Page 24 of Midnight Bond (Wolves of Midnight #5)

brIELLE

I was halfway to Lake Placid when the pain hit.

Within seconds, it became hard to drive. Within minutes, impossible. I glanced up at the moon, certain it wasn’t supposed to be full for at least four more days. It shined down on me intensely, but not so intense that I should feel its powerful pull to shift.

Another agonizing heatwave pounded through my body, and I doubled over with a groan, nearly losing sight of the road. The pain was coming more frequently, each wave sharper than the last. At this rate, I’d be transformed into my wolf within the next half hour.

Helplessness filled me. I couldn’t believe this was happening. Again. All the stress of this past month must have brought it on, but if I didn’t stop the transition process, I was probably going to die.

When I could breathe again, I fumbled in my purse for my phone and quickly dialed a number. I did it automatically, my only thought on getting help before it was too late. My shredded pride didn’t matter. All that mattered was halting this before my wolf killed me.

On the second ring, a voice flooded the speaker, one that exacerbated my pain yet somehow soothed it too. “Where are you? Mrs. Bailey said you left the house hours ago.”

Ignoring Jagger’s commanding tone, I replied, “An hour out. But I’m not going to make it.”

“What do you mean? What happened?”

I quickly explained about the visit to my parents and the hidden frequency device, finishing with, “The stress must have been too much because I’m shifting again, and—Oh, God,” I cried out, gripping the steering wheel so hard that it cracked.

“I can’t . . . I can’t keep driving. I have to pull over. The pain. It’s . . . Oh, this sucks!”

“Brielle. Brielle. Just breathe. I’m coming to get you, but you need to hold on until then. Where are you exactly?”

“I’m . . . I’m . . .”

“Turn on tracking for your phone. Give me access to your location.”

I did, restlessly squirming in my seat as sharp pulses rocketed through my body. The urge to be on all fours hit me hard, and I hunched over the steering wheel again.

“Okay, I see where you are. Take the next right,” Jagger said.

I obeyed, my breaths coming in short spurts. He continued to guide me, taking me down a dirt road that led to a sprawling farm.

“Where . . . where am I going?” I panted, gritting my teeth when I hit a pothole.

“There’s an abandoned barn half a mile from the farmhouse. The owners are pack members and always visit family for Christmas, so they shouldn’t be there. Barricade yourself inside the barn and wait for me.”

“I don’t know . . . if I can wait . . . an hour.”

“Do not shift, Brielle, do you hear me?” he snapped. “Get to the barn and search for something that could contain your wolf. Ropes, chains, an old harness.”

“Those won’t,” I gasped out, “contain her.”

“Not for long, but hopefully until I get there. If the worst happens, we need to protect the populace from your wolf.”

Not that I would even survive the transformation, but if I did, I sure as hell didn’t want to attack any humans.

Knowing my wolf, she would probably kill and eat them.

Shuddering at the thought, I turned onto the private drive leading to the farmhouse and started searching for the barn.

I’d barely made it to the house when a glaring obstacle blocked my path, forcing me to stop.

“What is it?” Jagger asked when I swore under my breath.

Another wave of heat spiked through me, and I groaned out, “Road isn’t . . . plowed.”

Jagger bit out a curse of his own. “Then you’ll have to break into the house. It’s not ideal, but the owners will understand.”

“No way. My wolf would destroy it.” I could still vividly remember when Melanie had shifted for the first time and had chased me through the Rivers’ mansion, destroying everything that stood in her way.

“We’ll compensate them for any losses. But it’s safer for your wolf to be surrounded by four walls than— Brielle, what are you doing?”

I didn’t answer, puffing loudly as I left the car behind and began to struggle through the knee-deep snow.

“Brielle.”

“It’s not . . . that far . . . away.”

“Brielle, stop this instant. Every second you spend outdoors encourages your wolf to emerge. You won’t make it to the barn. Brielle? Brielle!”

I ended the call, done being told what to do and determined to prove him wrong. I could endure a half mile hike through the snow. I’d done it before and knew I could do it now. I had to. Lives depended on it, including my own.

After only a few yards, though, the pain became so intense that I lost my footing and face-planted into the snow.

Writhing in agony on the ground for several minutes, I dragged myself upright again and plowed on.

As I trudged forward like a mindless zombie, slipping and falling countless times along the way, I finally spotted the abandoned, weather-beaten structure on the horizon.

It was secluded and backed by miles and miles of woods, which was exactly what I needed right now.

I picked up speed, but after only a handful of feet, crippling pain rocked my body.

I fell again with a strangled cry, landing on all fours in the snow.

The position immediately awakened something inside me, something instinctual.

Primal. A tremble violently shook me, and I gasped as something besides pain flooded my body.

It flushed hotly through me and vanished, so swiftly that I blinked in confusion.

Another second and I was groaning in agony once more, my limbs struggling to hold me up.

I stayed like this for an unknown length of time, panting and shaking through wave after wave of scorching pain.

Every time I tried to stand up, my body gave out on me.

Finally, I resorted to crawling through the snow like the animal I was slowly succumbing to.

Only a few yards away from the barn, the pain overwhelmed me and I collapsed, unable to continue.

Uncontrollable whimpers and cries left me as I fought to remain in my human form.

Every time a fresh wave of heat blasted through me, I expected my bones to begin breaking, but they didn’t.

My world was searing pain, and all I could do was cling to consciousness, desperately praying that it would end soon before it killed me.

I was on the verge of passing out when I finally heard approaching footsteps.

Not one pair, but several. I prepared to defend myself but couldn’t even lift my head.

As my night vision cut through the darkness, it allowed me to focus on the three figures heading my way.

I immediately recognized their faces and whimpered in relief.

Expecting Jagger to bodily hold me together like last time, I was surprised when all three males stopped dead in their tracks a few yards from me, their eyes noticeably widening.

“What?” I weakly said, confused when Jagger’s nostrils flared. “Am I . . . am I shifting?”

Griff made a choking noise, but when he opened his mouth to speak, Kolton shot him a look that clearly meant shut up. The blond male closed his mouth with an audible click.

After a lengthy moment, Jagger stiffly replied, “No, Brielle, you’re not shifting.”

I gaped at him, more confused than ever.

As if to contradict his words, another heatwave blasted through me.

I groaned and writhed through the pain, dimly aware that Kolton and Griff had started to back up.

Jagger looked like a statue made out of marble, staring at me like I was his worst nightmare come to life.

When I could speak again, I bit out in frustration, “Then what the hell is this?”

Jagger swallowed, his throat bobbing sharply. “You’re in heat.”

Everything stilled. Even my pain subsided as I tried to process his words. I was in heat? After sixteen months of waiting, I was finally becoming a regular female werewolf?

But why now when I was at my lowest? At my weakest? I’d been anticipating my first heat for over a year, but to have it come now was nothing short of cruel.

Two of the three males who could help me were already mated, and the third—my soulmate—had officially rejected me. I couldn’t get any more pathetic than this.

As if to taunt me in my moment of abject misery, a sudden pulse went through me.

Not pain, but arousal. Heat flared between my legs, so hot and intense that I couldn’t hold back a moan.

The second the sound of pleasure left my mouth, Jagger fell to his knees in the snow.

I lifted my gaze to his face and found it twisted in agony.

“Go to her, brother,” Kolton quietly said to him, still retreating as if he knew how volatile this situation had just become. “She needs you.”

A desperate look filled Jagger’s eyes. “I can’t.”

His voice was deep. Guttural. Feral.

My body responded viscerally to the sound, flaring so hotly that a scream slipped past my clenched teeth. The snow around me sizzled, rapidly evaporating the longer my overheated body was pressed against it.

“She’s suffering, Jag,” Griff said, his expression one of sympathy even as he took another step back.

“I know,” Jagger hissed, his chest heaving while he watched me. “I can feel it. I can feel everything.”

“That’s good. It means the bond is still intact.”

“It’s not good,” Jagger roared at the blond male. “This shouldn’t be happening. None of this should be happening.”

Even though the words were directed at Griff, each one struck me like arrows to the heart.

As if he could feel the sudden pain lighting up my chest, Jagger flinched and reached up to rub the spot directly over his heart.

When tense silence settled over the clearing, Griff shook his head and said, “Fine. If you won’t help her, then I will.”

He took a step forward. One step. And all hell broke loose.