Lesson

The phone on the bar rang, and I jerked my head up. It was almost four o'clock in the morning. Who the hell would be calling Confections bar at this time?

Convinced it was a wrong number, I went back to my job. I was so close to finishing, and Charlie had already told me that I needed to be back at eight in the morning for inventory.

The phone rang again. With a sigh, I dropped the rag and crossed the rough wooden floor. Wiping my hands on my pants, I looked down and swore. My pants were streaked with the damn oil. It would be a nightmare to try and wash out, assuming that I would ever have the time to do laundry.

This was my only pair of jeans. Leaving the bar to go shopping wasn't exactly an option.

I did my best to stay tucked away in my own corner, and I didn't exactly have a ton of money. I didn't get a paycheck, but I did get tips from people who didn't know who I was.

Or at least, I did until Charlie had copied the key to my apartment. My squirreled-away money disappeared, and a dead rat was left in my bed.

Paranoia dug deep. I'd searched my apartment for cameras, and while I hadn't found any, I still only dressed and undressed under a blanket. I pulled my dresser in front of my door every night although I knew damn well it wouldn't stop a werewolf who wanted to get in.

The phone rang again, and I picked it up. "Hello?"

"Violetta?"

As soon as I registered the familiar voice, I froze. How the hell did she know where I was? It had been almost five years since I'd seen her.

Magic.

"Violetta, you have to run. Right now. Don't even bother taking anything. Just get to us now." Static started to garble the phone. "There's...danger...use you."

"What? Repeat that?"

Suddenly, the line went dead. "I don't remember giving you permission to use the phone after hours."

Whipping my head around, I stared at Charlie. The phone cord dangled from his hand.

Fuck, I thought he'd left hours ago.

"It was just a drunk dial," I lied as I dropped my gaze. "I'm almost finished with the baseboards."

"And look at you," he slurred. "Such a mess."

Shit, he was drunk. Risking his wrath, I glanced back up to his face, and my stomach tightened. Lust was written all over his face.

"I'm almost finished, and then I'll get cleaned up," I said steadily. "Do you want to wait?"

"No." The phone cord dropped from his hand. "He always said that you were off limits, but he's not here, is he? I don't want to wait anymore."

He took a single step toward me, and I knew that my luck had run out. Of all the ways this pack had found to torment me, no one had tried to rape me. I knew that had been because of Parker.

But Charlie was right. Parker wasn't here anymore. No one was coming to save me. I had to save myself.

I had to run.

The step stool was still against the back wall so I could reach the top-shelf liquor bottles. Ignoring the aches and pains of my body, I spun and jumped. Landing on the step stool, I vaulted over the bar. His fingers brushed against my pant leg, but I was sober and faster. As soon as I landed, I raced to the front door. It was locked to keep people from coming in but not from going out. The alarm blared loudly as soon as the door opened, but I ignored it.

The cool air rushed against my face, and I ran. We were right on the edge of the territory.

If I could cross that border, Charlie wouldn't follow. Pack members weren't allowed to leave the territory without permission. If he stepped over, Ferrara would know.

I prayed that it would be enough to save me. Once I was over the line, I would do exactly what I'd been warned to do.

Run.

Lungs burning, I tried to ignore everything but freedom. If Charlie shifted, this would all be over before it started. I couldn't hesitate for even a moment.

It wasn't like I'd exercised. In three years, I hadn't stepped out further than the trash cans of the bar.

But I knew my escape route. I'd memorized a map. There was a river ahead, and it was the natural territory border. I could swim, some. More, I was hoping, than Charlie.

"Get back here, you fucking bitch!"

A human voice. That was good. I might just make it.

There was no moon, and I kept my eyes trained to the ground as I entered the woods.

Tripping over a root and falling would be an embarrassing way for this to end. Branches scraped at me and slapped me in the face. Gasping for breath, I pushed myself to keep going, to ignore the pain.

Ahead, I could hear the rushing water. I was so close. Almost there.

Overhead I heard the low warning rumble of a wolf.

No. Oh God, please, no.

A dark gray wolf stepped out from behind a tree trunk, directly in my path. Narrowly, I managed to pivot at the last minute before running over them.

My ankle twisted, and white-hot pain shot up my leg.

With a cry, I went down. Instantly, a human was on top of me. Hands grabbed at my shirt, sliding it up while I shoved.

The wolf growled again, and it was enough to make Charlie stop.

"She tried to run," Charlie slurred as he stood and hauled me up. Pain shot up my leg again, and I folded, but he didn't ease up on his grip. "No need to bother Ferrara about it now. I'll handle it and tell him in the morning."

The wolf didn't move, and Charlie did a mock salute and began to drag me away. I had no idea who the wolf was, but I knew better than to beg for help.

No one would save me.

"You don't want to do this," I said through gritted teeth as I stumbled. It didn't slow him down at all. He just dragged me. "I'm Shane's daughter, remember? Disgusting. You don't want me. Not like this."

The bar was in sight. The alarm still blared, a beacon of doom. I scrambled to get upright, to fight, but both my ankle and knee collapsed under me.

Charlie didn't say a word. Instead, he dragged me around to the wide entrance. As soon as the door closed behind him, he threw me on the wood floor and flipped on the light.

Frantically, I looked around for a weapon. Everything in the kitchen had been neatly tucked away for the night. Nothing was in reach.

"Time to teach you a lesson."