DanI stifle the cough that threatens to burst out of me by pressing my mouth against my arm and tilting my face away from the worst of the smoke. One thing is certain: This fire is going far out of control.My eyes are burning from the smoke, and the fumes are irritating my throat and impairing my vision.Fun, Jade had mentioned. Enjoyable.I understood why I should have been anxious.I'm going to burn myself out of this tree with his concept of fun.My rifle and my sight are drawn to my right by a sudden movement. My photographs now are more about feeling my way than looking because I'm so far up and there's smoke pouring below.A wolf appears from behind a tree, its fur coloured reddish-brown. I pull the trigger.I have a split second to compose myself; the shot seems nice, but the wolf has moved from where it was just a moment before.B*tch.I look for my next objective. It's harder now that the wolves are aware that I'm up here and that I'm not just capable of firing, but also ai
Choke.I can't breathe because of the object in my throat.I struggle, whimpering, but no part of me wants to move.I need to notify someone that something is suffocating me in my throat, but I can't move.My right arm is lightly squeezed by a hand. "It's okay," says a masculine voice.It's not acceptable! Something is scratching my throat, and I want to scream. And it's suffocating me.Hands press against my back, talking to me in a voice I should recognize. The black hole returns to take me away before I can connect the voice to a face.* * * "...for observation." Her arm..."The monster in my throat has vanished, but the mask clamped tightly around my mouth is blowingcool, strange-tasting air into me.I shift my attention away from the mask and onto what is genuinely important: the people in my room, because the doctor must be speaking to someone, and that someone is not me.The masculine voice is sharp and unusual. It's not one I've heard before, but the confidence and assurance
"So, you have him doing what, exactly?" I lock my gaze on him.He notices my expression and pauses. "We needed another pair of eyes."My wolf is gritting his teeth. "You have him watching her.""We didn't know you were even still alive." He lowers his head and moves his gaze away. It was always the idea, but two days later, he's still feeling guilty about it. "So we—"My wolf growls. "Tell me you didn't have Leandro watching Amanda?"SilenceThey abandoned Leandro in a room with Amanda.I walked in alone with the brother to find fucking my mate since she liked a pair of shoes and her father wouldn't buy them for her.Amanda.While she was sleeping.Helpless."Finn."Dan's wariness brings my attention to my low growl filling the room."Oh, hey there, beautiful." Leandro's voice is full with astonishment. "Going somewhere?"Because we intended to be nearby when we bought this house, all of our bedrooms are on the same floor. After living literally in each other's pockets in tiny flats,
For a long period, Dan looks down at her. I have no idea what he's thinking or feeling. Jealousy, and annoyance that Amanda chose me over him. I'm not fucking sure. "She's going to come to us for different things," he continues, his voice as low as mine. "But it's hard not to think of…"Mona.Some portions of us she liked, while the others she pretended not to notice. What will Amanda do with the parts of us she dislikes?Because it's only Dan here now, I take my hand and sweep back the black hair from her still-too-pale face. "She's different.""I know." Movement causes me to raise my head, and I notice Dan turning away. "Sleep. "Finn and Iare both awake."Dan's departure is announced by soft footsteps.I do nothing but look down at Amanda's gorgeous face, calm in slumber, for many seconds. I see her beautiful pink lips, gently slanted nose, and thick lashes that look like dark wings resting on her pale cheeks. After over two days of sleep, she still appears to need more.She didn't
"Jade is all talk," Leandro replies, half-shrugging as his familiar emerald-green eyes sweep over me.If I had awoken in the middle of the night to discover him standing at my bedroom door, I would have ordered him to go and go back to sleep. I wouldn't have been paralyzed and holding my breath as I did with Finn."I doubt that." A concept immediately occurs to me. "They only send you to keep an eye on me when they go downstairs." "Do they have any plans?"Maybe it has anything to do with why I'm here with them and not with Darius?"Nothing as interesting as that," Leandro purrs, his stare lingering on my breasts as if he hasn't noticed I'm not wearing a bra.I pretend not to notice his expression as I slide to the side of the bed and push myself up without using my hands because, despite my assurances to Jade that I can feed myself, my palms still hurt when I put pressure on them. "Then you won't mind if I go downstairs and see what they're up to."They must realize they are in dange
Neither of them reacts for the longest second in history. Because I can't believe what just came out of my lips, my face has turned crimson red. I'm about to apologize when Jade and Dan break out in a roaring laugh."Well, angel," Jade says with a grin. "If you'd like a repeat, I'm game when you are."A repetition.A repetition would signal that I was staying. And if Darius finds me here...Simon's ripped throat rushes across my memory as his blood paints the hospital parking lot red. Jade's body may be at my feet. Or perhaps Dan's.My enjoyment has died. "He will kill you if he finds me here," I say quietly. "Don't think I'm not grateful you followed me. I am, but you have no idea what he is capable of. "I should go."Jade's smile doesn't waver, and when I return my attention to Dan, his face is unconcerned."Your job, Amanda," Dan adds softly, "is to heal." That's all there is to it.""I'm supposed to sit in this room and heal while Darius kills you?" My tone is tense due to a threa
Jade leans in and grabs my hips with both hands. My heart is pounding against my chest so strongly that it aches. He and I both freeze. He stares at me for a long time, his gaze fixed on mine. "Angel?"I force my heart rate to return to normal. It's depressing how long it takes. I'm aware that Dan is watching me, possibly with the same amount of concern that Jade is.It's all right, it's just Jade. He will not harm you. There's no reason to panic simply because he moved a bit quicker than you expected.I nod after a long time. "I'm okay."He slowly raises me and places me on his lap. He takes the fork after settling me in. Dan walks around him, scooping up some of the buttery-looking scrambled eggs.I sigh as he presses it to my lips. "You don't have to continue feeding me. "My hands are no longer in pain."At least not enough to warrant noting.Jade's expression remains unchanged. "Open.""You're doing way too much for me," I complain."Open that pretty little mouth, angel." Jade's v
Without saying anything further, he takes the cup off the counter, declines Dan's offer of breakfast, and walks to the kitchen door.He's almost there when I recall how much he wanted me gone. Jade and Dan were eager to assist me, but Finn insisted on my departure. He'd never let me remain if he realized how deadly Darius was."He's going to come after you," I declare.Finn comes to a standstill and tilts his head towards me, flashing me another emerald-green glare."Let him come."Is this still a dream since nothing feels real?"I thought you wanted me gone," I said.Silence.Suddenly, I see I'm not the only one holding their breath for Finn's response."I did," he admits.He then walks away.That'sit? Is that all he has to say?I cast a glance at his fast-vanishing back. "Did you say something to him, Dan?" I inquire, my attention riveted on the vacant doorway. "Because you shouldn't—""Nope. "That was Finn admitting he was wrong," snorts Jade. "The alpha way."A fork appears in my
Also, if you bite Dan already and someone asks you to fill up the release paperwork at the door, well.I mumble, "We might not get him out of the hospital before he shifts.""Regular individuals don't just heal themselves; he'll start healing himself. Finn adds, turning away from me, "If we stay, we expose ourselves in addition to him.If there was one rule in Fight Club, it would be that no one should be aware that shifters exist. The government would eliminate them all if people were aware of them and what they were capable of.When Darius informed me that certain disparities are so great that people would turn against you if they understood what they were, I felt like he was exaggerating. There is nothing you could do or say that would ever lead them to believe you are anything other than a threat that has to be eliminated.Until I recalled my school days following Mom's death and my transformation into the girl with the drunken father. I changed and evolved. Something to be mocked
"They're far too violent for you," he explained. "Bed. "Let's go, squirt." He'd discovered me after I'd snuck down the stairs to peer through the bannisters at the TV."But the men take too long to fall down and sometimes they grab the wrong place on their front, so they can't be dead." I let out a sigh.As he carried me back up to bed, he chuckled. "Waiting too long to fall, huh?" How long have you been looking?"I denied ever seeing anything. He snorted at my obvious deception, kissed the top of my head, put me into bed, and then told me a tale."You sound like you might be smiling, angel," Jade adds, restoring my attention to the present."Well, I'm not," I tell myself. "You're just hearing things."He sighs once more, brings me in closer, and inhales. "Fuck, angel, I thought we'd lost you today."They should have discovered my body in the attic.Darius lost his cool over little matters such as the white wine at dinner not being cold enough. He'd lash out at one of his packmates fo
If this surgeon is still sniffing about Amanda once Dan is better, it will be the last thing he does."You're quiet," Finn remarks as we come to a halt in front of the vending machine, releasing my arm."Please tell me you're not working out how to kill the doctor and get away with it."I cast a casual glance at the machine. I'm not interested in crappy coffee or tea. My eyes widen when I see peppermint tea.Amanda could use one of them. Also, sleep. She appeared weary, with black bags under her eyes. Still lovely, but ready to go."I'm thinking," I say quietly.The second Amanda turns her back, she plans on tearing the good surgeon apart.Finn rummages in his pocket with his hand. "I repeat myself. Please don't tell me you're plotting the doctor's demise."I cast a peek across at him. He must have just realised that the only things we stopped to get before following the ambulance to the hospital were his clothing and vehicle keys. We weren't planning on getting cash for the vending m
I examine him again, unsure if I should believe that smile—or him. "That you were a decent guy in spite of it."He laughs from the bottom of his heart, throwing his head back. All unaffected and... genuine. It makes me want to laugh along with him just to see how it feels. "I will most definitely need to have words with Olivia."I cock my head, forgetting about the desire to scream for Jade to return. "Words? Is that a polite way of saying—""No euphemism." He wriggles his fingers again as if requesting permission.After a little moment, I nod once, and he takes a step forward.He's so near that the tip of my nose brushes against his chest as my knees kiss his thighs. I can't help but inhale his aroma.He smells better than I'd imagine a surgeon to smell just after surgery. Clean, with a woodsy note that might nearly be cologne."While one or two doctors in this hospital have married nurses, I have no plans for the lovely Olivia," he adds as he begins his inspection.How on earth did
"Despite its miraculous abilities, the heart is a delicate thing." There's a reason we have ribs to defend ourselves." He lowers his voice and frowns. "I know what injured your guy and brought him here. He was fortunate to have survived."Most individuals would not survive a wolf attack, in my opinion.Harley pauses for a beat as if waiting for an explanation. Nobody offers one.When he doesn't receive one, he keeps going. "With all of the damage we discovered in surgery, his recovery will be a long process, and there will be complications." I'm here to go over some of the upcoming events in the following days, weeks, and months."My fingers tighten in Jade's sweatpants as all my anxiety returns. "Months?""His heart stopped on the operating table, Jane." He stops and looks at her. "Twice."My mouth is parched. "However, you were able to save him?"Harley gives a single nod. "We have a great team in this hospital.""What complications can we anticipate?" Jade asks, less hostilely than
"Dan had died. Exactly like me. "I think the door hit us." I blink, and I'm back in the attic, watching Dan scramble for the rifle as a wolf rushes at him. "I thought I was going to watch Darius rip out his throat like—" I swallow my words.Nathan did the same thing to Simon Trevor.Simon was one of those rare treasures that a girl couldn't believe existed. A truly kind person. Someone who refused to assist me because he desired something in return. But he did it because he could. He did exactly that. And he paid with his life.I try again, clearing my throat. "I believe he wanted to make Dan suffer as much as he wanted to make me suffer." He cut Dan's breast open before leaping out the upstairs window."But not before he murmured the eight words into my ear that will haunt me for the rest of my life."You belong to no one but me, Amanda."Finn gives a blink. "He didn't take you."My head shakes. "Like I said, he likes to punish people."Finn cocks his head, his gaze narrowing. "You k
We tripped over each other to follow as they rushed him out of the attic, the house, and finally into a flashing ambulance waiting outside.“Sorry, no room,” they said when we moved to follow.None of us dared argue. Not when Dan’s heart could stop again any second.So we let the bland-faced EMTs who’d shocked Dan’s heart into beating call out a hasty direction for the hospital, slam the door shut, and then they were just…gone.A hand closes high on my right arm.I startle, whipping my head that way."Angel?” Jade’s gray eyes search my face as I search his.Dan once said he looked like a brawler, and he does. I study him, taking my time. Shaved dark hair. Intent gray eyes which dare you to look away first. A nose with a tiny bump on the slope from a break that didn’t heal right. His raw strength makes me feel stronger in a way that shouldn’t make sense, yet it does.“He’s a fighter. Like you. Like all of us. He will survive this.”I wish I could believe you.“Darius is a killer.” I an
On my left, there is some movement.With a snarl, I spin around, swiping my claw at a wolf with a piercing blue gaze who hisses in agony and bounds back, the copper tang of his blood strong in the air.Behind.I'm not sure if that was my warning or my wolf's.It makes no difference.We've already whirled around to confront the danger.The door behind me means I'm not in danger of injuring anybody who matters anything to me, so I stop battling my wolf the way I've been doing for years and start fighting with him.And our adversaries perish one by one beneath our jaws and claws.It makes no difference that others are rushing into the room, assaulting in pairs, one at a moment.It makes no difference if they pierce my flesh with their fangs or cut open my back with their claws.All that matters is that they perish.The floor is slippery with my adversary's and my own blood, but the pain is a distant second—or is it third?—to the wrath erupting within me.Then it's only me, my breathing r
"What makes breathing so important?" I inquire, disregarding the aching in my left arm. It's only been a minute, yet I'm already trying to stay up."You could have lined up the most perfect shot in the world, but what if you get excited and your breathing changes?"I thought for a moment, but I didn't have a response for him. "No."He takes two deep, leisurely breaths. But his third breath is a bit faster, and the cannon slips to the left by about half an inch. "Did you notice that?"I nod. "Breathing made you move.""Move it just enough to throw off your shot." With a body shot, you can get away with it, but with a headshot, you can miss it entirely. "Calm and control will save the day here.""Are you not angry?" I inquire, intrigued by this aspect of Dan. I had no clue he knew how to shoot, much alone be so enthusiastic about it."There is a time for rage." Isn't it when you have a pistol in your hand?" He softly presses down on my finger. "This is exactly how it should feel. Breath