Jax closed the door to the bedroom, throwing one last glance at Lola sleeping on the bed. He clenched his fingers around the key and stared at the keyhole. He bit down and pressed the key in, turning it and locking the door. It’s for everyone’s good, he told himself.
“We’re locking her up?” Landon, Jax’s wolf, said, his voice dripping with judgment.
“It’s for her own good.”
“For her own good or your own peace of mind? I mean, it is easier for you to handle her when she’s locked up, no?” Even though they were one, it didn’t mean their thoughts were the same or their actions always coincided with what the other felt was right.
“I can’t have her run away. Ash is right.&rd
Lola stood by the window, trying to break it open. The chair she had thrown against the glass was lying on the floor, and her knuckles were red from beating against the impenetrable glass.Her hair lay messy, and her cheeks stained crimson from the blood on her hands when she dragged them over her face in despair.Her foggy mind was still trying to comprehend everything from the last hours, but only bits and pieces were forming in her memory.She remembered her apartment and Jax. Ash was there too, but then what had happened? She pulled her hair and clenched her jaw in frustration as the flight in her erupted but without the ability to act on it. The door was locked shut, and the thickness of the door made it impossible for Lola to kick down. Her mind reeled to the possibility of the guy’s ability to break it down, given the fact that they
Lola sat on the chair in the kitchen, surrounded by Jax’s family members and the scary man from the hallway.He was eyeing her with a monotone expression. It seemed that he could catch any secret she held.Lola was thinking of ways to get out, but none seemed likely to work. She wondered at that moment who these people were and what they wanted from her. Many knew about the Blackwood family and their history in this town, but Lola was not one of them. She barely knew the town she lived in, let alone the families that had been here for generations.One thought that crossed her mind more than others was Jax said that they were werewolves. Did that include his parents? Was she surrounded by supernatural beings?There was no use in pretending that they didn’t exist. She had been attacked twice now by
The sun was starting to set. Lola stood by the window in the living room as everyone else had headed out after the contracts were signed. She looked at the houses down the road with the lights on. The mansion was on top of a hill, and the view of the town was mesmerizing.“Hi, you.”She turned around in shock when she heard Ash’s voice.“Hi,” she said coldly and glared as he walked in.“How are you feeling?”It was odd, she thought, that Ash was the first to ask her that.“Like I just signed my life away,” Lola answered and crossed her arms over her chest.Ash raised his shoulder and smirked. “You did,” he answered without any sugarcoa
Jax’s wolf stood to his paws. Lola didn’t step back. Something about him felt safe. Whether it was his size, the unmeasurable strength, or the fact that he was a wolf was unknown to her, but she did know one thing—the wolf wouldn’t hurt her.He stepped behind a tree and shifted back into his human form. Lola heard the sound of a zipper as he dug through the bag, and a few seconds later, Jax stepped out from behind the tree. He was pulling his shorts up and tying the waistband. When he looked up, he saw Lola gawking at his bare chest. Her eyes went from his waist, taking in the creases of his muscles, over his abs, and across his chest. She stepped back in her mind and let her body take control. Her feet moved over the grass, and she walked with small steps over to where he stood. She stopped inches away, her eyes still taking in everything he had to show, everything that wasn’t covered. S
“The Alpha wants an audience with both of you,” Kolton explained.Ash winced and looked over his shoulder. “Well, shit,” he cussed and walked up to the warriors.“Fine, let’s go,” he said, walking butt-naked back to the forest line. He stopped when no one followed and heaved a sigh. “My cousin may not be an Alpha yet, but I am, so I suggest you lower your guards and do as you’re told. Also, if you try to take that girl from him, not only will he bite your head off, but I will help him do so.” Ash’s voice changed. It grew more threatening and serious. Nothing was amusing behind his words, and though he smiled at them, they knew that his threat was the equivalent of a promise. The warriors turned on their feet and faced him.The lead
***“What is happening to us?” Carrie coughed as she put her feet on the floor. She tried to stand, but her legs buckled beneath her, and she fell, hitting her head against the wall. “Carrie!” Lola stood by the window, looking through the dirty glass, watching as her father coughed up blood in his hands on his way to his wife, who fought for her life on the bedroom floor. “K-Kent…” her voice disappeared in the heaving as she fought to take a breath.“What is this?!” He ran to his wife and fell beside her. Lola watched in the darkness as her father dragged her mother out of the house. Her aunt fell out on the
Lola had eaten breakfast with the whole family. Jax’s parents went on about the initiation, talking about throwing a big party to celebrate him stepping into the title. They discussed magazines they would allow to attend because not only was he becoming Alpha, but he was also rising as a future CEO of Blackwood Enterprises.Lola sat idly by as they discussed everything at length. She was surprised to see the lack of devotion on Jax’s face. He hadn’t seemed excited about any of it.After breakfast she excused herself. She went upstairs and sat in the den on the second floor and read a book.“Weathering heights.”She looked up and saw Jax leaning against the wall. He scanned the book cover, and she tilted it back to see what he&r
Lola woke up to the alarm clock going off. She rubbed her eyes and stared at the wall opposite the bed. Melissa left yesterday after about an hour. She was in a hurry to leave and tossed a quick bye when she was already out the door.Lola dreaded going back to school now, even if part of her was just happy to get out of the house. However, she wouldn’t have her best friend. A surge of determination blew through her, and she aggressively ripped the cover away.“If I’m stuck here, I will sure as hell at least have my best friend,” she seethed as she pulled out the last shirt she had and a pair of jeans. She looked at her clothes, the little she had with her, and her head fell back in a desperate sigh.She dressed and washed her face. She put her hair up in a high ponytail and grabbed her bag. Lola opened the door.
“Get your butt in here right now, young lady!” Lola scolded while running around with a towel chasing her two-year-old daughter who was running down the hallways butt naked. With her arms swinging in the air and laughing menacingly, the water traced her steps on the carpets, and she headed towards the stairs. Just before reaching the end of the hallway, she was lifted into the air by two large arms and flown around like an airplane. “Daddy!” “My darling Ophelia,” he said and lowered her gently. He tickled her nose and hugged her tight when Lola came to a stop with the towel. “That little girl is definitely wolf,” Lola panted. She halted to a stop and raised a brow when she took in Jax’s appearance. “Daddy indeed,” Lola purred when she watched her husband’s bare upper body as he stood sweating after his workout with the warriors. “She could be a Doe,” Jax said and looked into his daughters’ eyes. “She has your big, beautiful eyes,” he remarked. Lola giggled and cupped Jax’s che
They were back at the mansion and had constructed a plan on the way. The danger was still not altogether eliminated, not all enemies had been neutralized and they were those on the inside still aiming to break Jax and Lola apart.Jax and Ash walked into the mansion with Lola keeping her distance behind them. She turned away from them and hid where they wouldn't see her until it was time. Jax had called for a meeting on the way and told his parents and Lavina to meet him in the study. Nobody had suspected a thing, they were all just glad to hear that he was alright and their Alpha and son were returning home. The Blackwood boys entered the office and let the door fall to a near close. “It is so good to see you again, darling,” Mrs. Blackwood gleamed.Lavina ran up and wrapped her arms around him. The wide smile on her face and the wrinkles on her eyes deepened as relief washed over her. “I was so worried I almost went after you myself but Lola insisted she had it covered,” she said
Lucien clapped his hands, starting slow as the sound echoed in the room before he picked up the speed and laughed menacingly. He slammed his fist in the air and blew into his hands in celebration.“I have played this in my mind for months, going over what it would be like to have you all here and to tell you the things I knew but now that it is happening, holy shit, there is not a feeling like it.” He licked his lips and wiped the sweat from his face.He used his speed and kneeled next to Lola in a second. She fell back and tried to widen the distance between them by crawling backward but Lucien circled his fingers around her ankle and pulled her in with a rough grip. He gestured with his hand towards Jax and said through a deep smirk, “How I have been waiting for this. Be honest now, which do you prefer- getting fucked by a werewolf-” he grabbed her chin and forced her head back, “-or a vampire?” He asked. Jax’s mouth fell open and his eyes glistened as though all the pain came rus
Ash’s eyes glowed as his wolf stepped up, his canines extended and his growl shook the walls of the house when he pulled the knife out of his side and he flung it at his cousin's hands. They all turned their heads and watched as the knife cut through the air and went clean through the chains that bound Jax's hands. Jax fell into a pool of his blood, his heart barely beating and his body weakened from the poison in his wounds.“What the fuck?” One of the vampires spat and tried to overrun Ash. Ash grabbed the vampire's arm and spared no time as he ripped his head clean of his body and through against one of the windows, shattering the glass.“Let go of her.” He growled and walked towards Lucien. Whatever they had laced the blade with was eating at his insides, burning his flesh like acid but Ash refused to fall, not until he knew that she was safe.Lucien pulled out his fangs and lifted his head, looking toward the ceiling in a euphoric high.Three of his men jumped on Ash who was alre
They went to sleep not long after their talk and Ash slept on top of the covers. He watched Lola drift off into slumber and lay awake completing his choices.His cousin had been taken and he was making moves on his girl. Though he knew what he wanted, he now began to regret the many decisions he’d made that had led him this far. He looked at her lips slightly parted in her sleep and her eyes softly closed still, the faint freckles on her nose and her thick hair landing over her shoulder.She was a special girl, loved by many and desired by more. Perhaps it was the curse of being the Doe or maybe it was just her heart that sparked interest once she trusted people enough to show it to them. Regardless of the reasons, Ash realized now that his fighting was futile because her heart was not his to win. He should've been grateful to have felt her love, the one she gave him when she chose to trust him. The love was addictive, at first taste he wanted more, and he wanted what his cousin had.
They drove up to the Inn though it was further away from the street than advertised and they circled a sharp turn that led up a narrow path.As they arrived at a red neon sign saying ’open’ and a lady sitting with headphones on behind the desk inside they looked at each other, a lingering silence that was questioning just how good of an idea it was to go in. The rain poured around them. Drops on the roof of the car began to sound like firecrackers went off in a tunnel.Ash gave Lola his jacket to hold over her head and they shared a look before they ran from the car and slammed open the door as they tumbled inside.The lady looked up, slowly and gently as though a couple of strangers hadn't just tumbled into her hallway. She slowly leaned to the side to look past them and watch the pour outside of the Inn.“You kids don’t listen to the news, do ya?” She laughed.She wiggled her finger in front of Lola and pointed to the den.“There are towels in there, go grab yourselves some and I'll
They were back in the mansion. Ash had gathered the Alpha's warriors and filled them in on the situation. One of the cleaners had turned on the radio and Lola heard on the news that extreme weather was to be expected as she walked down after having changed clothes. Extreme rainfall was to occur during the night and the following days in and around town.She had the keys to her car and a small bag with toiletries.Ash and the warriors came out of the office and saw Lola standing at the entrance. His shoulders rose in a predatory bow as he stalked towards her.“Where do you think you’re going?” He asked. “To find Jax. Whatever he and I are, it’s my fault that he’s been taken. I'm going to bring him home,”Ash was in front of her before she could blink and ripped the keys from her hand.“The hell you are.” He put the keys in his pocket and grabbed her wrists when she tried to get them back. “It’s my fault that he was taken, he was protecting ME!” “And I will get him back!” He growled
She froze, time stilled around them and that picture would now be etched in her mind forever as it was all she saw wherever she looked.Nobody moved, she heard faint gasps and a low growl behind her but she couldn't turn around.For Lola, it felt as though hours passed without either Jax or Lavina moving but when a hand weighed down on her shoulder and forced her to turn she noticed everything moving a lot faster and people not having noticed what happened.She looked over her shoulder at Jax and Lavina and saw that they stood apart from each other, Lavina was by the table and Jax wiped his thumb over his lips and turned his head, his eyes locked with Lola’s, and his hand fell to his side. “Lola,” Ash said and tried to get her attention.Melissa had her arm hooked in Ed’s and watched with a glimmer in her eyes as her worst fear came true.But at that moment Lola couldn't breathe, she couldn't hear what anyone said and needed to get away from all of the people that surrounded her.On
“She did an amazing job,” Lola said, trying to break the thick ice coating when they were alone.“She did.” He said huskily and looked down at her. His gaze burned into her skin, his eyes glistened as they scanned her as they had many times before and his tongue slid over his lips.They stood staring into each other's eyes and Lola noticed the life in Jax’s eyes had dimmed. It wasn't what she looked into before, he seemed hardened and cold. Not just towards her but in general.Lola didn't know the first thing about being an Alpha but she was starting to realize that perhaps it entailed your persona shifting from tough but fair to cold and hard.Was it Alphas or just Jax?There didn't seem to be any in-between.“You wanted to talk.” He said.Taken aback by the hurry in his tone she realized he wanted to leave.“We haven’t talked since that night in the guest room. You slept in my bed, told me to be patient with you and then I don't hear from you for weeks.” Jax’s brows furrow and a ch