my head tilted as I waited for the inevitable question about the mark I’d placed on her skin accidentally.
“Caleb said you didn’t think the meeting would do anything. Why?”
It took a second for my brain to switch gears, but my answer was simple. “Because if it was me, I wouldn’t give up either.” A flush worked over her body and I could sense the heat from my mark burning her. She leaned against the motel door, her hand blindly finding the doorknob, but she didn’t open it, waiting for me to leave. There would be no invitation inside she seemed to say, and I dipped my head in acknowledgement as I backed away, then turned to disappear into the forest.
Chapter Nine
The next few days were a special form of hell as I kept a protective eye on Jess, but forced myself to stay away from her. Anna verified she had a ride to and from school each day and the Hanleys had backed off after our meeting with them. We hadn’t lessened our patrols though. She wasn’t safe, no matter what the Hanley’s had promised the Alpha.
“What’s up with your dad?” Caleb jogged next to me eagerly as we headed over to meet Trent. I’d made a promise to introduce them and this was me keeping that promise. “He’s been a little…off.” He didn’t need to add, “Since the meeting,” because we both knew that’s what he meant.
The steady of thud of our feet hitting the ground was the only sound as I considered Caleb’s question. Dad had been aloof since they’d come back and there was only one thing that could cause that kind of reaction.
“They brought Sam,” I said roughly and Caleb’s rhythmic steps faltered.
“I – uh, I….how did, I mean how did she look?” Caleb stammered, his gaze on me, but I stared straight ahead. “She’s okay?”
“He didn’t say,” I bit out, silencing Caleb. All I knew was she was alive, and Dad had reacted to her presence with about as much emotion as expected.
“He, uh, he didn’t kill anyone?”
“You’d have to ask your dad,” I retorted, slowing as we reached the motel. “Neither of them have been very forthcoming about what happened.”
A shadow moved at the edge of the forest and Caleb tensed. I motioned for him to stand down. “It’s Trent,” I reassured and he rolled his shoulders in acknowledgement. “Trent,” I called and he slipped from the shadows warily. I’d told him we were coming, but it was still tense. I squeezed the back of my neck as they circled one another, taking the time to register the other’s scent.
Both were friends and if it came down to a fight I wasn’t sure I could pick a side. The best I could hope for was knocking them both out and trying again later.
Caleb jerked a thumb toward me as he asked Trent, “Which one of us do you think he’d take down first?”
“Depends,” Trent said contemplatively. “I wouldn’t put it past him to take us down at the same time.”