Why’d he have to sound so sweet? I told myself that jumping off the bed and pulling on my clothes was better for both of us, because having no romantic experience meant he didn’t know.
People pulled away, started getting colder and more distant, with every date. I knew, because I’d tracked the demise of every relationship I’d ever had from the start. It got to the point where I could predict the end of things down to the day. There was the initial love bombing phase that was just glorious, but then what followed nearly killed me. The snide comments, the sidelong looks at me, and then other girls. The way the person I’d fallen for just faded away.
Because he was never there in the first place.
Love was for suckers, and I’d fallen for its bullshit too many times. I’d scratched my interspecies itch, and now it was time to exit stage left, before they pushed me out. Phone recovered, clothes back on, I slipped out the door, the sound of the guys’ gentle snores dropping away.
But not Mack’s.
Who would’ve thought I’d have more in common with the grumpy wolf shifter? Now I was sober, his cynical outlook made a lot of sense. Perhaps that’s why he appeared in the doorway on the opposite side of the hallway.
“Sneaking out?” I felt like a teenager trying to creep into her bedroom after curfew and Mack was my confusingly hot stepdad. He crossed his arms, the muscles in his bare chest popping. “Why am I not surprised?”
“Figured I’d do you a favour.”
There was something about this guy that forced me to snap back every time.
“Don’t kid yourself.” He looked me up and down, and suddenly I felt all the grime of a full day’s work on my skin. Didn’t stop him from stepping closer though. “You’re all tensed up, ready to run.” His face moved closer as he took a deep breath in. “I can smell it on you.”
“That’s what you wanted, right? For me to get out of your face, your life.” I threw my hands up, ready to edge away, when his arms slapped down on either side of my head. “Let me go and I won’t come back, that I can promise you.”
“Not that simple.” Having the mouth of a guy who could sprout fangs at will an inch away from my neck was terrifying to say the least, and yet I couldn’t find it in myself to fear him. “If you didn’t want this, you should’ve blown them off, stayed away from the start.” His nose trailed along my neck, forcing me to shiver. “You certainly shouldn’t have fucked my packmates.”
“My bad,” I squeaked. “Won’t happen again. Now?—”
“You know what happens when you run away from a predator?” he growled, his voice growing deeper and more rumbly. My throat worked, ready to answer, but no sound came out. “They give chase.” I sucked in breaths as he jerked himself away. “Run, little Harper, as fast as you can, because there is nowhere you can go that I won’t find you.”
Any other guy said that to me and I’d be calling the cops. Instead, I just stood there, panting, my nipples doing the best to burrow through my t-shirt. My lips moved of their own accord, grinning into the darkness.
“Yeah? Bring it on, Fur Face.”
Chapter 13
Harper
The next morning I bounced out of bed before the alarm went off, which was a damn miracle, an event Daria marked. She came shuffling out of her room, then reached for a coffee. I poured her a tall mug with a flourish before handing it over.
“Good morning,” I said brightly.
“No such thing…” she growled, then plopped down on one of the stools at the breakfast bar. “A sentiment you and I shared up until now.” I watched her take a long sip of her coffee and then set it down. “Why the hell are you so chip…?”
Uh-oh. Daria could be half shifter herself, because her instincts were on point. Her eyes narrowed as I turned around to butter the toast that just popped from the toaster.
“Where’d you get to last night?” she asked. I stayed resolutely focussed on my breakfast, making sure to spread the butter right to the corners. “Your car wasn’t in the driveway when I got in.”
“Yeah, so?—”
Energised by her suspicions, she walked over to the window and peered past the curtains to the car park below.
“It’s still not there.”
“Right, so—” I started to reply.
“What happened last night, Harp?” Daria’s face transformed. All her exhaustion was wiped away and replaced by a devilish glee. “Anything to do with those hot tradie shifters?”
“Yes.”
There was no point lying to Daria. She’d work that out really quickly and then pester me even more. Not giving her any details would drive her slowly insane, which of course was my goal.
