Jane watched the fire dance across Alex’s gaze and the sly smirk that tugged at the side of his mouth. Everything about him, at the moment, sent goosebumps up her spine.His chuckle slid against her skin and warmed her blood. "My mother has the guest bedroom across the hallway ready for me. I'll be close, but not too close. She's oddly traditional."Jane respected that. "What do werewolves do for fun?" she asked. "Besides play football?"Alex thought about it. "On a normal night, I'd take a run, but truth be told, I've had enough of my wolf these last few days. Saving you-twice, I might add -has done me in. Plus, he's driving me crazy with his antics to get you naked."Jane’s cheeks turned a bright red, and she smiled. "Sounds like a classy guy."Alex chuckled. "He's a desperate one. He'll get over it. I actually have something that I want to show you," he said, offering his hand to her.She took it, letting him lead her down the staircase and out the backdoor. The evening sun settle
Alex laid in the bed across the hallway from Jane well into the night with no sleep on the horizon. After hearing about Cash going missing, he couldn't stop the feeling that Jane would be next.He knew she was a target just because she made it out, but he also knew that she was protected at the pack house, more so than anywhere else. Alex turned onto his side and stared at the closed bedroom door. A slight chill from the air conditioner slid over his bare torso, but he didn't mind the coolness. He ran on the warm side, anyway.His nightstand clock read 5 AM, which was really too early to get up, but he didn't have a choice because sleep was not coming to him. Shoving the covers from his legs, he stood up and stalked out of the room and into the quiet hallway.Alex pressed his ear against her bedroom door and listened to the soft sound of her breathing before making his way into the kitchen. The moonlight shone through the kitchen window, brightening the island and the silhouette of hi
Jane stared out the window as they drove toward her childhood home. With each mile, she became more and more nervous. She knew Alex wasn't worried about meeting her family, but he'd never met Aunt Demetria.She was her mother's sister, and younger by three years, but more eccentric and ... strange. Aunt Demetria loved crystals and fortunes. She always seemed as if she knew more than she said about everyone. She believed in ghosts and the other side. It creeped Jane out most of the time, but now especially, since she knew there was more to the world than she originally believed.She didn't want Aunt Demetria to get suspicious of Alex and dig deep into his family. She was protective since Jane had no mother to do so for her."Your heart is beating really fast over there, Jane. Are you sure you're okay?" Alex asked.She chuckled and tucked a stray piece of hair behind her ear. "I'm fine.""Jane," he chuckled. "What do you think your aunt is going to ask me? Do you think she's so in tune
Alex took a bite of the godawful zucchini dish and forced it down his throat. His wolf growled at him for putting anything that wasn't meaty or at least surrounded by meat into his mouth.Jane’s aunt's gaze shifted from Mr. Williams to Alex, and something snaked its way down his spine. She wasn't a wolf, or a lycan, but she felt like ... something. Jane wasn't joking when she said her aunt was odd. And why did she assume Jane was safe with Alex from a campus menace-animal-or whatever the news was calling it? It made him feel just like Jane suggested-it made him feel like Demetria knew.Mr. Williams, on the other hand, wasn't impressed with Alex, just as Jane knew he wouldn't be. Alex admired that about him. He cared enough about Jane that he questioned the people she brought home with her."Demetria," Mr. Williams said. "Seriously? Kids are being attacked, and now they've gone missing, and you're justifying her being safe because she's hanging around a football player," he said, wavin
The drive to campus the day after felt surreal. Jane had been looking forward to her shift at the coffee shop and getting back to the land of the…normal. Not that she felt out of place at the pack house, because everyone had welcomed her. But it felt like a little slice of normal to step foot into her apartment to grab all her things.Alex seemed on edge the entire drive over. They had to leave early to give her time to gather her things before her morning classes."I'll be just a minute," she said, walking into her room to grab her backpack and books. She walked to her desk when Alex’s fingers tightened around her elbow, stalling her."What is it?" she asked, turning to see his nose positioned in the air and his spine stiff."Lycan."Jane looked around at the empty room, and then back to Alex. "Where?"He tugged her behind him, checking the closet and underneath the bed before turning to face her. "A lycan was here. I smell him."Jane cringed as a chill raced down her spine. "I'm ass
Kerry sat on an outdoor patio bench, a homemade lunch in front of him, sweat traveling down his neck. By the grim look on his face, Alex figured they hadn't tracked the lycan yet.Jane sat down on the opposite side of the bench with her tray and waved awkwardly at Kerry. "That looks good," she said, eyeing his pork sandwich."Alex’s mother made it for the hunters," he said, tossing Alex a sack. "For you and Jane. You two left before your mother could give you yours."Alex dug his sandwich out and handed one to Jane, who ditched the cafeteria food and unwrapped hers. "Any luck today with sniffing out the lycan?"Kerry finished his sandwich and wadded the paper into a ball. "No. The scent is everywhere. There is no pinpointing it. Whoever it is spends a lot of time on campus or has purposefully spread his scent everywhere.Alex took a bite of his food while glancing at Jane’s distant look. He didn't want her to feel unprotected. "Where does the scent not touch?" Alex asked."The dorm ro
Kerry stood over Jane as she turned the page in her history book, casting a shadow over the pages. She cleared her throat and glanced up at him. "Do you mind? You're blocking my light."He stood back and pulled out the chair next to her, glancing around the library as if he may see the lycan. Jane read over her chapter, trying her hardest to block out the eyes over her shoulder. She felt like she sat underneath a microscope with eyes judging her. She knew that wasn't true. Kerry seemed like a nice guy, but it made Jane feel scrutinized. "You know there are tons of books upstairs," she said in a whisper, keeping her voice down. "I'm sure you could find one that you like?"Kerry lifted a blond brow and chuckled. "Am I making you nervous? I'm sorry," he said, turning toward the row of computers positioned behind her. "I'll just check my email or something."Jane bit her bottom lip to keep from laughing. He didn't seem like the kind of person to have an email, to be honest; he was a Beta
Alex sensed him first. That sensation that climbed his spine, forming pricks of fear and raising his hair on end. Alex felt they were being watched, so he turned in a circle, noticing nothing at first.Jane’s heartbeat raced, and he felt it in his own body. The mate bond strengthened the more time they spent together. The moonlight cast down over the willowy branches of the trees in the courtyard, making shadows that danced in the swaying wind.He glanced around again, this time hearing Jane gasp and cover her mouth. There he stood. Cash stared at them from underneath one of the many trees, his form tight and unnerving. He hadn't made one move, which told Alex that something wasn't right. And from the distance, he noticed the red gleam in his eyes, striking the stake into the coffin. Cash was a lycan."He's a lycan," he whispered so low he wasn't even sure it'd left his mouth. It's always been a possibility that the missing students were being turned, but to see it in front of him fe