Page 79 of Between Imminent Fates
“I want to see Key.”
***
Anxiety crawled over his skin for the entire seven-hour flight. His wolf, nearing a frenzy because of the cramped quarters, itched for the opportunity to see Key again. Zeus had been left with his neighbor, a young woman who adored him. Jax had packed only the essentials, throwing them in a bag that was barely larger than a briefcase, and rushed to the Seattle airport.
He’d refused Aidan’s offer to have a Raeth teleport him there, choosing instead to take emergency leave and book plane tickets. There was something about accepting the offer that unnerved him, and he had come to honor his wolf’s instincts. They hadn’t led him wrong yet.
Aidan had given him directions to the Oahu clan lands and a phone number to call before he entered. Though they already knew he was coming, Raeths were particular about their territories—and no one there besides Key knew who he was.
Wind tossed the plane about as they landed, but the sun was already beginning to shine as he emerged from the airport and rented a car. Finally behind the wheel and driving toward his final destination, his gut twisted into knots. Palm trees lined the perfectly manicured streets with the views of the ocean hinting through homes and gated communities alongside the roadways.
Before him stood the open gates to the private community. Beautiful Hawaiian foliage and flowers decorated the entrance, with massive stones erected on either side in a visually pleasing way.
His foot stomped on the brakes.
Everything about the place was beautiful, but something about it screamed he was unwelcome. Something was setting off his beast, who growled in agitation.
Slowly, he let his foot off the brakes and gently pressed the accelerator down. Crawling further into the grounds, his eyes scoured the landscape for any signs of life.
The gates had indicated he’d entered, but nothing immediately greeted him on the other side. A gigantic wall of naturally formed rock cut off his view of the things beyond—including the ocean—but Jax continued accelerating down the perfectly paved path into what lay beyond.
He didn’t get very far.
Out of nowhere, a black panther leapt onto the road before him, stubbornly standing in front of the car. Jax reacted instinctively.
The tires screeched against pavement in a bid to keep from hitting the animal.
When Jax tried to throw it in reverse, the car didn’t move. No matter how hard he pressed the accelerator down, it wouldn’t budge. His hands gripped tightly against the leather steering wheel, realizing the futility of his situation.
The panther didn’t look particularly vicious, but wild animals could be unpredictable. He wondered if his wolf could take the cat. He briefly contemplated calling animal control, but his thoughts fled when the panther leapt onto the hood of his rental and gazed into his very soul.
Jax stared back.
Suddenly, his fear and apprehension abandoned him. Even more confusing was that curiosity swelled inside him, urging him out of the car to see if the panther’s coat was truly as soft as it looked.
Butpettinga wild animal was a ludicrous idea, and the fact that it was suddenly all consuming should’ve been his first tip that something was off.
The cat’s coat looked incredibly soft. Jax simply had to know.
Before he could think twice, he threw open the door and walked around to extend his hand toward the panther. Regardless of his wolf’s snarling, he couldn’t stand not knowing whether—
***
Jax awakened to find himself face down on the asphalt. The hot cement burned into his cheek as a knee on his spine held him against the ground, arms captive behind his back. Aggression immediately tore through him at the indefensible position.
Before he could help himself, the wolf took over. Though the beast attempted to force a shift, without his arms free, the only thing he succeeded in doing was causing his skin to burn with pressure as the wolf began to panic.
It felt as if knives were raked down the insides of his skin as his wolf attempted to claw free. A groan escaped through his clenched teeth, drawing the attention of whoever held him captive.
“Are you trying to shift?”
Incredulous, the voice had the softest hint of humor. Jax instantly growled, “Get off me.”
“Get off you, huh? Is that how you ask for permission to enter my territory? Waltz in through the front gates, do your best to run me over, and then try topet me?” The mocking laugh from his captor sounded close behind Jax’s head. “Gotta do better than that, my little wolf friend.”
“I was driving and saw a panther and hit the brakes.”
Jax attempted to reposition his head so he didn’t constantly eat pavement with every word. The man on top of him didn’t move.
