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KELLY

M y living room felt smaller than before. The scent of stale air and rotten fruit greeted me, but all I could smell was the bleach solution from the research facility. This place used to be my sanctuary, my safe haven. Now it stood as a graveyard of memories: Jacob storming out after the argument, the knock on the door when I thought he’d returned, and two men pushing inside my apartment before a tranquilizer needle ripped my world to shreds.

Cold sweat beaded my forehead, and I wrapped my arms around my stomach as nausea crept up my throat. I couldn’t afford to freeze. If those men came back, I wouldn’t be here. We needed to pack my bags and leave.

Weeks had passed since I’d last been home, if I could even call it that anymore. In that time, my life had changed irrevocably. I had changed. The wild beast within had reshaped me into a near stranger.

Locked away like an animal, I’d been almost feral. I was a werewolf. Survival had been my only goal. After a while, I doubted anyone would ever find Jacob and me. Then that man with short black hair and military precision in his every movement had appeared. He’d freed us. But the gunshot…

The woman’s screams still haunted me.

If we had stayed to help, could we have saved him?

Jacob’s strong arms encircled me from behind, grounding me with his warm embrace. “Hey. You okay?”

“Hey yourself.” I leaned against his hard chest, inhaling his natural musk. He was safe. Familiar. “Hanging in there.” A lie, but I was trying.

“Let’s not stay here longer than we have to, babe,” he said. His hands slid over my arms in slow, soothing strokes. “It’s been an intense night, and I smell your fear. Grab your stuff. We’ll crash at my place.”

I closed my eyes, savoring his touch, but it didn’t stop the fresh onslaught of awful memories. Running away wouldn’t erase them. They would always be close behind. But waiting here for the past to catch up? That was worse.

“Yeah.” I exhaled, forcing myself to move. “You’re right. I’ll pack an overnight bag.” My textbooks and notecards still laid on my bed where we’d sat during our study session. My phone remained plugged in on my nightstand all this time. The last remnants of a life that didn’t exist anymore. I ran a shaky hand over the cover of my Physics book.

How would life have turned out if I hadn’t been so pissed at Jacob? If we’d had sex instead of me protecting my virtue, maybe none of this would’ve happened. I might’ve still been human. “Hopefully, the school won’t be jerks about us missing our finals.”

Did that really matter? A couple of hours ago, we’d escaped a high-security facility run by mad scientists and their morally bankrupt mercenaries.

Jacob snorted. “School will have to understand. But that’s not our focus right now.” He sighed, his breath warm against my temple. A few strands of hair tickled my face. “Once we’ve got our heads on straight, we’ll deal with the school shit. Okay, babe?”

He might be right, but what if the university refused to let me come back? What if my hard work was all for nothing? Life would become even harder. No one wanted a college dropout. Would my future crash and burn?

I swallowed hard, emotions bubbling up in my gut. “Fine.”

“Kelly, don’t pull away.” He turned me to face him, his brows creased in concern. “My mom has connections at the university. They’ll be lenient. We missed the exams due to some seriously fucked-up circumstances. There’s no way we could’ve been on campus. We’ll figure it out. My mom can talk to the school on your behalf, too, or at least pass on the proper information to your parents.”

If only he knew about my parents…

Jacob was lucky to have a mom who must’ve been worried sick while we were locked up. Mine hadn’t even noticed I was gone. The last time we’d spoken was our final argument the day I left for college.

“I hope you’re right,” I whispered, wrapping my arms around his waist.

His steady heartbeat thumped against my cheek as he held me close. “I’m here, babe. I’m here.” He ran his hand over my back. “We’ll figure this out. Together. The school can’t hold this against us.”

I wanted to believe him. Where did he find so much conviction?

“Guess I’ll gather my things.” Pushing away, I scooped up my books and tucked them into my backpack along with my notes. I wasn’t sure why I bothered. How was I supposed to remember College Algebra or Physics after being locked in a cage like a lab experiment? But if something happened to my place, I didn’t want to lose them forever, especially when I didn’t know how soon I’d return.

“Babe, I can smell your pain.” Jacob rested his hands on my shoulders and guided me onto the bed. “Take it easy. Just breathe. I’ll help you pack, then we can leave.” We sat together, and he draped an arm around my shoulders.

“I know… I’m sorry. It’s just?—”

His finger brushed my lips. “No apologies. Not to me or anyone else. What they did to us was wrong. No one should go through that. If you need anything, you tell me. Promise?” His touch slid to my jawline, gentle yet firm.

“I-I will, I promise.” I leaned my face against his palm, looking into his emerald green eyes. “Same goes for you. That experience was hard on both of us.”

“You’re kind.” He pressed a soft kiss to my lips. “I might take you up on that.”

“Good.” I leaned my head against his shoulder, enjoying his presence, but we couldn’t stay long. “If you could grab the purple travel bag from the top shelf of my closet, I’ll get my toiletries and quickly change clothes.” The sweatpants and over-sized t-shirt needed to go. At least it wasn’t a hospital gown anymore. Jacob wore matching sweats and a Winter Forest shirt and flip-flops we’d bought from a gas station. Somehow, Jacob had the foresight to steal money from a dead mercenary. Touristy clothes were better than nothing. “Like you said, the sooner we’re out of here, the better. They know where I live.”

“Right.” A soft growl rumbled in his chest, and the bed creaked as he stood. His shoulders were tense as he moved. Maybe I’d give him a massage when we got to his place. I owed him at least that much.

After grabbing a pair of shorts, a t-shirt, and undergarments, I walked to the bathroom for my toiletries and to switch clothes. My reflection in the mirror stopped me cold. The girl staring back looked like a total stranger. My dark brown hair was a tangled mess that refused to be tamed. Dark circles lined my bloodshot eyes from exhaustion. Worst of all, my face was gaunt from weeks of malnutrition. Would I ever feel like myself again?

I dropped my gaze to the make-up bag and shoved my toiletries inside, disgusted by my appearance. At least the change of clothes boosted my mood, even if I’d have loved to take a shower.

Back in the main room of my studio apartment, Jacob tucked a few pairs of socks into the travel bag. As I approached, he lifted a pair of lacy panties and a thong from my drawer. His expression shifted from curiosity to something darker. After a moment, he cocked his head to the side, then turned to face me. Desire darkened his eyes, and he shoved the panties back into the drawer and closed it, as if I’d caught him doing something naughty.

“Hi.”

“Hey.” My big bad wolf sounded nervous for the first time. Did he think I’d scold him for digging through my underwear drawer? He’d seen my panties before. In fact, I distinctly remembered him ripping them off like they were nothing. “I was just helping you pack.”

A smile spread over my lips before I could stop it. “Mhm. Find anything you liked in there?”

“They’re nice.” He rubbed the back of his neck with a sheepish grin on his lips.

I set my toiletries inside the overnight bag before crossing the space between us. With our bodies close enough to feel each other’s warmth, I pulled open the drawer again. “Want to pick some out?” Thankfully, I stored my non-sexy panties elsewhere in the dresser, along with a secret stash of chocolate.

Jacob lifted an eyebrow. His gaze slid from me to the lingerie and back. “Of course.” Did he think this was a trap? “I found a few pairs that were… beautiful. When you’re ready, I’d love to take them off of you too.” His lips quirked. “No rush, though.” He slid his fingers through my hair, tilting my head back. Our lips met in a slow, teasing kiss.

“Maybe that’s the point… you taking them off, I mean.” I could get used to having Jacob in my life. I wanted to get used to this. “Maybe don’t rip them off next time, handsome? Admittedly, it was pretty sexy.” I bit my lower lip and slid my gaze to his chest. “But my clothes budget is limited, especially with the new semester coming up. You know… books, tuition, and supplies.”

“Hmm… I can’t make any promises.” He cupped my chin, drawing my attention back to his face. His mischievous grin grew wider. “Don’t worry. I will replace any panties I shred. Even if I don’t, I’m happy to buy you more.”

My jaw dropped open. Jacob buying me new panties wasn’t exactly offensive. But were we ready for this? It seemed like such an intimate gift. What are you thinking, girl? You two are mates. You’ve had sex and survived hell together… I shook the thought away, but it was true.

“Jacob, that’s…” The words stuck on my tongue, and I drew in a deep breath. “You don’t have to do that. But you’re so sweet.” I pulled away to continue packing all the clothes I could shove into the bag.

“I wouldn’t offer if I didn’t mean it.” His tone had a subtle bite, and he crammed fistfuls of lingerie into the bag without another glance.

I blinked. Had I upset him? “I appreciate your offer. Honestly.”

Part of me loved how our relationship had been at the research facility. We’d been inseparable. The scientists had known that too. We were rarely apart unless they needed to conduct their invasive tests. And our carnal lovemaking had been steamy hot, even when those clinical creeps were making their cold observations. Our bodies had burned for each other, and no one could’ve ruined that.

But what would happen now that we were back in the real world? Our studies and the Pack needed to be dealt with, and…

How much did I know about Jacob? The All-American frat guy facade I knew had disappeared. He was a werewolf. Would our relationship last?

I swallowed hard at that thought. Our personal lives had been off-limits at the facility. The chance of someone listening in had always been too high. The less the scientists knew about us, and those in our lives, the better.

Get out of your head, Kelly.

The bed groaned under Jacob’s weight, snapping me from my thoughts. His shoulders slumped forward as if a heaviness wore him down. He ran his hands through his hair, then held his head.

I reached out to touch his broad back but stopped myself. “Are you okay?” I asked, shoving my hands in my pockets.

Jacob let out a quiet sigh and lifted his gaze to meet mine, but he nodded. “Tired, I guess. You ready to go?” Our compatible vibes that had kept me going at the research facility felt strained. How could I help if he wouldn’t let me in? “We can grab dinner on the way to my place.” He zipped up my bag as I slipped on a pair of tennis shoes.

Nothing else needed to be done here, aside from pitching whatever stinky mess had expired in my refrigerator. While I was ready, leaving my home with Jacob made me nervous.

What if we aren’t as good for one another as we think?

“Um, yeah. I’m almost ready. I should clean up my fridge and take out the trash, so the place isn’t swarming with bugs and rodents when I come back.” If I come back… No, I couldn’t think like that. I forced a smile onto my face.

Everything was going to be okay. I had to keep telling myself that.

With a nod, Jacob gave his own unconvincing smile before climbing to his feet. “Good idea. Let’s get this done. The people responsible for our capture might still be out there.” He lowered his gaze, and his lips tightened into a thin line. “I should’ve been here to protect you.” His voice cracked, barely above a whisper. “I don’t know how to forgive myself for that. Neither of us would’ve gone through hell these past few weeks if I’d stayed.” His solemn eyes lifted to meet mine. “I’ll do what I can to make it up to you. I promise, babe.”

My heart sank in my chest, and tears welled in my eyes. I crossed the small space between us with superhuman speed. The conviction in his words twisted a knife in my gut. How could I have second-guessed him? I wrapped my arms around his waist and pressed my damp cheek against his muscular chest. “Please. Don’t think like that. You tried to rescue me—and almost did! I’ll always remember that, Jacob. Besides, who knows what would’ve happened to the other imprisoned shapeshifters? The scientists could’ve held them forever… or worse.”

Jacob held me close. “You’re more of an optimist than I imagined. Yes, it’s good the others were found. No one should have experienced what we did. Knowing some were there much longer than us is gut-wrenchingly sad. How many people died during the testing? We’ll likely never know.” He brushed a gentle kiss against my forehead.

My mouth opened, then closed. I hadn’t considered that before, and I didn’t want to now. The awful experiments had consumed my focus and prayers for our survival.

The savage beast who had clawed my back and turned me into this still haunted my thoughts. I remembered hearing the shot from the other room. Had that person been killed? Mixed emotions swirled in my stomach. If it hadn’t been for them, I might be dead. Humans were useless to the scientists.

“Maybe I am an optimist. Maybe not. But I’m glad we’re free.” I pushed onto my tiptoes and brushed my lips against his. Heat coiled through me, the ache for his touch stronger than ever. I wanted to lose myself in him, to forget everything except how he made me feel alive and loved.

His hand cradled the back of my neck as he deepened the kiss. The sensual caress of his lips ignited something desperate inside me. Each heartbeat sent a new pulse of longing through my veins.

I circled my arms around his neck, drowning in the sweet taste of his lips.

Jacob released his grip on my hair and pulled away as if it pained him. “Babe, we can’t.” He sighed, then brushed his thumb over my cheek. “We’re playing with fire. Both of us are exhausted. Staying isn’t a good idea.”

Heavy footsteps thumped in the hallway, followed by low voices. My pulse spiked. Every muscle in my body tensed, and I glanced toward the second-floor window. If it was them—if they’d come back for me—I had seconds to act.

Jacob stiffened beside me. “Kelly?” He said my name in a sharp, protective whisper. His voice barely broke through my racing thoughts.

My body coiled, ready to run, even if landing on the pavement below might break bones. Then I caught the voice. My neighbor. The one who loved blasting heavy metal music at all hours. His friend’s laugh echoed down the hall.

I exhaled, my panic subsiding, but my heartbeat didn’t slow.

Jacob’s hand found mine, and our fingers laced together. “You thought they came back.” It wasn’t a question. He knew. Of course he did.

Would I ever stop expecting an attack? The question clung to me like a shadow.

Spending the night might erase some of the terrible memories that stained my apartment. But that idea was so stupid right now. “Okay,” I said, glancing up at him. “I’ll empty the fridge.”

Jacob squeezed my hand again. “I’ll help.”