Page 13

T ake it slow.

I had that sentence on repeat inside my brain for the entire last week.

The crisp autumn air carried a hint of wood smoke, and the trees, dressed in their brilliant fall colors, looked like a work of art. Street art was becoming a favorite of mine, and I appreciated graffiti in a way I never had before.

The trees, though, especially the ones around her property seemed especially lovely. Like a mural of gold, orange, and crimson against the bright blue sky.

Look at me being all fanciful and shit.

I adjusted my cowboy hat on my head, manning up for my day. This morning had been easy so far, and I was here to bring the herd back now that the pens had all been properly fenced and cleaned of storm debris.

Yeah, it was a pretty morning. Real pretty.

Seriously?

What was I, a poet now, or some shit?

Demon snapped his jaws inside my mind’s eye, and I snorted at the fucker’s ornery nature. No. A poet, I was not.

Maybe it was just what being near Jezebel did to me. Whenever I was close to her, the world didn’t seem quite so awful as it used to. She was a fixer, that one.

A homemaker.

Soft and perfect with her bright blue eyes and soft brown hair. I couldn’t believe I was fortunate enough to have her in my life. I mean, me . The broken Wolf.

How fucking lucky was I that I was the man who got to hold her?

To kiss her.

To make her moan and pant when I touched her just right.

To breathe in her sweet arousal.

To feel her sweet pussy gripping me every time I made her come.

To mark her with my bite.

Goddamn. I had it bad. She was so deeply ingrained in my heart, my mind, my very soul, I couldn’t stop thinking about her.

Jezebel was everything. Even though it had only been a few hours since I left her, satisfied and glowing in her bed.

Only after licking her awake in the early hours of the morning.

Fuck. She was perfect. I could still hear the echo of her screaming my name as I fucked her with my mouth to glorious completion.

I missed her like crazy already. Her deliciously responsive, sweet, soft body. Those precious smiles and the way the corners of her bright blue eyes crinkled when she laughed.

Fuck.

There goes my boner. It was my new constant physical state when I thought about her.

My sweet Angel.

My mate.

I hated that we still lived apart, but she was human, and it was too soon to do what I really wanted. Break down her door and carry her to my cabin and never let her leave.

But I couldn’t do that. I was pretty damn sure there were laws against that kind of thing. Not that Demon cared about human legalities. The Wolf was on board with just taking her back to our den and keeping her there.

In my cabin.

Forever.

Shit.

I wanted her to be my home so damn badly I could taste it.

Take it slow.

Yeah, well, that was easier said than fucking done.

I watched the curve of the road as I headed towards the back lot where the goats were already waiting in the trailer.

“Morning,” Jed called out, his new kid, Dolly Lee, whom he called Lee-Lee for short, cradled in his arms.

“Jed,” I acknowledged him with a nod and jumped out of the truck to hitch the trailer to the back.

“It alright if I sit with this little girl up front?” he asked, and I nodded.

“Yep. I’m gonna stop by Jezebel’s before we go back though,” I told him, already having made that decision.

We took turns closing and locking the gates behind the truck as I drove to the next lot where her doublewide sat.

I had a list of improvements I was making to the place, just so she would be safe and secure. Demon would allow for no less. Overall, I liked it out here. It was peaceful, quiet, and pretty.

Like her.

I was relatively new to the Garden State, having moved here just a few months ago, after answering that advertisement about the ranch. But I had to admit I was slowly becoming a fan.

There was something about the rhythm of life here—the way the local diners served up hearty breakfasts, the lively chatter of neighbors during evening walks, and the vibrant energy of Dry Creek that soothed Demon, put the Wolf at ease.

He was getting attached, and that was good. Growing roots was what I needed to settle my animal.

For a man who’d been indifferent to the places I’d bounced around during my life, that said something. I’d always viewed cities and towns as temporary pit stops to whatever untimely end I’d imagined for myself.

Yet, here I was, finding myself drawn into the quirks and charms of Barren County—this hidden gem. I was fully embracing my role as foreman, and the men and I had developed a good schedule.

We were learning more about being in a Crew every day and with Max as our Alpha, things were sure as fuck never boring.

Most surprising to me was the richness of the land itself. The dark, fertile soil of the Motley Crewd Ranch, and the thriving dairy had been a shock. But a good one. The local rodeo, too.

I mean, who even knew they had those up here?

But none of that would matter without Jezebel. She was my real anchor. The beauty who tamed my beast. She was Demon’s true purpose. The one woman who inspired me to do better. To be better.

Jezebel was my reason.

I knew she was still getting used to the idea of being mine. She was human. Her pace was different. And I was trying to be conscientious of that.

Oh, don’t get me wrong. I was doing my best to give her space, but I could not stay away from her. Every night I had her snug in my arms, either in her place or mine.

It didn’t matter where. That part was nonnegotiable.

Demon was not about to let me walk away from her. Especially at night when the ghosts that haunted her seemed so intent on keeping my woman awake. I let my Wolf out then.

Clever creature seemed to find a way to allow himself out while I stayed in my human form, slumbering beside my mate. I didn’t quite understand it, but I made a few calls and words I did not truly comprehend like astral projection were being tossed around.

I even had a call in to the Alpha of the largest Pack in North America, Rafe Maccon. His Beta, Seff McAllister, was mated to a White Witch, and she was researching on my behalf.

I couldn’t explain why my Wolf was behaving in such a way because I refused to divulge any of Jezebel’s personal history without her consent.

No, I hadn’t told my Angel yet, either. I just didn’t want her to worry.

Jezebel kept her secret close to the chest, and I respected that. It was not mine to tell. And I did not want to put her in the position of having to do that just to figure out what was going on with Demon.

The Wolf was fine. He could handle himself.

He did a good job chasing away the shades. The ghosts that plagued her night and day were relentless far as I could tell.

My poor sweet Angel. Having to deal with all that shit alone? I was amazed by how strong she was. How brave. And if Demon could ease her burden by keeping watch as our woman rested, then by the gods, he would.

Jezebel deserved to have some peace. If I could give that to her, I would. Hell. I would do anything for her. She just didn’t know it yet.

Jed was crooning to Lee-Lee as I rolled to a stop in front of Jezebel’s house. A creeping sensation crept up my spine. I frowned, glancing around the driveway.

Her front door was wide open and the tarp I’d draped over a hole in her roof was blown halfway off. I was not worried about rain since the weather had held up.

No rain for days, so the roads and the roof were both dry. It was cold, but the sun was shining. Not too uncomfortable yet. Still, I knew I’d nailed that tarp down. I frowned and shifted the truck into park and slid out of the seat.

“Jez?” I called her name.

Goosebumps were spreading across my arms, and a growl was building up inside my chest as I jogged up the steps to her house. I sniffed, noting she wasn’t inside immediately.

The door must have been open awhile because it was cold inside, and her scent was faint. All the fresh air had diluted it.

Fear slammed into me, making my pulse race and my chest reverberate with Demon’s growl.

“JEZEBEL!” I yelled her name.

I ran back down the stairs and moved around the house to the small backyard. My heart was beating so hard, I thought it might fly right out of my chest. I slid on the graveled path when I saw her.

“Fuck!”

My woman was frozen in fear, her eyes were wide, and her mouth was open in a silent scream. She had on her pajamas, too thin to be outside, and one hand was pressed hard against her heart. Frozen tears streaked her cheeks, and I called her name, but she didn’t move or blink or anything.

“Jezebel! Talk to me!” I ran right to her, turning my head to the side for just an instant and that was when I saw them.

Shades.

About a dozen or more ghosts in various and gory stages of decay.

Their bluish forms were mottled and sickly, like oozing, dripping mockery of the humans they once were.

The figures were all clamoring for her. They seemed angry and downright nasty, just straight on latching onto her life force as they fought for her attention.

I didn’t have time to think. So, I just acted.

Demon tore through my skin, decimating my clothing, but I did not give a flying fuck for my jeans or sweatshirt.

Snarling and snapping, I felt energy pulse through me, forcing the shades to stop their attack and to focus on the angry beast.

When Demon wore my skin, I always felt like a watcher. Like it wasn’t me. But this time, it was my fury feeding the beast. Like our concern for her, our bond to her , united us like nothing else ever had.

She was a miracle, my woman. A goddamn thing of beauty and power. How I coveted her. She brought the two warring sides of me together, and I owed her for that.

I’d pay her back, too. I would keep her safe from these nightmares. I would protect her in this world and the next. Knowing she was mine to keep safe ignited a feeling of pure possession like nothing I’d ever experienced.

“Mine!”

My snarled words shook the very earth as I snapped my lupine jaws and spoke in a demonic, guttural voice, one that I had never used before. And those shades, they backed right the fuck off.

I growled again loudly, circling Jezebel, breaking the wraiths’ hold on her. She gasped, and she collapsed onto my back, sucking in oxygen greedily.

Demon.

I heard Jezebel whisper my Wolf’s name, but her mouth was not moving. The darkness in me seemed to revel in the fact she was using our matebond to communicate, calling my Wolf with it.

I was not a good man. Definitely not a good Wolf. I didn’t fancy myself a knight in shining fur, but for her, for my sweet Angel I was something, alright. I was dangerous.

Deadly.

For Jezebel, I would tear apart this world and the next. I was hers .

Her weapon.

Her vengeance.

Her shield.

This woman owned me, and I would fight everything and anything in the material and spirit worlds to ensure her safety.

I could never be content without her by my side. I knew that as surely as I knew the sky was blue.

I belonged to Jezebel Brayden. Just like she belonged to me.

Wholly and completely.

There was no going back to how it was before. And if anyone, ghost, supernatural, or human, tried to take her from me, well, let’s just say I pitied them.

I pitied them all.