Page 11

11

JACOB

T he buzzing of a cell phone interrupted my sleep. My head throbbed. What the hell? At first, I thought the vibrations were coming from Kelly’s phone, but no, the sound was coming from my nightstand.

My sleepy mate groaned as she wrapped her arm and leg around my torso, burying her face into my side like that would stop the noise. The soft growling that rumbled in her chest tugged at my heart. I’d hit the jackpot with her, no matter what she thought.

I leaned over to grab my phone, my vision swimming from the effort. The name on the screen made me freeze. Chad Fitzroy. Fuck.

This call wouldn’t be fun. I almost fumbled the device, but recovered just in time. Last thing I wanted was to drop the phone on Kelly’s head. I pressed a kiss to her forehead, then tried to ease out of her hold. That only made her cling tighter. Her knee pressed into my stomach at just the right angle, and I grimaced, feeling the urge to relieve myself wake up along with my brain.

This was going to be a struggle. I slipped the phone beneath my pillow. “Babe, I need to get up.”

That soft growl was back. For a moment, I wondered if she was awake, but when I checked her expression, she definitely seemed to be asleep.

Well, only one way to find out…

“I might want to claim you and mark my territory, babe.” I weaved my fingers into her hair. “But I didn’t know you were into getting peed on.”

She snorted and stretched lazily, her knee nearly nailing me in the junk. “What did you just say?” Her body tipped toward the edge of the bed, and she yelped, her fingers digging into the blankets.

I wrapped an arm around her waist and scooped her over my body to her side of the bed. I let the momentum roll me on top of her, my weight pressing her into the mattress again. “Mmm… Just that you were clinging so hard while you slept that I might not make it to the bathroom.” My lips brushed her cheek. “Rest up. I won’t be long.”

The phone fell silent, but I knew Chad’s return call was inevitable. He was persistent, like a wolf chasing down a rabbit.

Kelly captured my face with her hands. “Maybe brush your teeth while you’re in there. I want more kisses.” Her thumbs brushed over my cheekbones, and she worried at her lower lip while her gaze lingered on my mouth.

“Promise.” I leaned my face into her touch, but her hands drifted to my hair like she contemplated not letting go. “I need to grab some water, too, so don’t wait for me. It might take a moment for me to return to bed.” I slumped to my side and drew the covers up almost to her chin. “Sleep tight.”

“Okay.” She yawned and rolled to her side, drawing the comforter tighter around her. “If you need me, yell.”

“I will.”

I sat up slowly, and the pounding in my head worsened. Bracing myself against the nightstand, I rubbed the knot on my temple. My head still felt like someone had used it as a punching bag, but resting had lessened my nausea. I eased myself to my feet, doing my best to maintain control over my body.

My wolf hated the weakness we were showing, but it wasn’t like I’d asked for this. Neither of us had.

When I turned, Kelly’s eyelids were fighting to stay open, but within moments, she drifted back to sleep. I snatched the phone from under the pillow, then headed for the bathroom. I didn’t trust my balance enough to slide into my shorts.

After finding some relief and washing my hands, I fulfilled my promise to Kelly by brushing my teeth. I’d felt gross after emptying my stomach earlier, so this was a start. When I had a chance, I wanted a shower. Better yet, maybe I could share one with Kelly.

My gaze dipped to the phone again, paranoia creeping in. Chad was going to call again. I needed to get on this before he disturbed Kelly’s rest.

I crept into the bedroom, thanking my lucky stars when Kelly didn’t stir. Her soft snores drifted through the room, and the relaxed expression on her face made me happy. Part of me wanted to stay here and watch her, but I couldn’t.

I silently shut the bedroom door behind me, grabbed a bottle of water from the fridge, and then headed to my study beyond the kitchen beside the home gym. It’d give me privacy to figure out what Chad wanted. After taking a few sips of water, I reclined on the sofa and dialed his number.

The Alpha’s son had been my friend since we were pups. After Shane’s visit, I needed to see what was going on. If I didn’t answer, Chad might swing by to investigate, especially since my brother knew I was home. I doubted Chad would be as polite as Shane if I didn’t invite him inside. Besides, Kelly’s scent permeated my place by now. He’d smell her.

It only took one ring for Chad to answer. “Jacob.” That didn’t bode well. Guess he was getting ready to call back soon.

“Hey,” I said.

“I’m glad you called. You home now? I looked for you at the facility last night. Picked up your scent in the woods, but you didn’t stick around to visit Pack headquarters.”

Something in Chad’s tone made me wonder if he knew more than he was letting on. In fact, I’d bet a fair share of my inheritance he did, but questioning him might lead to topics I didn’t want to talk about.

“I’m sorry I missed you. I couldn’t hang out there. Not after being locked up for a month.” I leaned my head against the back of the sofa, holding a breath I wanted to release. My mind kept returning to prowling the small cage, doing my best to protect Kelly and failing. Stop it. “But yeah, I’m home now. What’s going on?”

Chad cleared his throat. Did that mean something more ominous than I wanted it to? “I get that, but you should’ve let someone know. It’s not safe now. The people who did this to you and the others are still out there. The Pack is on high alert. Besides, man, if you went rogue after being set free… You know what happens. They would have put you down.” He sighed. “I don’t want that to happen. We’ve known each other for a long time. You’re my friend.”

My shoulders slumped forward, and I rested my head in my hand. This felt worse coming from Chad than my own brother. Perhaps Chad’s stark sincerity made me feel valued, not like a screw-up.

“You’re right. Sorry for taking off. I wasn’t thinking straight. I just wanted to go home and relax without being swept up in Pack politics and telling everyone what I’ve been through before processing it myself.” That was true.

It was a matter of time before the Pack Council requested my presence. My brother had said Mom would get in touch, and I could almost guarantee she’d be asking for that. I needed to reach out. The Pack needed to know about Kelly and the research the soldier who freed us had found and encouraged us to keep.

“Don’t worry about it. You sound okay, if not tired. I won’t come over and drag you back here. How did you get home?” he asked.

“Took a taxi. I lifted a wallet on the way out of the facility… Figured they owed us.” I hesitated, then added, “…me.” Once Kelly and I were far enough away, we’d found a convenience store where we’d gotten some clothes and used the store’s phone. Considering the looks from the cabbie and store clerk, I was surprised they didn’t detain us and call the police. “I’m glad to have that vote of confidence from you, Chad. I am tired and happy to be home. How are things with the Pack?”

“Ah, I see.” His curiosity rumbled through the line. Had I slipped? Was he about to call me out? But then he let out a sharp sigh. Chad kept his cool better than most wolves I knew. “A lot has happened. Things are changing within the Pack. We nearly lost my father a few days before Christmas. Some mercenaries shot him with a silver bullet. We kept it quiet so no one would challenge him while he was weak. Jared, that asshole, reached out to two witches and met them at their magic shop. One of them created a remedy, but the witch used wolfsbane. A plant that’s poisonous to us. I tracked her down and discovered she hadn’t known the kind of man she was making it for. She might’ve killed my dad if we hadn’t caught on so quickly. In the end, she crafted a potion to counteract it.”

I couldn’t believe my ears. Our Alpha had almost died? Aaron Fitzroy had been someone I’d looked up to since I was a pup. He’d always been kind. No words came to me.

“Are you serious?” I finally managed, a rush of questions flooding my thoughts. “A witch did that? Why didn’t Jared tell her specifically what he needed? Did he do any research before speaking with her? Did the woman get what was coming to her?”

Chad chuckled. What was so funny? He’d almost lost his dad. “The witch is an interesting topic. A thorn in my paw, but she’s been useful. If it weren’t for her, my father would be dead. And if she hadn’t meddled in the Pack’s affairs, you and the others might still be locked up. She’s been warned, but no harm will come to her. She’s an accepted nuisance. As for Jared, he’s been stripped of his rank and will go on trial tomorrow.”

“Hold up.” My brows knitted together, and I rubbed my sore temple. This conversation was making my headache worse. “Shane mentioned Jared’s trial when he stopped by last night, but he ran off before I could ask him about it. What’s going on? Seems like this is about more than the potion. Didn’t he spew objectionable shit about… something involving humans?”

“Yes.” A frustrated grunt came over the line, and I could tell Chad didn’t want to get into this. “He wanted my father dead because he believes we should force humans to become werewolves since our numbers have dwindled. My father has been vehemently against that for a long time.”

“Fuck that.” I’d seen firsthand the consequences of someone being forced into a life they didn’t ask for. Maybe I should mention Kelly, but I didn’t want to go there yet.

“I agree. Jared never enjoyed being second-in-command, but he was too weak to challenge my father properly. The coward deserves what’s coming.”

Damn. My time imprisoned with Kelly had caused me to miss far more than I’d imagined. “Wait, you said the witch helped find me? I thought the call to my brother had prompted my rescue?” That didn’t make sense.

Chad went quiet again. That was like a neon sign for him. “Calling your brother was helpful. We…” More silence stretched over the line, as if he didn’t want to say whatever was on his mind.

“Spit it out, man. What happened? Something strange is going on with my brother. I just want to know what it is.” Rubbing my forehead, I stared up at the ceiling of my study. I hoped Kelly wouldn’t wake up and wonder where I was. And if she listened in… would she judge me if I learned something bad about my brother?

“Okay. Just… You didn’t hear this from me.” That was never a good sign. “Your brother didn’t bother listening to your voicemail for a while. The Pack only learned about it earlier this week. If he’d listened to your message and told someone about it, we might’ve found you a lot sooner. I’m sorry, Jacob.”

My chest ached at the thought of my brother’s negligence. Brothers should be there for one another. I trusted that asshole with Kelly’s and my life. “Who knows about this?”

“The entire Pack. We held a meeting and played the voicemail. Our newest member is in the military. We believed he could assist us in finding you. He’s the witch’s boyfriend. He really helped, but he was severely injured. Shot in the chest. From what I saw this morning, he should be okay.”

I ground my teeth, feeling the pressure in my skull shoot through the roof. Everyone knew about my brother’s betrayal. Everyone. And that soldier… The memory sent a chill down my spine. He’d rescued me and Kelly. The three of us had escaped toward the abandoned gas station, then the gunshot. The woman’s scream. We’d left them… Oh god. What the hell had I done? I’d left him to die because I’d wanted to get out of there. Because I’d needed to protect Kelly.

“Jacob?” Chad’s voice rose. “Hey, are you okay? I know this must be a lot to take in, but I can grab dinner and swing by. We can eat and talk this over more.” His keys jingled over the line, and panic surged through my veins.

If Chad came here, things would get worse. Pull yourself together. It was painful, but Kelly needed me. Still, how could Shane betray me like that? I’d trusted him. “Sorry. I just… I’m at a loss for words. How can I even react to all of that? And Shane—” I ran a hand through my hair. “Thanks for the offer, but no. I need to process this and get my head on straight before tomorrow. I appreciate your honesty.” My friend came through when my brother had tried to look like a hero. Now I knew where the embarrassment came from. The fucking jerk.

“No problem. Don’t do anything crazy. You’re going through a lot. Try to let it go.” Even as Chad said it, I could tell he wasn’t pleased. He wouldn’t accept this lying down if he were in my shoes. “Besides, you’re home. That’s what matters.”

How had he dealt with Jared and discovering the witch’s involvement in his father being poisoned? Had Chad let it go and not done anything crazy? Then again, that was on a different level than this.

I shook my head, trying to push the negative thoughts aside. They were noxious to my mind. Right now, I needed to remain present—both to keep myself from going off the deep end with the emotions from being trapped in the lab, but also to remain available for Kelly. She needed me, and I needed her.

“I’ll try.” Chad was right. I was home. But no matter what I did, I couldn’t shove down my feelings. “He came here, Chad. That asshole pretended everything was fine between us. That everything should be fine. He gave me this cell phone, offered to take me to the Pack’s HQ to pick up the stuff from my car. I sensed something weird from him. At the time, I wasn’t sure what it was, but I do now. I can’t believe this.”

Chad let out a sigh. “When I heard, it didn’t surprise me. He’s always been irresponsible. Maybe he’s never grown out of it. I wish you hadn’t gone through what you did, and that I’d reached out to you myself. All I know is you’ve got the Pack’s support. We’re behind you, and we’re glad you’re home. My father wanted me to tell you hello.” He drew in a breath, hesitation thick in the pause that followed. “He also said to let you know you’ll need to go before the Council. You don’t want to be involved in Pack politics right now, I get it. You sadly must face this. Besides, it’s just telling the Council you’re okay more than anything. That you won’t fall off the deep end and go rogue.”

Chad did his best to make it more palatable, but it didn’t help much. It still meant going before everyone and explaining what happened with the tests… and, most importantly, the reason I was at the laboratory in the first place. I needed to tell them about Kelly. What would they think of her? Would she be killed because those assholes had changed her into one of us?

I glanced toward the study’s door. “That’s all, huh? I doubt it. My mom is on the Pack Council, Chad. I might not have as much firsthand experience with Pack business as you, but I know why the Pack operates like it does. It’s not as simple as them checking if I’m crazy or not.” I squeezed my eyes shut. “Thanks for catching me up on what’s been happening. Tell your dad I said hi back. I’m glad he’s doing all right.” I ended the call without waiting for a reply. This was terrible, but I had no desire to be persuaded into meeting with the Pack Council sooner than later.

I stared up at the ceiling again, a heaviness weighing on my chest. So much had happened during my confinement. I couldn’t hide from my Pack forever, and I didn’t want to. But was now the right time?

Maybe talking with my mother about what Shane had done was the best way for me to move forward. I might be able to put off going before the Council by speaking with her. She held considerable sway with them. She might even convince the others to give me time. I could also give her the research the scientists had gathered on us. That might help get the Council off my back. With them appeased, I could spend more time with Kelly and figure out what was next for us.

I set my new phone beside me on the sofa, exhaustion pulling at my limbs. After everything that had happened, I yearned to lie down and sleep for days. But that wouldn’t help. I couldn’t run from my responsibilities forever.

The study door opened, and I lifted my head to look at Kelly. I wasn’t up for more arguing. In fact, I wanted to sleep away my problems, even if that was the last thing I should do.

“Is everything okay?” Her soft voice melted my heart, and I wanted to wrap my arms around her and just breathe in her scent. Maybe she could soothe the aching pain in my chest that my brother had created.

“I don’t know, baby.” I patted the sofa beside me, needing her comfort.