It took several minutes for Bethi to fall asleep, and like the night before, she used me as her personal pillow.  I ran my fingers through her hair and tried to think of something that didn’t involve the way she pressed against me…like math.  Estimating what we’d need for monthly rent and utilities, I started calculating how many hours I’d need to work to save enough to get us out of the Compound.  Those thoughts reminded me to update Joshua.  We were supposed to meet his contact in a few hours, and I knew we’d never make it in time.

I pulled out my phone, but instead of calling, I texted him.

Needed to stop so she could rest. Won’t make the meetup today.

Almost immediately, he responded.

I can have him come to you.

Having an Elder on my side was rather nice.  But, given Bethi’s dreams and her need to touch me while she slept, I preferred to stay where we were.

That’s unnecessary.  I’ll contact you when we are moving again.

I tossed the phone onto the chair and got comfortable.  Even though it was midmorning, I relaxed enough to doze.

Just after lunch I woke and eased out from under her to use the toilet.  Before I finished washing my hands, I heard Bethi start to thrash around in bed and hurried back.  She didn’t settle down until her head was on my chest, her hand on my ribs, and her thigh across my hips.

The contact once again took my mind where it didn’t belong, but my stomach happily rescued me from the direction of my thoughts.

Reaching over the side of the bed, I picked up the bag and set it on the mattress.  I immediately saw I wouldn’t be able to eat the way we were.  Tugging over the pillow Bethi wasn’t using, I stuffed it behind me and scooted up just a bit.  Bethi’s head slowly slid toward my stomach.  I stilled, going hot then cold as I stared at her, not wanting her to go any lower.  I’d never recover from that.

When she remained where she was, I carefully rearranged the pillows to manage a semi-reclined position with Bethi’s head still mostly on my chest.  Satisfied, I reached for a bag of jalapeno chips.  The packaging crinkled loudly as I opened it, but she didn’t seem to notice.  Crunching on the chips was just as noisy.  Her breathing stayed even and her expression relaxed.

I grinned.  When we were Mated, I would be able to get away with eating in bed all the time.  The few human women I’d known hadn’t understood midnight snacking and usually said no the first time I brought something to bed.  With Bethi, she would never know.

I crumpled up the empty bag and accurately tossed it into the bin before reaching for the ham sandwich.  She hadn’t wanted me to buy it, explaining that it would go bad without a refrigerator.  Just another reminder of how little she knew about my kind.  There was no such thing as bad food.  Not to our stomachs.

As I lifted the sandwich to my mouth, the bread flopped to the side, allowing a piece of cheese to fall out.  The yellow triangle landed on Bethi’s cheek.  Time stopped.  Wide-eyed, my gaze bounced between the cheese on her face and her closed eyes.  What should I do?  Heart hammering, I carefully peeled it off and quickly ate it.

For several long moments, I stared at her.  When she didn’t move, I exhaled in relief.  That could have gone horribly.

My stomach growled loudly, and I brought the sandwich back to my mouth and took a large bite.  As I pulled the sandwich away, a bit of ham fell.

“Are you fu—”

She moved.

Panicking, I shoved the whole sandwich in my mouth and started chewing frantically as I picked the ham out of her hair.  I jammed that in my mouth too and swallowed everything.  The large glob of sandwich went down grudgingly.

She sighed loudly and nuzzled my chest a bit before quieting again.  Relieved she hadn’t woken, I reached for the bottle of water still in the bag.  I drained the liquid, tossed the bottle in the bin with the rest of the rubbish, then relaxed back into the pillows and waited for Bethi to wake up.

*    *    *    *

The baby in the room next to ours started to fuss, and I listened to the mother speak softly as she fed her child.  The image of my mother rose to mind.  Auburn hair with matching freckles and a wide smile.  I could remember her kissing my cheek each morning when I sat down to breakfast and her stern tone when I tried to escape afterward to avoid homeschooling.  Then I remembered the day I came home and found them both dead with a scent of another werewolf lingering in the air.

The human police had called it a mugging, which had probably not been far off.  I suspected that another family pack had passed through and saw our presence in that small town as a claim to that territory.  The leader had likely challenged my father, and they’d fought to the death.  My mother wouldn’t have quietly watched my father die.

I lightly ran my hand down Bethi’s back.  Dreams of a Mate and saving money weren’t enough to ensure our future.  While so many others thought joining a bigger pack was the answer, I believed changing our rules to show we had evolved beyond the baser instincts of challenges and death fights a better strategy.  Until that day came, I wasn’t sure my world was a fit place for our future children.

Bethi’s breathing changed slighting, an indicator that she was starting to wake.

Moving my hand from her back to her hair, I waited.  After a few moments, she sighed contentedly and her fingers moved over my ribs.

“Had enough?” I asked.

“I guess so,” she said, lifting her head.

She stared at me in the dim light of the room.  The soft look in her eyes and the sweetness of her scent messed with my head, and for a moment, I considered pulling her down to claim her lips.  She saved me by getting out of bed and closing herself into the bathroom.

Groaning, I got out of bed, already missing the feel of her head on my chest.

When I grabbed my shirt, I noticed my phone blinking and found a message from Joshua.

I would prefer to have him meet you.

I quickly slid the shirt over my head and responded.

Sorry.  Didn’t see your message until now.  We’ll meet him in the same location at the same time tomorrow.

Tucking the phone into my pocket, I straightened the room and waited for Bethi.

When she emerged dressed, I took the bag from her.

“Think you can manage to stay awake for a while?”

She nodded so I held the door for her, and we walked to the office to check out.  Bethi didn’t comment on the dark skies.  However, the woman behind the desk gave us an odd look for checking out in the middle of the night.  I rather liked driving in the wee hours when everything was quiet.

Bethi and I walked outside to the bike.  She waited for me to sit.

“No car yet?” she asked, settling behind me.

“I told my contact we stopped along the way.  We’re still set to meet.”  I turned to look at her.  “Are you trying to tell me you’re tired already?”

I’d hoped to drive all day to make the meeting tomorrow.  She shook her head and grinned a little.  With relief, I looped the strap around us both and tightened it.  Her arms wrapped around me, making my skin tingle where she touched.

She remained awake for the next several hours, and in companionable silence, we watched the sun rise together.  The sleep seemed to have done the job.  She remained alert and in a semi-good mood.  Well, good for Bethi.

“Are you hungry?” I asked, turning my head.

“I could eat,” she called back.

First place I found, we pulled over.  She straightened away from me, stretching out her arms as I parked.  I loosened the strap, freeing her.

“How are you holding up?” I asked as she got off.

“Fine, but my butt’s getting a little sore,” she said, drawing my gaze to her seat by rubbing it.  She did have a nice backside.  She caught my stare and arched a brow at me.  “What?”

“Nothing.  Let’s get some food.”  I turned and led the way inside.

Calculating the amount of money remaining and weighing it against my hunger, I decided to go with a large breakfast.  Bethi settled for a muffin.

“You should eat more,” I said when the woman walked away with our order.

“If I do, I’ll be drooling on your back within five minutes,” she said, nodding toward the bike.

“You said you weren’t tired yet.”

“No, I said I was ‘Fine.’  There’s a difference.  If we take a few breaks like this, I should continue to be fine.”

“Very well.”  It would slow us down a little, but we should still make our meeting the next day.

She made a that’s-what-I-thought face, then idly looked around the café.  I wanted to talk to her, to try to get to know her, but didn’t think asking about home or school and reminding her of everything she’d left behind was a good idea.

“I saw your ID,” I said.  “No one’s commented on your name yet?”

She shook her head.  “People don’t want to see what’s right in front of their faces.  It’s easier to believe lies than the truth.”

“What does the name mean?  Why defeat?”

“Because I won’t accept it.  Not in this life or any other.”

All right.  Wrong subject.  But, I wasn’t ready to give up with only one failed attempt.

“What color is your hair naturally?”

She met my gaze, a puzzled frown pulling at her features.  “Plain old brown.”

I doubted anything about Bethi was plain.

“Why did you change it?”

She moved a hand to her hair, touching the strands lightly as she looked away.  “It was an easy explanation for the changes people were starting to notice.  Wear dark clothes, heavy makeup, and hair dye and people think you’re going through a goth-grunge phase.  It’s better than trying to convince someone you’re dreaming past lives and ending up on meds you don’t need,” she said with a hint of bitterness.  Her hand dropped back to the table, and I reached to set my hand on hers.

“I believe you.”

“Do you?”

I believed she believed the dreams were real.  Bethi was already special in my eyes.  It wasn’t that far of a stretch to add to her uniqueness.  I was just having trouble making that final jump to true belief.

“If you really believe me, let me Claim you.”

“Bethi, that’s not—”

“Yeah, that’s what I thought.”

Unwilling to annoy her further, I kept quiet and let her look around in silence.  When the waitress brought our food, I dug in and ate quickly.  It took less than twenty minutes total to get back on the road.  She sat behind me alertly, but we still used the bag to strap her close.

Keeping in mind what she’d said about being fine, I tried to time our stops to every hour and a half.  Sometimes it was just a respite so she could walk around; sometimes we stopped for something to eat.  The breaks set us further behind than I wanted but traveling with her awake worked far better than having her pass out.

Bethi did well until the sun began to hug the horizon.

“I think we need to stop for the night,” she said, tapping my shoulder.

I nodded and sped up.  At our last stop I’d used my phone to search for nearby motels and knew we were within minutes of reaching a decent one.

“We’re almost there,” I said, passing a rundown looking roadside motel.

A few minutes later, we entered the next small town.  I pulled into the parking lot of the motel and cut the engine.  Bethi leaned heavily against my back, and I could tell by her slow pulse and even breathing she was close to sleeping already.

“Come on, luv,” I said, lifting the strap and wrapping an arm around her so she wouldn’t fall off.  “Let’s get you to bed.”

She giggled, and I frowned.  I couldn’t take her inside like that.  She willingly stayed beside the bike while I procured a room.  When I returned, she was pacing a slow circle around it, looking like a very inebriated human.

I led her to the room and opened the door.  She shuffled directly toward the bathroom, and I quickly handed her the bag before she shut herself inside.

While she was busy changing, I went outside to call Joshua.

“It’s good to hear from you, Luke,” he said.  “I must admit, I’m not a fan of texting yet.”

“Sorry about that.  She was sleeping, and I didn’t want to disturb her.”

“Understandable.”

“We’ve stopped for the night.  I was hoping to get a little further today, but we should still be there on time.”

“Very good.  I could always send the car for you.”

“That’s not necessary.  But I could use some cash.  We’re running low.”

“Of course.  Since Dean is already waiting for you, it would be easier to wire money to you directly.  Where are you staying?”

I told him, and he found a place to wire the money to in the morning.

“Thanks, Joshua.”

“This is what I’m here for, Luke.  Sleep well.”

When I walked back into the room, Bethi was already face down on top of the covers.  Sideways seemed to be her favorite sleeping position.  I shook my head and repositioned her so she was comfortably using a pillow and under the blanket.  Then, I used the bathroom for a quick shower.  By the time I finished, she was already twitching and crying her way through another dream.

“I have you, luv,” I said as I hurriedly crossed the room.

Lying beside her, I pulled her into my arms.

*    *    *    *

“Here.”

The softly spoken word woke me just before dawn, and it took a moment to recall I was in a hotel room with Bethi draped over me.  I blinked and looked around the shadowed room.

The door knob moved slightly, drawing my gaze.  Someone was outside our room, testing the door to see if it was locked.

I was already easing Bethi to the side when I caught a scent through the door.

Werewolf.

“Ready?”

I shoved Bethi out of the way and jumped from the bed just as the wood splintered.  A man moved inward with the swinging panel of wood.  Before the door hit the wall, I pulled the change forward.  Fur erupted and bone cracked.  With teeth and claws, I rushed the man who was in the midst of his own change.  I couldn’t allow him to enter.  Not with Bethi just a few feet behind me.

We collided, his teeth crashing against mine as we tried to maneuver for each other’s throats.  I pushed at my opponent, forcing him back and both of us onto our hind legs.

My attention remained with the fight, but I still heard the frantic race of Bethi’s heart and couldn’t be sure if she was awake and watching or in one of her dreams.  This time, I hoped she dreamed.

My opponent managed to bring up his front legs and heave them against my chest.  Off balance on my hind legs, I began to fall backward.  As I did, I lunged for his exposed throat and caught flesh.  As we went down together, I heard a growl from outside.

The glass of the room’s large window shattered inward, giving birth to two furless men as Bethi dove from the bed and rolled toward me.

I locked my jaw and twisted my head, needing to end this one to get to Bethi.  However, I gave up my efforts in the next instant when the newcomers landed on their booted feet within the room.  Releasing my hold on the wolf, I spun to face the pair.

In my peripheral, I saw the wolf I’d released reached for Bethi with a partially shifted hand.  Rage consumed me.  Turning, I went for what was closest—his face—and savagely bit down.  He screamed as a canine punctured his eye.  Using my hold, I yanked him backward, moving him away from Bethi.

She was mine.

She scrambled back until she bumped the bedside table hard enough to make the lamp wobble.  I dropped the dead wolf and leapt at the man closest to me as Bethi threw the bedside lamp like a mace at the other man.

Dangerously, I kept half my attention on Bethi and her opponent while trying to sink my teeth into mine.

Mutt one lifted his forearm to protect his face.  I sank my teeth to the bone and started to pretend he was a cob of corn.  He cried out as mutt two batted the lamp away.  The lamp shattered, and Bethi rolled under the bed.  With her safely tucked away, I focused.  Removing my teeth from my opponent’s flesh, I leapt up, gave him a paw to the groin then went for his throat when his hand automatically dropped to protect his jollys.  I bit hard enough to keep him down, but not to kill.  As he fell, I turned to meet mutt two, who had started bending toward the bed.  He predictably blocked me with a forearm and a swipe to my ribs.  I twisted to fall behind him and savaged the tendons behind his right ankle and left knee.

Within seconds, he was stomach down on the floor along with his partner.

“You won’t win,” mutt one said, his words barely a whisper.  Didn’t he realize I already had?  One of his friends was dead and he and the other would take days to heal.

I shifted back to my skin and wanted to swear as I reached into our bag.  I was back down to one pair of pants.  A thump under the bed had me hurrying into the dark bathroom.  Bethi’s rapid breathing, drumming pulse, and scent of panic told me she was close to losing it.  As I tugged on my pants, I watched her crawl out from under the bed and look at the men slowly changing back to their skin on the floor.  Her eyes watered, and she quietly eased back under the bed.

My poor girl.

Moving quickly, I picked up the two living men and carried them out on my shoulders.  Since the front of the motel was well-lit, I used my speed to rush them from our semi-dark room to the shadowed side of the building where I tossed them to the ground.  I went back for the third and laid him beside his friends.

“There are too few of us for this kind of death,” I said, hoping one of them would hear me.  “Don’t try this again.”

When I returned, Bethi was still under the bed.  I worked to remove every trace of the fight, not just for her, but also for the motel staff.  To explain the broken window, I tossed the glass and broken lamp out onto the ground.  Luckily, there wasn’t much blood on the carpet to contradict the scene.  A wet towel removed any visible trace from me and the room.

Tugging on a shirt, I quickly left the room to check the motorcycle.  They’d left it alone.  Good.  We needed to move.

Bethi was already in the bathroom with the bag when I walked through the door.  I sat on the bed, put on my shoes, then waited.

Her eyes looked haunted when she opened the door.  She paused and just stared at me.

“Are you all right?” I asked softly.

When I moved toward her, she flinched.  I stopped.

“It will be okay, Bethi.  I left money and an explanation with the manager for the broken window,” I lied.  “We should go.”  Preferably, before someone saw three bloody, naked bodies piled in the dark.  I didn’t want her to know any of those gory details, though.  She’d been through enough.

She nodded, and I gently took the bag from her and held out my hand.  She ignored it and walked through the door.  The scent of her hopelessness choked the air as I followed.

In silence, she took her seat and allowed me to place the strap around her.  However, she didn’t hold on.  As I took off, she held herself rigid behind me.

“Are you all right back there?” I asked after several minutes.

She didn’t answer me.

Willing to give her some time to process, I kept driving.  However, after two hours of no responses, I began to worry.  Not only was she not moving, she wasn’t falling asleep.  We hadn’t slept long at the hotel before the challengers had found us.  Not enough for her to be well-rested.

Unable to wait any longer, I pulled to the shoulder and cut the engine.

“Bethi?” I said, turning.  “I’m sorry.  Those were not typical challenges.  They did not back down.  I had no choice.”

She blinked at me.  “Don’t be sorry.  It wasn’t a challenge.  There will be more wolves.  They will come until I choose or I die.”

The flat emotionlessness of her voice scared me.  It was as if she’d given up.

I opened my mouth to tell her she wouldn’t die, that females were safe, but I remembered my mother.  There was no such thing as absolute safety in this or any life.  I wished there was.

Knowing I didn’t have the words to promise she wouldn’t die, I faced forward, told her to hold tight, and took off from the shoulder.  I needed to get Bethi somewhere she’d feel safe again.