Light the Fire (Jackson's Hollow #1)

Chapter 62

"And my pack is stuck in the middle of your power struggle," Ryker grumbled. "Wonderful."

"Hey!" Blake said, suddenly sitting up. 'Stop!"

Ryker slammed on the brakes, his arm thrown out in front of Jo to stop her from hurling forward. "What?" he demanded, the growl returning to his voice as he leaned forward, eyes glowing and alert. It was obvious his wolf was coming closer and closer to the edge with everything going on.

"I can sense them," Blake explained, gesturing toward the woods, already unbuckling his seatbelt. "Duncan's not with the group I can sense, but the pack is definitely heading this way."

"Where the hell is Duncan then?" Ryker snapped, throwing open his car door. "Why wouldn't he be with them?"

"I don't know," Blake said. He hesitated before getting out of the car, one hand on the door handle. "Um, are you going to bite my head off if I get out now?"

Ryker glanced at Jo, who raised her eyebrows. She knew that look. He definitely wanted to say yes, even if he didn't mean it, which he might in this instance.

"Just talk to your pack, would you?" Jo said. "Ryker's not going to hurt you."

"Again," Blake added with a bit of his former cheerfulness. "Ryker's not going to hurt me again."

"You're making that really hard right now." Ryker got out of the car, and Jo followed his lead before he could tell her to stay put, just in case that was on the agenda. She walked around the car and stood beside him, right at his elbow, while Blake got out as well.

"Can they not hear you through the car?" Jo asked, crossing her arms over her chest, somewhat curious but mostly restless.

"I'm not the best at telepathy," Blake said with a chagrined expression. "I'm like...you know when someone puts the cell on speaker and then puts it on the table and walks all the way across the room? That's what I sound like."

"Why are you the Beta again?" Ryker asked darkly.

"I'm really good with people," Blake said, giving Jo a double thumbs up. She would've laughed if she didn't think Ryker would slug Blake.

Besides, Betas were human too. She knew this wasn't the time to remind him that his own Beta had recently made a grave mistake–something she knew Charlie would also beat himself up about too–but it happened. People were people. Or werewolf-people, she supposed.

"Okay, well, let's get closer to them," she said, getting about two steps toward the woods before Ryker was hauling her right back against his chest.

"If you're about to tell me I can't go with you two, then you have another thing coming," Jo said, glaring up at her sometimes overly protective man. She loved him a lot, but every now and then, there were a few werewolf tendencies of his that could use some tempering...

His hazel eyes were a dark stormy color as he met her gaze steadily, lips quirking slightly. "Trust me, I've learned by now not to tell you to do anything." His hand stroked her waist lightly, whether to calm her down or reassure himself, she wasn't sure. "But I was going to suggest you ride on my back after I shift. We'll get there quicker that way."

"Oh. Yeah. That works."

"Or, y'know, you can always ride me," Blake said, obviously still holding a giant death wish.

"Like hell!" A growl tore from Ryker as he lost control and lunged at Blake; it was all Jo could do to hold him back, using her full body weight to press against his chest and restrain him.

"Ryker!" She grunted, elbowing him hard as his chest continued to rumble underneath her hands, "We need him alive right now, enough!" She twisted slightly to frown at Blake. "And I know you know better. This is not the time for jokes!"