JasperReid programmed the address into Jasper’s phone, right down to the GPS map. “See here,” he pointed to a building well back from the main road. “It doesn’t look like much normally, just some sheds. But on fight night, it comes alive, and you won’t be able to miss it. There will be hundreds of cars there, and lights and music. Just remember, there are humans there too, guests, so although it’s a full moon, no shifting.”“I’ll remember,” Jasper loved watching him, the way the hair fell over Reid’s face, the shift of his expressions, how the light caught in the stubble on his jaw. He loved knowing that Reid’s body probably ached for his, just as he did for Reid’s, despite both of them having finished their morning with an orgasm.Jasper’s fingers itched to finish his sketch of Reid and he was eager to get to the folly and begin the painting. The next best thing to being in bed with his mate was to paint his mate in bed, he thought with amusement.“I’ll make arrangements at the fron
ReidReid’s heart was in his throat when he knocked at Marcella’s door before the run. She opened it, wearing her satin dressing-gown. “I was just getting ready,” she turned and walked back into the apartment, leaving the door open behind her.For a moment, relief robbed Reid of the ability to reply, seeming to drag heavily through him, before he pulled himself together and cleared his throat, tapping a cigarette out of his holder as he followed her inside. “I’m early.”The apartment was different. Clean, and the furniture had been rearranged. He raised his eyebrows as he lit his cigarette. “Looks good in here.”“It was time for a change,” she said from her bedroom. He could just see her through the partially open door as she leaned towards the dresser mirror as she applied her makeup. “I was stuck in a rut. I needed a fresh start.”She wasn’t talking about the furniture, Reid thought regretfully as he poured them both a measure of whiskey. “Marcella,” he said. “I am sorry. I did not
ReidHis wolf-form’s vision cast the night in shades of grey, black, and white as he ran along the sand. The waves soft whisper dimmed beneath the pant of his breath, the beat of his heart, and the pound of his footfalls. His nose was filled with the scents of the water, the sharp briny scent of seaweed, and somewhere the wet, slightly sweet smell of some creature rotting.He loved to run along the sand, feeling the grit of it give beneath the pads of his feet, the spray of it kicking up behind him. He loved the way the moon reflected in the water, the sparkle and splash as fish leaped in pursuit of the bugs that flittered over its surface. Summers were spent on this beach, surrounded by the pack, the children playing in the shallows, the sun baking his skin until he took to the water to cool off. And almost every full moon of his adult life, he had joined the pack to run across the night-cool sand.He could hear other wolves around him, see them in his peripheral vision, identifying
ReidReid fixed himself a coffee in the kitchen. He wanted whiskey but had to pace his drinking. Although werewolves’ heightened metabolisms meant that they processed alcohol faster than humans, it did not mean that they could not get drunk. It was going to be a long night, and he wasn’t going to get much sleep before the morning when shit was going to happen. So, coffee was a smart move to start off his night.Marcella sang along happily in her luxurious baritone to the stereo as she finished getting ready. Through the open bedroom door, he could see that she had chosen a blonde-bombshell styled wig and was fixing her eyelashes leaning forward towards the mirror dressed in a skin-toned lace corselette, suspender belt, and stockings.“Do you want a coffee?” He called out.“Coffee, darling?” She sneered, rolling her eyes. “God no. Pour me a whiskey.”He laughed and crossed to the buffet with his espresso. What the hell, he thought, and added a drop to his coffee as he poured hers.“Wow
Jasper It was a long and awkward limo ride. Jay kept up an easy, pleasant conversation with Charlotte and Tamara whilst Jasper tried to silently communicate with his dad how much Jay’s presence was fucking up his plans for the night. Sebastian avoided Jasper’s eyes, his attention on his phone. “Don’t you think?” Jay asked Jasper. “What?” Jasper jolted back into the conversation. “Don’t mind Jasper,” Charlotte laughed covering for him. “His mind is probably on his paints. Jay and I were just discussing another masquerade ball, Jasper, and what theme we should use. I was saying that I think a circus theme could be fun.” “Tacky,” Jay wrinkled his nose. “Horror movie Halloween.” “Just eww,” Charlotte rolled her eyes. “Vampires would be cool. Sort of an inside joke, werewolves pretending to be vampires, right?” Jay made a sound of disgust in the back of his throat. “What do you think mum?” Charlotte appealed to Anastasia. “I think it should be something soft, pretty, and romantic,”
JasperJasper bellied through the undergrowth, the pine needles clinging to his fur and the scent of deer in his nose. The herd was gathered in a little glade, the mothers making nests out of the grass in which they lay with their young, whilst the buck with his head of dangerous horns watched over them. The herd was restless, the mother’s eyes opening frequently and their ears twitching. They knew that the pack hunted the woods but counted on their stillness and camouflage to hide them from sight.This was not their night.The pack circled them. When the wolves were in position, downwind so that the keen noses of the deer could not detect them, they filled the gap so that their scent would reach the buck. Jasper saw the great beast tense, his head lifting, his nostrils sucking in as he identified the predators. The mothers and their babies became alert. For a moment, nothing happened, and then there was a break, and suddenly deer scattered wildly, and the wolves dived in, dodging the
ReidAs Jasper made his way up the stairs, Reid made his plans. He crossed in front of his mate, heading to the bar, keeping his back to Jasper. As he’d hoped, Jasper understood his intentions and made his way to the bar so that he stood at Reid’s side to order, very carefully not touching in any way.“Whiskey please,” Reid said to the bartender. “Not the cheap shit.”“Same,” Jasper added. “Not the cheap shit.”“Good choice,” Reid told him. “The cheap shit could strip paint. You don’t want to drink that unless you enjoy feeling like your brain has melted and your insides are outside in the morning.”Jasper laughed. “Definitely not in my plans for tomorrow morning,” he replied, his eyes dancing. Over Jasper’s shoulder, he saw Jay Turner with his two favorite shadows, Oscar, and Allen, crossing to join them, their expressions growing concerned as they saw Jasper next to Reid.“Hey Jay,” Reid leaned his elbow on the bar. “This one of yours,” he gestured to Jasper with his head. “He’s got
Reid“Everyone’s staring at us,” Jasper said as he leaned in, his shoulder touching Reid’s. “Should we be worried?”That Reid Morrison and Jasper Compton were sharing a table, and a bottle of whiskey, and were intensely talking together had not escaped any werewolf in the vicinity’s notice. Reid could see people below them looking up and exchanging comments, and the other tables around them leaned in together whispering and watching.Fuck them, Reid thought. As long as he and Jasper didn’t kiss, at this stage, they were in the clear to enjoy themselves. That they’d shuffled their chairs closer and leaned into each other to talk was unremarkable because of the noise of the venue – everyone else was doing the same.“Nah,” Reid shook his head. “They’re wondering what the Compton puppy has to say to Reid Morrison.”“That he can’t wait to suck his cock as soon as we get out of here?” Jasper suggested.Reid burst into laughter. “Is that so?” He said on the tail of it, leaning even closer. “
Jasper Jasper surfaced slowly. He could hear unfamiliar sounds, muffled voices in the distance, many different beeps and squeals, and the rattle of trolleys. Reid was snoring somewhere nearby, and that was reassurance that wherever Jasper was, he was with his mate. Hospital, he thought as he fought to open his eyes. He was in hospital. He could vaguely remember moments of consciousness, where nurses and doctors had spoken to him. He remembered Reid crying and holding his hand, and his mother, father, and Charlotte… He managed to open his eyes. Yes, hospital, he agreed with himself. He turned his head and smiled as he saw that Reid slept on an armchair recliner next to him. A figure moved near the door and Jasper tensed as he looked over. A guard stood with his back to the room, adding sugar to a takeaway coffee cup. A werewolf, Jasper realized. He did not know if the man was Compton or Morrison, but his presence recalled to him talking to his father on the phone. His pack had come to
ReidReid barely looked up from Jasper as the medics carried him out to the street where the ambulance waited. He was aware of the house being filled with armed men from both packs searching through the possessions within the rooms, and, when they stepped out into the street, that the street was roped off, those civilian onlookers curious enough to brave being on the street in this neighbourhood pressing up against the ropes.He saw that the buildings to either side had also been invaded by the pack but had no chance to ask as Jasper was loaded onto the ambulance. Jasper took the spare chair and held onto Jasper’s hand as the ambulance sped off towards the hospital, sirens blaring and lights flashing.Jasper’s eyes fluttered, his mate surfacing from his faint.“It’s alright, Jasper,” Reid leaned forward so Jasper could see his face around the oxygen mask the medics had placed on him. “I’m here.”At the hospital, however, they were separated, with Jasper wheeled off towards the operati
JasperThe dingy, disheveled little bedroom was empty, however, another door opened into an ensuite through which came the sound of running water, and whiffs of steam drifted out indicating that Jay had been in there for a while, possibly since they had seen him in the window.Reid crossed to the rumpled bed and searched through the clothing tossed carelessly there, shoving the guns and knives that he found there into the bag that he wore. He passed the bag to Jasper.Jasper looked from the bag to Reid. “Just shoot him, Reid,” he whispered as he realized that Reid intended to fight Jay hand-to-hand.Reid shook his head. “He’s naked, unarmed, taken by surprise. That wouldn’t be…” He shrugged.“Fair,” Jasper filled in for his mate, his stomach uneasy. “But dangerous, Reid,” he protested.The water in the shower turned off interrupting Reid’s reply and they both turned towards the door. Through the opening, Jasper caught a glimpse of Jay as the other werewolf dried off, wrapping a towel
ReidThey took a taxi from the hotel. Jasper paid the taxi driver at the drop off whilst Reid swept his eyes along the street. It had been raining consistently through the afternoon, and the water puddled in drains clogged with filth, flooding out onto the road so that passing cars sprayed it up in vile showers. The street was a fucking eyesore of boarded up windows, graffiti and filth. Most of the streetlights were broken, creating shadows in which lower level dealers, prostitutes, and their clientele did business.As Jasper stepped back to join him, moving out of the way of the water that the taxi’s wheels kicked up onto the pavement, he followed Reid’s gaze. “Dad deliberately has encouraged this are into decay,” he said in a low voice. “It drives property values down, makes them cheaper to buy.”“And created the perfect place to hide a rogue pack,” Reid replied. “People come and go, and no one asks questions around here, or looks too closely at one another.”“Yeah. The buildings ar
JasperReid lowered the phone to the mattress, his hand resting over it. His chin sank to his chest, and his body shook as he wept. Jasper could offer little comfort other than to keep holding onto his mate. It had been hard to face his father that morning, but for Reid to have lost his best friend and had to come out to his family and pack at the same time… Jasper was amazed by Reid’s strength of will, to keep going despite the terrible weight of grief that he was carrying.The plan to take out Jay Turner did concern him, he admitted to himself. In the past couple of weeks since he’d come of age, his life had changed so dramatically from studying art to understanding that illegal activities were the backbone of the pack, and now, to be personally involved in what would be, he knew, a murder. He felt under-prepared and ill-equipped for the situation and feared that his inexperience would endanger his mate.He only hoped that his father would come through for him and Reid.He was young
Reid“Do you trust him?” Jasper asked as they watched Gregory leave.Reid considered the question. The beta had abandoned the Morrisons for the Comptons and betrayed their shipping schedule… There was a lot not to trust about him. “Normally, about as far as I could throw him,” he admitted slowly. “But with this? Yeah. I think he has nothing to gain and everything to lose. And…” He leaned slightly against his mate, feeling raw and exhausted. “I think he had a bit of a thing for Marcella and is upset in his way about what happened.”The words brought back the ache of grief and anger. He threw back the last of his whiskey. “I am going to kill them both,” he decided grimly. “Jay Turner and fucking Vincent.”“Okay,” Jasper said but covered Reid’s hand with his own. “But you heard what Gregory said. They’ve been planning this for possibly years and have been recruiting from both packs during that time. They’re not alone Reid, and you and I…” He grimaced slightly. “We are. So, we need to be
JasperGregory Renmark was okay looking, Jasper decided as he followed Reid into a discrete booth at the bar of the hotel bar. Nothing compared to Jasper’s mate though, he added with a warm glow as he watched Reid order for them from the waitress who had shown them to the table. Both men, however, shared pale faces and reddened, swollen eyes.After the waitress left, Reid and Gregory stared at each other across the table. The beta was dressed in a business suit, but the top button of his shirt was undone and his tie was askew. His hair was a mess as if he’d dug his hands through it many times whilst waiting for them to arrive.“She was a fucking bitch,” Gregory broke the silence, the words almost spat across the tabletop. “But she deserved better than that,” was delivered softer.Reid swallowed hard, a muscle in the corner of his jaw twitching, but he held the beta’s gaze until Gregory looked away, establishing Reid’s dominance. “Yeah, she could be a bitch,” he agreed steadily. “But t
ReidThe apartment still smelled like Marcella, but the smell was stale, lingering from the night before rather than because she was within. The sophisticated Indian agarwood, Turkish rose, and sandalwood perfume combined with the smell of smoke and alcohol. Reid stood on the threshold, his breath caught in his lungs, his eyes searching the furniture for something that he knew was not there.Dust caught in the sunlight whirled in the air disrupted by the door opening, was the only movement inside.Jasper placed his hand between Reid’s shoulder blades, the warmth of his palm a comforting reassurance that gave Reid the courage to step inside. Reid crossed to the bedroom, easing open the door and looking within at the messy tumble of bedding, the closet that she had taken such a delight in, and the mirror where Marcella had forever been fixing her face.He moved the items on the dresser restlessly, shifting the compacts, the lipsticks, and the brushes.“Is there…” Jasper cleared his thro
JasperClaud and Brando growled through a spew of vitriol, raising the hair on the back of Jasper’s neck, whilst the elegant she-wolf who had admitted him put her arms around the other woman, whose distress had been forgotten by her husband in his outrage. Jasper kept his eyes on the two men, tensing ready to push Reid behind him if either male attacked.They were big, experienced alpha wolves, but Jasper was quicker, leaner, and fitter than them both. If they attacked him, he would lose, but he would do his best to protect Reid. He stroked his hand over the curve of Reid’s skull.His mate was, as Jasper had suspected he would be upon hearing of Marcella’s death, distraught but, Reid pulled himself together as the two males rounded on them. “Dad, stop!” He held out his hands, palm forwards. “I know this is a shock, but…”“A shock?” Claud Morrison spat the words. “A shock? I can barely look at you for my disgust, Reid. You and he…” He sputtered gesturing to Jasper. “Defiling each other