Page 32 of Between Imminent Fates
It infuriated Jax that he couldn’t do anything about their situation—yet.All of them perked when he approached, but not out of fear. Each of them watched him with what felt like hope, almost as though they trusted him. He spoke softly to them, using reassuring words as he went about his work.
To Jax, they had begun feeling like his responsibility.
The wheelbarrow creaked slightly as he rolled it down the aisleway. Filled with venison, he gave every wolf a portion of meat before going to the next. Though he knew it wasn’t enough, he had to do something.
The dark grey wolf in the next cage stared at him with despair. If Jax had to guess, it was the lanky teenager who’d been brought in during the last round. Though the animal couldn’t hold his gaze, he knew misery when he saw it.
“Hold on for just a little longer,” Jax whispered. “We’ll get you out of here. I promise you that.”
A near-silent whine escaped the animal. One paw crept forward, then another, until the beast was pressed up against the bars. Tail tucked and trembling, the wolf whimpered.
Jax couldn’t take it anymore. Crouching down, he reached through the bars of the cage and gently combed his fingers through the animal’s coat. Though his skin burned where it touched the silver, he didn’t pull back. While he didn’t speak, the small act of compassion made the wolf inside the kennel stop trembling.
The sound of approaching footsteps made him quickly pull his hand from the cage. He straightened and was tossing meat to the wolf by the time Barlowe appeared down the aisleway.
“What are you doing, Hunter?”
“Feeding them, sir.”
“And who gave you permission to do that?” came the gruff response.
An angry growl threatened to erupt from Jax’s throat. Swallowing the urge, he refocused on the meat in his hands to compose himself. It grated on him that showing the wolves compassion was lost on the colonel.
“A wolf in good condition stands a better chance at killing immortals than one in poor condition,” he replied evenly. “The same reasoning applies if their wounds are infected.”
When Barlowe opened his mouth to reply, Jax interjected, “Don’t worry, I’ve cleaned the kennels on my break time, sir. My work is getting done.”
“Good. As you were.” The officer made a face. “Take an hour every day to clean the cages—I loathe the smell.”
Jax glared at the retreating man, then turned back to his work. Never again would these wolves live in filth—nor would they starve on his watch. If he couldn’t personally rescue them, the least he could do was treat them humanely.
The fact that Rayn hadn’t returned to this location recently was a good thing. If the Raeth discovered Jax was a werewolf, he’d be dead or rabid. If he had to guess, Rayn was busy with the other kennels.
By the time it hit five o’clock, Jax was more than ready to leave. Outside the door, the kennels had been atypically quiet. It was a miracle what caring for animals did.
At home, Zeus greeted him with his usual enthusiasm.
Living in the city, Jax heard everything. Two floors down, he could hear a couple arguing about how dark toast was supposed to be. A floor above him, someone was dancing to a jazzercise video. Earlier today, he’d heard the joggers who’d run past his building like clockwork at six a.m.
He had already begun looking for places outside the city. There, he could run the countryside with Zeus whenever he desired. At the thought, the otherness inside him perked.
It was an odd feeling. Having been alone in his mind his entire life, a second presence hovering on the edges seemed foreign. At times, he was almost convinced it could speak if so prompted—though he had no idea what a wolf would say.
His jogs had become heartbreakingly easy; he hadn’t even broken a sweat this morning. Part of him wondered if this was how superheroes were born. Perhaps Superman had actually been a Raeth.
A fresh package of Oreos was ready on the coffee table when Key knocked on his apartment door. The wolf inside him bounded forward to look through his eyes—making him temporarily stumble as he got used to the feeling. Blinking, he narrowed his gaze and glanced around the apartment, his beast huffing at the delay. Shrugging, Jax grinned when he saw the platinum-blonde woman on the other side of the door.
“Hey there.”
The foreseer cocked her head, studying him for a moment before her lips curled. “Your wolf—he’s looking at me.”
“Yeah.” Jax rubbed the back of his neck. “It’s an odd sensation.”
Chuckling, she stepped close and rose on her tip toes. Her mouth brushed against his, a fleeting kiss of contact, before he ensnared her. Tugging Key closer, Jax savored the flavor of her lips and the sense of rightness she’d brought with her. When they were together, everything seemed to fall into place.
Their intimate greeting was short and sweet, and when she stepped back, she scratched under Zeus’ chin. The moment she saw the Oreos on the coffee table, she squealed.
It made Jax’s wolf burst with happiness. He’d always enjoyed feeding Key, but the animal took that to a whole new level.
