Chapter Five

 

Garrett

 

I made it home, no thanks to you. Just thought you should know.

I read Amber’s text as I enter my apartment building. For a second, I debate texting a reply, but I fire one off to my sister instead.

It’s been almost a day since you checked in. Call me soon.

I pocket my phone before I crush it in my grip. Females. Maybe it’s a good thing my pack is all male.

My wolf surges forward as I pass the spot where Amber’s car was parked. I push him back down. Hours of running, chasing jackrabbits, and I’m still all riled up. One woman is the cause of this. I catch her sweet scent in the stairwell, and I’m ready to rampage.

Mate.

There’s no other reason I should act like this. I’ve never had problems with my wolf before. But, one date with Amber, and I almost lost control. I was ready to rip her clothing from her, throw her down and fuck her senseless. Worse, my canines had elongated, ready to mark her forever with my scent. Claim her as mine so no other wolf would ever think about taking her. The trouble is—she’s human. Mating her would mean relinquishing my position as alpha. An alpha mates an alpha. Humans are about as far from alpha as it gets. Although a psychic human might be different. If we produced dominant wolf pups with psychic abilities, it would be epic. But the pack isn’t going to wait around to see what our pups look like. If they sense a leader has a weakness, another dominant wolf moves in. Tank. Or Jackson King, the lone wolf who owns the multi-billion dollar tech company SeCure.

No, I need to resist Amber. For her good, and mine. Hell, I could’ve hurt her. I had zero control, was ready to tear her flesh with my teeth to make sure she knew who claimed her.

There’s a word for wolves who lose it like this: moon mad. The wolf takes over, consumed with the desire to mate. The more dominant the wolf, the more dangerous it is.

I’m alpha. I’m the most dominant wolf I know, except maybe my dad. It’s clear my wolf wants Amber. To keep from going mad, I’ll have to either claim her or stay way far away.

I take the stairs. I was out all night, running, trying to tire my wolf out before I had to get close to Amber again. No such luck. My animal goes crazy as I open the door to the hall. Not to mention my libido. My erection presses painfully against my jeans.

Amber’s door opens. Her name leaps to my lips, but out comes a tiny woman with rainbow-colored hair. She shuts the door carefully with one hand, the other steadying a large, floppy purse as she starts down the hall. At the last minute, she looks up when I pass her.

“You!” She stops to put her hands on her hips to glare up at me. “What’s your deal?”

“Excuse me?” My wolf would normally snarl at the challenge to my authority, but this little lady smells like Amber. “Who are you?” I say, just as I recognize her from the club the night before.

“Foxfire. I’m Amber’s friend. I picked her up in the mountains where you stranded her.” Her finger almost pokes me in the chest.

My throat vibrates with a growl. “Sweetheart, you need to back off.”

“You need to stay away from my girl. You and your werewolf gang—”

“What?” I almost roar.

She throws up her hands. “Whatever the name of your gang is. Wolves or Werewolves or whatever. You can call yourself the Dumbass Jackholes for all I care. Just leave Amber alone.” With the final shout, she stomps off, leaving me trembling, my skin crackling with the desire to shift and tear apart the threat to my pack.

Amber let my secret slip. I trusted her, and the first thing she does is tell her spitfire friend, who then shouts it to the world.

“Oh, hell, no.” I march to Amber’s door, clenching my fist tight. She wants to see the big bad wolf? “Amber? Open up.”

If she goes out the fire escape again, she’ll be sorry.

The scent of vanilla and sweet orange.

“Open the door, Amber,”

“What are you going to do?” I hear the patter of her heartbeat even through the wood.

“Open it now. One... two…”

The lock clicks open. Her face is pinched and pale.

“Wise decision.” I push past her into her living room.

She trails behind me.

I stop, clenching my fists as if it will help me keep my wolf in line. I don’t know what the hell to do. I don’t want to threaten her with the old-school consequence of a human knowing our secret—death. I’d take a bullet through the head before I let anyone harm this beautiful human.

“You broke your word to me.”

She stands, shoulders hunched, eyes on the floor.

The submissive pose flips a switch in me. My cock turns hard as stone, despite my disappointment. Genuine anger changes to a lusty desire to paint her ass red. Right before I bend her over and pound her from behind.

“I didn’t mean to tell her,” she whispers. “I slipped into a vision and...it just came out. I told her it was the name of your motorcycle gang.”

Some of the tension in my face eases. I review what Foxfire said, and it fits. Still, I don’t want anyone thinking we’re wolves, whether it’s the name of a gang or the real animal. “Well, we don’t have a gang. What are you going to tell her when she finds out we don’t call ourselves that, even in jest?”

She shrinks down even more. Normally, she wouldn’t be this cowed, but I sense the shame in her scent. She’s truly sorry.

My chest rumbles with my wolf as I prowl around her. “I don’t think you understand. Shifters do not allow humans to know they exist. It is common practice to eliminate any threats to our privacy.”

Amber still hasn’t moved. I’m not sure she’s breathing at all. My wolf loves dominating her, even though the human part of me scrambles to keep control. Images of pinning her delicate hands to the wall and smacking that cute ass flood my brain.

“You were already in danger, Amber. I liked you, so I was willing to go out on a limb and let you live. But now there are two of you who know. You just put your friend into grave danger.”

“Please don’t hurt Foxfire.” A tear streaks down her cheek. The salty scent of it subdues my irritation faster than a tranquilizer dart. Another sign she’s my mate.

I run my fingers through her hair, gripping a handful and slowly drawing her head back, exposing her neck. For a second, my vision goes dark, as I fight the animal growling at me to mark her.

“Naughty, Amber,” I breathe in her ear, catching a note of arousal to her frightened scent.

It spikes my own. I let her feel the weight of my dominance. Let her understand how dangerous a creature I really am. “What am I going to do with you?”

My phone rings, breaking the spell. I step back and yank it from my pocket. I see Sedona’s name on the screen and answer it quickly.

“Why in the hell haven’t I heard from you until now?”

“Uh,” a male voice says. “This is Jason, Sedona’s friend. We’re in San Carlos?”

Ice shoots through my veins. “Yeah?”

“Sedona...well, she kind of disappeared.”

“What do you mean, kind of disappeared? Where is she?”

“We don’t know. She went out for a run on the beach, and she never came back. We’ve looked everywhere. We even tried the cops, but they didn’t seem like they cared that much. We were thinking maybe you could call the embassy or something?”

Sedona. My sister. Gone.

My animal rises in me, clawing to the surface. Amber’s worried face appears in front of me. I focus on her.

“I’m coming,” I growl, my voice half gone to my wolf. “Where?”

The kid gets what I’m asking and promises to text the directions. The thought that I have to wait to know where to go is the only thing that keeps me from crushing my phone.

“What is it?” Amber’s voice shakes. And she should be scared. She woke a big bad predator, and now she’s going to have to deal with the consequences. I stalk forward, and she backs up, like the good prey that she is.

“My sister, Sedona. She’s missing.”

“Oh no.” Her eyes go wide. Her back hits the wall, but she never stops meeting my gaze. “What happened?”

In answer, I press my forearms on either side of her head, caging her in. My body covers hers. One move and my cock will brush against her, and I’ll lose it. My hands fist, fighting for control. I drop my head, inhaling her warm, sweet scent. Amber. Mate. She’s the only thing holding me together right now.

She’s the only one with the power to tear me apart.

“Garrett?” My name on her lips makes me want to forget my failings as a brother and my terror over Sedona’s disappearance. I want to breathe in Amber, and her alone.

Instead, I back up enough she can see the light silver in my eye. “Pack a bag and grab your passport. We’re going to Mexico.”

“What?”

“You’re psychic. You see thing others don’t. You’re coming with me to find her.”

“I’m sorry, Garrett, but I can’t. I have work on Monday—”

“I’m not asking. You broke the rules, little human. I can’t let you run around free, and I have to go, which means you’re coming along. I own you now.”

 

~.~

 

Amber

 

I huddle in the backseat of Garrett’s Range Rover, shivering, even though it’s not cold. The doors on either side of me open, and Jared and Trey slide in, sandwiching me between them.

Let the record reflect: I’m not into foursomes or kidnap scenarios. I guess I should have told Garrett that, because this is not my idea of a great second date.

“What’s with the lawyer, boss? She doesn’t look happy to be here.”

“She’s coming with us. Don’t let her escape,” Garrett growls. He climbs into the front seat and peels out of the parking lot. I scramble to click in my seat belt. My two bodyguards—because that’s what they are—don’t bother.

The tattooed one—Jared—sits and watches me, arms braced as Garrett weaves in and out of traffic. “What’s your plan with her?”

“I’m sitting right here,” I mutter.

“We gonna have to kill her?” Trey rumbles.

They’re joking. I’m pretty sure. But not positive. Fuck.

“If he wanted to kill her, she’d already be dead, and we’d be disposing of the body,” Jared says, as I choke on my own breath.

“No killing. She’s gonna help us.” Garrett’s deep rumble stirs me even in this tense moment.

“Oh yeah.” Jared studies me. He has long eyelashes and hazel eyes. “I forgot—she’s psychic.”

“You told them?”

Garrett’s eyes meet mine in the rear view mirror. “I don’t hide anything from my pack.”

Oh, so no reciprocity here? I bite back a retort. Now is not the time for Lawyer Amber to assert her case. Maybe when the energy in the car isn’t thick with tension. I can barely breathe.

“You think you can sense a missing person, psychic lady?” Jared asks. One of his tattoos is a skeleton amorously entangled with a very buxom, half-naked lady. Charming.

“My name is Amber. ” I pull out my snooty voice to bolster myself against fear. “And the answer is no. It’s not a skill I know how to use. It’s more like something that happens to me.”

“Well, I need you to try,” Garrett says from the front seat.

“I really don’t know how.” I don’t. And I know he’s going to blame me when it doesn’t work.

“So, why is she our prisoner?” Trey pushes.

I stiffen at the casual way he asks, as if taking prisoners is par for the course.

“She talked,” Garrett mutters.

“You’re scaring her.” Jared puts an arm around me and lightly rubs my shoulder. “She’s shaking like a leaf.”

“Do not touch her.” Garrett’s growl makes my stomach drop to my feet. His eyes glow silver in the mirror.

Jared removes his arm.

Trey shifts in his seat, putting a few inches between me and his big body. “Yes, sir.”

“Understood, boss,” Jared echoes.

They look like punks, but they sound like they’re in the military.

Garrett’s not done. “If either of you touches her I will smash your faces in, got it?”

Neanderthal. These guys are total Neanderthals. But my entire body flushes, and some part of me enjoys his possessive threat. Or it just protective? Either way, it puts a warm, squirmy feeling in my belly.

“So, if she tries to escape, I’ll just stop her with my invisible forcefield,” Trey mutters.

“Are you really talking back to me?” Garrett demands. His fingers are white on the steering wheel.

“No, sir.” Trey exchanges a glance with Jared, raising his eyebrows slightly, as if to say, “What’s with him?”

I breathe a little easier after seeing this exchange.

“Amber has a friend.” I tense all over again at Garrett’s words. “Her name is Foxfire. She was at the club.”

“Miss Pukes-alot? I remember,” Jared says.

“Call Tank and tell him to keep an eye on her.”

“What?” I blurt before I think. “No.”

“Yes—”

“Foxfire’s harmless. She thinks Werewolves is the name of your motorcycle gang or something. I swear, she won’t tell anyone.” My voice rises to match my level of desperation.

“You told someone about us?” Trey asks. The way the temperature drops in the car, I realize how serious this is. I’m in big trouble.

“I had a vision. It slipped out. Don’t take it out on Foxfire.”

“No harm will come to your friend,” Garrett promises. “I swear on my wolf.”

“I just need her address.” Jared pauses mid text.

I shake my head. Tears burn my eyes. Stupid, stupid visions. Stupid werewolves. I didn’t ask for any of this. “Please,” I whisper.

“Amber.”

I meet Garrett’s eyes in the mirror.

He says nothing more, but his look demands I yield into his inflexible will. Maybe I have Stockholm syndrome. With a sigh, I tell them Foxfire’s address.

“She’ll be okay,” Garrett assures me.

“Yeah, don’t worry,” Trey adds.

We drive in silence for forty minutes, until we pass the sign for the Mexican border. A jolt runs through me when I see it. Am I really going to leave the country with these wolves?

“Amber, look at me.” Garrett taps the rearview mirror until I meet his eyes. “No trouble,” he warns. “Do not call attention to us in any way. Don’t speak unless you’re asked a direct question. Do not give them any cause to stop us, understand?”

I tighten my lips. My heart races. I’m in serious trouble. Kidnapped by a lethal pack of wolves and taken to Mexico. Am I ever coming back? Lawyer Amber would never allow herself to be taken out of the country by near strangers. She got a top score on the bar exam. She’s not stupid. At what point did I check in my brain and start thinking with my vagina? I don’t let anyone push me around, hot werewolf, or not.

“Are we clear?”

I force myself to nod, before looking away. I need to think of something, quick. This is nuts, and I’ve spent a lifetime trying to keep Crazy Amber out of my life.

Our car inches forward in line. When we reach the little concrete hut, Garrett turns off the car, signaling that we all need to get out to bring our paperwork inside. He claps a large hand on my shoulder as we walk forward.

Inside, he continues to direct me. I fill out the tourist visa form, and bring it forward when the man behind the counter motions to me.

“Disculpe.” I pray Garrett doesn’t speak Spanish. His grip tightens as I rush on. “Tengo un problema…”

A rumble comes from Garrett, low but distinct. A warning.

I gulp down my words. What the hell am I doing, anyway?

“Em...dónde está el baño?” I ask for the bathroom instead of explaining my problem.  and Garrett eases his grip.

The man points toward the Damas sign on the restroom.

I bob my head. “Gracias.”

When the man hands the paperwork back, I head to the restroom, Garrett on my heels.

“I’ll be right out,” I tell him.

Inside, I explore my options. Like many buildings in Mexico, the little concrete structure is simply made, with screen-less windows near the ceiling that hinge open. It’ll be tight, but I might be able to fit through the small opening. I stand on the toilet and hoist myself up, throwing my leg toward the window. I fall short and drop back to the ground, panting.

Come on, Amber. You can do this.

Another try, and I manage to hook my ankle over the edge of the open window. My heart races like a hummingbird’s as I inch my leg through to the knee then hang onto the top of the stall and swing my other leg up. Slowly, I push my body forward, on an angle to fit through the narrow passage. I have no idea what’s outside. Probably a border guard with a machine gun who will assume I’m a criminal. But I speak Spanish. I can present my case. No, better to not incriminate the werewolves. I’ll just tell them I don’t feel well and need to get a cab back to Tucson or something like that. Someone here will gladly take my money.

I wriggle and turn, propelling myself through the window. Sucking in a breath, I lay my middle across the narrow ledge of the window.

A hand closes around my ankle, and I scream, jerking and smacking my head on the ceiling. I twist to see who grabbed me, but my own body blocks my view. I try to kick free, and for a moment, I almost succeed, but then two hands grip my hips, lifting me from the perch and pulling me out.

Garrett. Only a shifter is this strong.

I slide down his hard, muscled body. Landing on the ground, I face two hundred pounds of disgruntled male. “What did I tell you about running from a wolf?”

My nipples are hard from dragging down his chest. His clean scent lures me in, reminding me of the night he carried me up to his apartment and spanked my ass pink. I must be nuts, because half of me hopes he’ll punish me that way again. I draw in a shaky breath. “It was worth a try.”

He quirks a brow, slipping his arms around me and pulling me close to his hard frame.

I stifle a moan.

“Listen, I know I’m an asshole to drag you down here. I know you’re freaking out. But you can’t run away from me. My wolf will chase, and that could be dangerous for you. Besides, I need your help.” He stabs his fingers through his hair, leaving it rumpled.

His emotions are palpable to me. I never considered myself empathic in addition to clairvoyant, but with him, it seems I am. “I-I don’t even know where we’re going.”

He brushes a lock of hair back from my eyes. “We’re going to San Carlos, where my sister disappeared this morning. She’s a werewolf, too, and she vanished into thin air.”

“But... who can kidnap a werewolf?”

His jaw tenses, but he draws in a slow breath and exhales. “I don’t know. But we need to find her. Soon.”

The image of a terrified wolf lying on her side, surrounded by men flashes before my eyes. Ice floods my veins.

Garrett is telling the truth.

 

~.~

 

Garrett

 

I toss Jared the keys. “You drive.” I lead Amber to the backseat and climbing in beside her.

I pull out my phone and open the photos on it, scrolling through until I find one of my sister and show it to Amber. “This is Sedona. She went out for a run on the beach and didn’t come back.”

Amber looks at the picture and nibbles her lip. “You think I’ll be able to figure out where she is?”

“Will you just see if you get anything? Anything at all?”

She stares at the phone but doesn’t seem to be looking at the picture. Her eyes are unfocused.

I force down a stab of frustration and wait.

Finally, she says in a shaky voice, “What if I see something you don’t want to know?”

“What do you see?”

She looks past me out the window, a haunted expression in her eyes.

“What?”

“I saw a white wolf, on her side, suffering. Surrounded by men.”

My wolf nearly breaks out of me. My whole body shakes with the almost change. My growl vibrates through the car.

I blink, but when I look over, Amber’s almost in Trey’s lap.

“Stay quiet, eyes down,” he whispers to her.

Why the fuck is she in his arms?

I reach out and haul her into my lap. “I said don’t touch her.” My voice is choked with wolf.

“You scared her, boss.” Trey keeps his own eyes lowered, his voice quiet and even. “Don’t fight him,” he warns Amber, and I realize the little human is struggling in my arms.

I ease my grip. “Sorry.” One last inhale of her signature Amber scent, and I let her slide off my lap to her seat.

She starts to raise her gaze but drops her eyes again, holding still like a rabbit who thinks she can’t be seen by the hawk above.

I unclench my fists and reach out to stroke her hair.

She doesn’t move. “I told you. No one wants to know the things I see.”

“No, I do.” I’m about to apologize again, when I catch the scent of her tears. My wolf whines and backs down. It’s almost a relief not to feel the power of the animal clamoring for freedom. As my brain and logic return, I’m flooded with sympathy for this sweet human who obviously considers her gift a curse. How she’s suffered for this skill. The need to protect and care for her outweighs the danger facing Sedona, which I can do nothing about at the moment. I cup her chin with a gentle touch and lift her face. “You’ve seen a lot of things you wished you hadn’t,” I guess, keeping my voice soft, sympathetic.

Her eyes fill with fresh tears. “Yeah.”

“Tell me.” I sift my hand through her hair, releasing more of her scent. I don’t want to drag her through bad memories, but I know she doesn’t share much of herself with others. Maybe getting it out would help.

She shakes her head, shoulders slumping. “All kinds of things. Werewolves, for one thing.” Her lips twist into a wry grimace.

“Yeah, I think we’ve covered that.”

“I saw my high school English teacher’s husband beating her up, the rape of a friend. I see people’s traumas, their worst secrets. It’s a fucking curse. I have a recurring dream of a puppy standing in blood.” Tears fall down her face. “And every time I have it, someone dies. First my dad. Later, my mom. Then a social worker. When I was little, I thought I made it happen.”

I slide my arm around her shoulders and pull her in close. “I’m sorry, sweetheart. That’s terrible.”

She sniffs. “Yeah. I only see bad things—” she breaks off, staring at me, her eyes wide, and all the air leaves the Range Rover.

“You think I’m a bad thing?” I guess, my organs turning to stone.

She swallows and studies the tattoo on my hand.

Maybe I am bad for her. Fuck. The fact that she knows about us puts her at risk from any vigilante pack member who gets nervous about her. The fact my wolf wants to mark her with his teeth puts her at risk of being shackled to me for her whole life or, worse, dying from infection or bleed-out.

But I’m not going to let anything bad happen to her. No matter what.

“You see secrets,” I say firmly. “Shifting is mine. Doesn’t mean I’m going to harm you, baby.” Even as I speak, I doubt she will believe me. I strong-armed her into coming with me. I’ve kept her on edge to win her silence.

Her gaze drifts out the window of the car, her expression blank.

Damn. I fucked everything up.