Chapter Seven
I was up before Racer knocked on my door. In yoga pants and a tank top, I stood in my living room stretching. The last few sessions with Racer left me sore and bruised. Well, mostly sore. I hoped stretching would help with that.
When he knocked, I opened the door with a smile. He didn’t offer one in return. His eyes slid from my gaze and slowly traveled down, stopping at my shoes. All the while, a faint blush crept into his cheeks.
“We’ll do a lesson later.” He turned and tromped down the steps without another word. I frowned after him. He came up here just to tell me never mind? I closed the door slowly. What the hell was I supposed to do now? Why couldn’t we do a lesson this morning? It’s not like he actually did anything else.
With a scowl, I yanked open my door went downstairs. His apartment door stood ajar. I didn’t bother calling his name, though. The faint thump of music reached my ears.
I walked out to the shed. The door there wasn’t latched either. I eased it open and saw Racer hitting the bag with deadly force. Mounted floor to steel beam on the ceiling, the bag couldn’t swing away from his brutal beating. Muscles rolled and coiled under his shirt with each strike. He shifted his weight from foot to foot in rhythm with his punches. I didn’t move. I watched his beautiful dance, not missing a thing. A tiny seed of heat sprouted in my stomach and slowly spread outward, filling me. I wanted to stay there forever and just stare, to take in everything.
Sweat started to dampen his shirt. He paused for half a second, grabbed the hem, and pulled it off. The muscles over his ribs rippled as he reached to toss it aside. He started pummeling the bag again. Skin glistened. I forgot everything.
When he finally stopped and turned to pick up his shirt, I had no idea how much time had passed. My feet hurt, though, so I figured I’d been standing awhile. He paused when he caught sight of me. I had the grace to blush but kept my eyes on his.
“Why no lesson this morning?” A dry rasp coated my words. I just couldn’t help it.
He narrowed his eyes on me as he stalked forward. “I’m not here to entertain you.”
I rolled my eyes. “Are we seriously back to this? I’m not here to be a prisoner.”
“Fine.” He tossed his shirt aside, and my eyes widened as he came at me.
I ducked under his arm and half rolled out of the way, coming up to my feet with a quick bounce.
He circled me, annoyance on his face.
“I just asked why,” I said, skirting the mat, trying to avoid him.
He darted in. His hands almost wrapped around my waist. I turned and dove to the side. His fingers curled around my ankle. I kicked out with my other foot and grazed the side of his head. His eyes darkened.
Twisting, I kicked again, aiming for his hand. He grunted and let go when I connected. On my hands and knees, I scrambled away from him then sprang to my feet. Spinning, I didn’t even have time to focus on him before I landed on my back with a thud. Racer lay on top of me. Sweaty, shirtless Racer.
Each breath wheezed in and out of me while he remained breathing easy. I eyed him. His annoyance faded, replaced by a quiet study of my features. His dark eyelashes pulled me into his blue gaze. His chest and legs heated my already sweaty, and suddenly tingling, skin. He didn’t move, and I wondered if he was enjoying the sensation, too.
My gaze drifted to his parted lips. The tingles invaded my stomach as I stared. I wanted more than friends. I’d wanted a taste of the real Racer since I took that picture of him. I lifted my head fractionally, giving into the urge.
He groaned and leaned toward me.
“What are we doing?” he murmured. I doubted he even knew he spoke aloud.
His lips brushed over mine, the barest of touches, there and gone again. My heart thrummed faster, my lungs forgot to keep expanding and contracting, and my stomach did a flip from esophagus to hips.
“Gillian.”
Hearing him whisper my name unlocked all my caution. His lips met mine again, still light and testing. My hands snaked up behind his neck and fisted in his hair. I pulled him down hard for the kiss I wanted. He growled and opened his mouth. Our tongues met in a violent storm. His arms curled around me, holding me tight enough to bruise. His hips tilted into mine, and my insides melted.
Just as suddenly as the storm claimed us, it was gone...and so was Racer. All I had to show for the kiss was an elevated heart rate and two fistfuls of hair. I let my head fall back to the mat and tried to catch my breath.
After a few minutes, I stood and turned off the blaring music. Then, I made my way inside. Passing his firmly closed door, I went up to my apartment.
* * * *
Racer didn’t talk to me for five days. Five days of sullen silence with only the brief evening calls from Dad to keep me company. I tried to occupy myself with reading, research, music, and online movies. None of it distracted me from the details of that kiss, though. Thoughts crept in whether I was awake or asleep. My dreams went beyond the moment and played out what might have happened next had he not run. I often woke in the dark, my heart trying to beat out of its cage. In those seconds after waking, I wanted it to break free.
On the sixth morning, I’d had enough dreaming and set a trap. I poured vegetable oil on my kitchen floor and went back to bed to wait. Some might consider it juvenile. No more juvenile than avoidance or the silent treatment. Besides, a man on his back was less likely to run again.
After seven hours, I got up to use the bathroom. My head was starting to hurt. I refrained from taking something for it, took a large drink of water instead, and went back to bed.
I dozed lightly until something crashed downstairs. Definitely his door hitting the wall. My eyes immediately popped open. I listened to him bound up the steps. He banged on my apartment door. It was about time. His noise made me smile.
“Go away!”
Another door slammed against the wall. One thumping step. Two thumping steps. Thud. Cursing.
“Gillian!”
I tossed aside the covers and walked down the hall. He lay on his back on the floor. His face was red as he studied a shiny, oil-licked palm.
“What the hell is this?”
I walked toward him, careful of the oil. When I stood beside him, I lifted a foot, gingerly placed it on the floor on the other side of him, and sat on his stomach so I straddled him. His eyes flew to mine.
“It’s vegetable oil. I’ll need you to pick up some more from the store, by the way.”
His face took on a darker shade of red. That wouldn’t do. I scooted back, my rear bumping his hips, and he froze. Carefully leaning forward, I waited until we were nose to nose before speaking again. My forearms rested on his chest.
“I’ve come up with a couple of explanations for your avoidance, but I’m not sure which is the truth. Either you’re staying away because you’re afraid of what will happen if my father finds out we kissed.”
He closed his eyes briefly. Was that regret?
“Or what happened was just a mistake. Your boy-parts overrode your brain for a minute and you’re too afraid to tell me ‘oops.’ Which is it?”
“Neither.”
“Then, why? I don’t do silent and we have nine months together. We need to resolve this.”
“Gillian.” His voice grew soft. “This just won’t work. It can’t.”
I snorted, held his face between my hands, and bent to kiss him again. He growled and kissed me back, not fighting it. His tongue skimmed mine. A hand pressed between my shoulder blades, pushing me closer. His other hand drifted down my back. So much passion. I withdrew slightly to look at him. The whites of his eyes had darkened again.
“Is this how you really look or is there more?” I asked, unable to silence my curiosity. Had my mother looked like this?
His eyes immediately returned to normal. He eyed me, his expression blank.
“What do you mean?”
He sounded so wary. I gave him a long look and decided I’d waited long enough for answers.
I sighed, crawled off him, and went to my room. The jewelry box sat on the nightstand. I turned it over in my hand, removed the backing, and took out my mother’s letter. Racer stood behind me, watching what I did. I offered him the letter.
“You know what I mean. And we would work...if you wanted us to.”
He took the letter, his eyes not leaving mine for a moment. Then, he looked down.
Watching his eyes devour the lines, I recalled the words I’d long ago memorized.
Gillian,
There are so many life lessons a mother should teach her daughter. It would fill a book. I only have a single tiny page to share two important truths with you.
I love you. You and your father are the best things that ever happened to me. If you don’t believe anything else I tell you, believe that.
Werewolves are real, but the legends are wrong. We are born, not made. We aren’t mindless beasts craving the taste of blood, but we are cunning hunters. We do not look like the pretty wolves of the woods. We are a combination of man and wolf, of skin and fur. We. Yes, I am a werewolf, but your father is not. You shouldn’t have been possible. Werewolf mates with werewolf. There’s been no record of anything else. Yet, here you are. You smell like your father, human. Yet, I can see myself in you. I hope my kind ignores you. Without fangs or claws, you have no place with them. Your father knows my secret but asked me to keep the truth from you. He doesn’t want what I am to hurt you. He loves you so much and will do everything in his power to protect you.
Stay safe. Be loved. Live well.
Love,
Mom
His shocked gaze met my steady one. He didn’t say anything as he slowly sat on the bed and hung his head. After a moment of silence, he looked up at me.
“When?”
“I found it two years ago. I thought about telling my dad but Larry said it would be safer for everyone if I kept going as if I didn’t know.”
“Larry?”
“Yeah. He’s my Dad’s oldest friend. He was there when my mom was still alive. After the letter, I started watching, seeing things. So I went to Larry. When I asked him, he wouldn’t tell me more than what the letter said. Mom hoped your kind would leave me alone, but they never really left, you know? I’m still not sure how do you fit in. Dad said we’re not related—”
“You knew?” His quiet voice worried me. “When you antagonized me...” He stood. “When you flashed me...” He stepped toward me. “When we kissed...you knew?”
I gave a cautious nod. We stood toe to toe. I refused to look away. He didn’t look mad. Annoyed, yes. But he almost always looked annoyed.
“Are you, like, a cousin six times removed?” I said with an arched brow.
He sighed, and a smile tugged at his lips.
“How did your dad handle you on his own?”
“He didn’t. Larry was there, too, and the rest of the gang.”
“Pack,” he corrected.
“They’re not all like you. The Alpha needed human’s to carry out some of his orders.” His eyes widened. “Yeah, Larry doesn’t know what all I’ve figured out. He seems like a pretty cool Alpha, though.”
“I need to sit down.” But he didn’t.
I laughed at him. “Seriously, this isn’t a big deal. I’ll continue to keep my secrets to myself, and you can relax around me and stop the silent treatment because of a kiss. I still want to know why, by the way.”
Instead of answering me, he pulled me close. His lips claimed mine again.
* * * *
We ate dinner together at his place and watched a movie. For the first time, he actually seemed relaxed, smiling and laughing at the antics of the cops on the screen. It wasn’t until I left his apartment that I realized I hadn’t heard from Dad. I paused on the bottom step and pulled my phone from my pocket. No missed calls.
“Did you hear from my dad today?”
He shook his head. “He only calls me when there’s information, or you’re not accepting his calls.”
His words didn’t reassure me, though. I dialed Dad’s number, feeling a little worried.
“Hello, Gillian,” a soft familiar voice answered. “Tell that lone wolf you’re with that I’m coming for you. This time, we leave together.” The line went dead.
Little spots of light started blinking in my peripheral. I struggled for breath.
My eyes flew to Racer. “Chuck answered. Where’s my dad?”
“I’m sure he’s fine,” he said with doubt in his voice. “Go upstairs. I’ll try Larry. I’ll let you know what I find.”
I nodded but hesitated on the steps as he went back into his apartment. Chuck was coming. What did he think he could possibly do against Racer?
I turned and walked the rest of the way to my apartment. Closing the door behind me, Chuck’s words replayed in my head as I absently wondered why it was so dark. I reached for the light but froze. Lone wolf.
Spinning, I reached for the doorknob as several things clicked into place. I couldn’t see a thing even though I usually kept the kitchen blinds open, and we had a yard light outside. And if Chuck knew what Racer was, then…
From behind me, a hand closed over my wrist at the same time one slipped over my mouth. My eyes widened in the dark.
“Shh, princess,” Chuck breathed in my ear. He spun me around without loosening his hold on my mouth or wrist. “We want to leave quietly.”
Like hell! I grabbed for the hand over my mouth and kicked out, aiming where I thought his legs would be, but my foot only met air. My hand closed over his wrist and tugged. He held firm and yanked me forward. I landed against his chest with a muffled “Oof.” The collision and the hand still covering my lips made it difficult to breathe. He used my distraction to back me into a wall and lift me until my feet dangled off the ground. I stopped trying to peel his hand from my mouth and swung up, aiming for his head. His hand slid from my mouth and caught my fist.
Air filled my lungs, and I opened my mouth ready to scream. His mouth crashed upon mine. My lower lip split, and I grunted in pain. He growled and licked away the blood. I tried hitting him with my other free hand. He caught that too, threaded his fingers through mine, and forced my hands against the wall above my head. His hips and legs pressed against me. Panic bloomed in my chest. I tried to turn away. He changed his grip on my hands, holding them both with one of his. I couldn’t pull my hands free, and my legs where pinned by his, useless.
With his free hand, he held my chin in place. His tongue speared through my lips and brushed against my teeth. When I didn’t open, he broke away and bit my already split lip. I fought not to gasp, not to open up to him.
Remember. I needed to remember what I learned with Racer. I tried to calm my breathing. Think...
I stopped struggling and forced myself to relax. His punishing kiss eased. Slowly, I tried turning my head away again, and this time he let me.
“Not. A. Sound.” His words, punctuated with a soft growl, brushed against my ear. He knew, as I did, that Racer might hear.
A slow twist of my wrist loosened his tight hold. His fingers still circled it, but he let me move it down from the wall. I reached forward and threaded my fingers through his hair. He laughed softly and moved back to my mouth for a brief kiss.
“Later.”
He spun me around and had a gag in my mouth before I could gasp. I was facing away from him. Away!
I leaned back. My head touched his chest. His hands smoothed down the arms that he held tight. Aligned, I stepped back a little, lifted my foot, and came down hard on his arch. He grunted. I whipped my head back and connected with his nose. His hold on my arms loosened. I bolted toward the door as I ripped the gag from my mouth.
“Racer!”
The knob turned despite my sweaty palm. I managed one step before Chuck’s hand snaked into my hair and pulled me backward. The door slammed shut, and he continued backing up with me.
“Stupid move, Gillian.” His menacing growl caused a shiver to run down my spine.
“Why me, Chuck?”
He laughed. “I have a better nose than the rest.” He buried it in the crook of my neck and inhaled deeply.
The door to the kitchen eased open, and blinding light flooded the room.
“Evening, Chuck.”
“Evening, Chuck?” I repeated, glaring at Racer. “He has me by the hair and that’s all—”
Chuck clapped a hand over my mouth, stopping my wrath.
“So what does your nose tell you?” Racer asked as if I hadn’t said anything.
“She smells human, but I caught a hint of something else weeks ago. Alpha. It only happened once but it was enough. It got me wondering how a human could smell like an Alpha. Then I saw her father with Larry. Good thing Gillian took after her mother and not her grandfather.” Chuck stroked a finger along my cheek.
Was he saying Larry was my grandpa? Larry looked more like my dad’s age.
“If that’s true, you’re starting trouble, taking an Alpha’s granddaughter.”
Chuck laughed. “How unforgiving can he be when he let his daughter run off with a human?” He thrust me to the side with his last word.
As I fell to the carpet, narrowly missing the coffee table, Chuck threw himself at Racer. Fear clawed at me. The idea of Chuck facing Racer had been laughable when I thought Chuck a human. But not now.
Racer’s eyes grew dark. He rolled his shoulders as his arms rose to block Chuck. Time slowed and every detail of his change burned into my mind. He grew taller, the cuffs of his pants rising to his sock line. His thighs stretched the material so tightly seams started to give way. The bottom of his hoodie cleared the waist of his jeans. The dark hair on his stomach thickened. The muscles of his arms inflated as his bones stretched.
Between heartbeats, he’d exploded into a seven-foot monster with ripped clothes, fur, claws, teeth, and a pissy attitude. His lips thinned and stretched over his jaw, which protruded slightly. The growl that came from him made the hair on my arms stand up. His dark blue eyes seemed to glow as he looked down on Chuck. Chuck, seeing his attempt at attack fail, moved back a step and rolled his own shoulders.
Before Chuck could transform, Racer grabbed him by the throat and shoved him against a wall. The drywall cracked, caving in around the point of impact.
Chuck growled as his own body started to adjust. My fingernails dug into my palms, and I watched in terror as he started to grow. His muscles expanded. His legs lengthened. But Chuck’s changes seemed…smaller than Racer’s. Then, everything just stopped. I blinked and realized Chuck’s change was complete even though he was still twelve inches shorter and much leaner than Racer.
My worry evaporated. I laughed, re-splitting my lip, at the sight of Chuck in his diminutive werewolf form.
Racer towered over Chuck, still snarling, and drew back his fist. Chuck growled back. He tried to claw at the hand still gripping his throat. Racer didn’t seem to notice as he jabbed his fist forward. One hit to the jaw, and Chuck’s head lolled as he fell unconscious.
Racer opened his other hand, and Chuck collapsed in a heap on the floor. That was it? It was done?
“What was that?” I said standing.
Racer turned toward me, a snarl curling his lips. “Pack dirt.”
I walked toward him. He wasn’t reverting.
“So how long do you stay like that?” I stopped in front of him.
He leaned in and sniffed me. “You smell like him.”
“That would be because he had me pinned against the wall, kissing and licking me.”
His eyes narrowed. He kicked out a foot, punted Chuck in the face, then started to shrink, regaining his more human form.
“Your dad lost his phone last night. He’s with Larry.”
“You mean Grandpa Larry?”
“They’ll be here in a few hours. When they lost track of Chuck, they got worried.”
“Did they know what he was?”
“They never got close enough to be sure, but they suspected.”
They suspected and sent me off to a backwoods apartment to keep me safe while they tried to track him down. I sighed and glanced at Chuck. One of my mom’s kind had been that close to me, and I hadn’t known it. Why? Because my dad chose to keep the truth from me. The things I’d guessed at hadn’t been enough to keep me out of trouble.
Racer bent, picked Chuck up, and tossed him over his shoulder.
“I’ll keep him downstairs until your father gets here.”
I nodded. Lovely. What did finally catching Chuck mean? Was I now free to return to school? Would Racer tell Dad that I knew about their kind? Would I be trapped here forever? Would that be a bad thing?
“I’m going to take a shower,” I said. I had a lot to think about.
* * * *
The next morning, while I lay on the couch, listening to music, I heard the motorcycles roar into the yard. With a sigh, I sat up.
All I’d managed to do last night was think myself in circles. If Racer didn’t mention what I knew to Dad, then Dad would tell me it was time to leave. My heart twisted at that thought because I wanted to stay and see what there might be between Racer and me. Yet, if Racer said something to Dad...then what? Would Dad take me away and try hiding me again? I thought of my mother’s letter. What would happen if their kind did pay attention to me? But weren’t they already? I mean my grandfather—I still had a hard time thinking of Larry that way—had stayed close.
I groaned and went to open the door and wait for Dad.
As soon as the outer door opened, he saw me and huffed up the stairs. Larry walked in behind him and went straight to Racer’s apartment. When Dad reached me, he threw his arms around me in a relieved hug.
“Gillybean, I was so worried.”
I smiled and hugged him back. “I’m fine. I promise. You picked the right spot to keep me safe. Racer did a great job.”
He pulled back and gave me a long, piercing look. “What do you mean?”
His sudden suspiciousness worried me. “Huh? Mean about what?”
He shook his head. “Nothing. You ready to come home?”
The moment I dreaded. How to answer? His worried eyes met mine, and I had only one answer to give.
“Sure, Dad.” My words sent lightning bolts into my stomach, but I kept my expression bland.
He smiled at me, kissed my forehead, and let me go. “That bathroom got toilet paper?”
I laughed as he walked away. He stopped just outside the bathroom and glanced back at me. “What the hell happened to this door?”
“Long story. I’ll just go downstairs for a while.” I closed the apartment door behind me.
With an unhappy ache in my chest, I passed Racer’s door and stepped outside. Dad and Larry’s bikes were beside the pole shed. I sighed as the door opened behind me.
“Sure, Dad?” Racer said. “Just like that?”
I turned. He stalked forward until he stood before me.
Facing his thunderous expression, I frowned. “What was I supposed to say?”
“How about, I think I love him, Dad?” He stepped closer to me. I tilted my head back to meet his dark eyes. “Or maybe, I stay awake at night just listening for any sound, anything to indicate he might need me, any excuse to go running up the stairs and see him.” He lifted my face, his gentle fingers tracing my features.
“I think you mean down the stairs,” I whispered with a smile.
“No...I didn’t.” His lips brushed against mine. He kissed the split on my lower lip twice. It twisted my heart. His mouth opened, and I couldn’t deny him. We kissed until we both struggled for breath.
“Well, that complicates things,” Dad said.
I froze. Racer gave me one more sweet, gentle kiss and then pulled back. My face burned as I turned my head. Dad and Larry stood just outside the door. I couldn’t speak.
Larry shook his head at my dad. My stomach dropped. Racer’s arms tightened around me.
“No,” Larry said. “It finally uncomplicates things. She knows. She’s known for a few years. That’s why I put the dart here.” A slight smile lifted his lips as he looked at me in Racer’s arms. He glanced at Dad. “I told you she’d do well in this place. Good retirement home, too.”
He’d put the dart here? Stunned, I recalled the delayed silence. Then, butterflies took flight in my stomach.
“I can stay?”
“We can stay,” Dad said. He turned to Racer. “You’ll need to fix the bathroom door, though.”
I threw my arms around Racer and kissed him. A life with a werewolf. It would be full of adventure, I was sure.
The End.
Message from the Author
I hope you enjoyed this Novella as much as I enjoyed writing it. There are many more stories rattling around in my head, so keep an eye on me.
Are you interested in reading more of my books? Hope(less), the first book in a YA Paranormal Romance Series, is free on most retailer sites. Give it a try! :)
For more information regarding other titles, please visit my website http://melissahaag.com.
Thanks for reading!