“My wolf,” I nodded. My stomach growled and Rafe turned his head so I could stand to wrap the blanket around myself better. When I looked up, his eyes were on my body that was wrapped tightly in the thin blanket. Desire filled the air and it took everything inside of me to walk away from him and not climb him like a tree.
“Let’s get you some breakfast, I’m sure you’re starving. I don’t think I’ve ever seen a wolf dive into the water before.”
I choked on a laugh. “She did what?”
“You jumped headfirst into a stream on the west side of the pack lands.”
I rubbed my hands down my arms. “Nalia is really in the dog house for this.”
Rafe held his hand out to stop me. “What do you mean?”
I got the distinct impression I had said the wrong thing.I didn’t get the chance to explain as the rest of the Guardians seemed to come out of the forest around us. They all had a similar build, freaking huge, rippling muscles, while they were each different heights. Knox was easily the tallest, then Mav. The rest I hadn’t learned their names yet but I could recognize their scents from the night before. There was a growl from Rafe before the Guardians held their hands up and took a step back. I lifted my lip in a snarl. Why was he acting this way?
It took me only a second to realize that they weren’t looking at my face but instead my body wrapped in the thin blanket. I rolled my eyes. My wolf laughed in my head.
“You’re all stupid,” I shoved through the muscle barrier in front of me and prowled to the Manor.Way too much testosterone.“You all get naked then transform into wolves in front of each other but here I am, half-naked and you all lose your senses?” I groaned. I hated men.
* * *
Since I was a child, I had never known stress. I had never had a need to know it. My parents hovered and always provided me with what I needed. As I grew older and they started to travel, things weren’t as easy, but not stressful. But as the days go by and my wolf tries to come to the surface more times than not, I am saddled with a difficult task.
Find a job and responsibility or continue to put my family in danger. Even though my parents love to travel, they will always come back. They will never leave my side and if I don’t put some distance between us… they will get hurt.
I pace my kitchen in frustration as I wait for my steak to cook on the stove. I no longer crave raw meat like I once had and my senses were starting to straighten out a bit. I run my hands down the front of my shirt as I consider calling Tracey. It had been a few days since the full moon and a few days since I had delivered all of my resumes too. My wolf stayed slumbering inside of my mind, only offering advice when she wanted to, not when I actually need it.
Sizzling and popping from the stove brought me back to the present and what was happening. A knock at the door sounded a few seconds after my phone pinged an alert to someone walking up the driveway. That person was absolutely the last one I want to see. I would have preferred Rafe over him, and that was saying something. I clicked the stove off and removed the pan from the hot burner before I went to answer the door. Just because I can stomach cooked meat doesn’t mean that I like it well done.
Knox was waiting on the other side of the door. A brown paper bag was clutched in one hand, and something indistinguishable in the other. When I open the door he offered me a timid smile. I crossed my arms over my chest and lift an eyebrow in contempt.
“What can I do for you?”
He shifted from one foot to the other at the tone of my voice. I don’t blame him for his anxiety, I was far from friendly. I still don’t like him and the way he tore through that man in the woods. Though it was effective, it was also terrifying. I still see it in my nightmares, except he’s ripping my heart out instead of the stranger’s. I took a long sniff and identify Chinese takeout in the brown bag and a DVD in his other hand. A peace offering, maybe?
“Rafe sent me on patrol tonight but it’s cold and my wolf hates getting wet,” He shivered for extra measure then smiled at me again. He looked so innocent that I could almost forget that his hands were made to kill, that he was forged to murder for his Pack.
I eased back a step, but only slightly. I narrowed my eyes as I considered his words. “None of the other patrols have been sent into my yard. What is going on?”
Knox shook out his shoulders, for extra emphasis on his wolf hating the cold before I step aside. “None of the patrols have gotten this close to your house because the rogues had stayed away. They have gotten closer and closer to this house and Rafe is worried.”
My eyebrows inched up my forehead. So that explained the smell every time I left my house yesterday. Something smelled off-wrong-when I would leave. Especially around my car, but Rafe was adamant on the fact that I didn’t need to go anywhere without a guard. I had waved off his paranoia and not listened but now, I didn’t mind as much, even if it was this lunatic. Knox closed the door behind him as I went back to the kitchen. I pulled potato salad from the fridge and leftover grilled vegetables from the microwave. I appreciated the peace offering of takeout but I wasn’t so easily bought. I ignored the Guardian as I prepared my plate. Knox didn’t say anything as he searched the drawers for a fork and dug into the first cardboard container. It was sweet and sour chicken, it had once been a favorite of mine. Did he know this from Tracey or was he just getting the basics? Who didn’t like sweet and sour chicken? I speared the grilled asparagus on my plate and watched the man leaning against the counter. Tonight he wore jeans and a tight white t-shirt, his auburn hair was pushed away from his face. From what I could tell, his wolf wasn’t close tonight. Instead of the yellow hue his eyes usually were, they were a navy blue tonight.
“Have you made any progress with Carden?” I absolutely hated saying his name. Not only did it hurt my heart but it also made me feel guilty.
Knox cracked his neck and nodded slowly as he took another bite of his chicken. “Yes, though I have never seen these wolves or witches before. I thought it would have been easy discovering their identity, but so far, it’s been harder.”
An idea occurred to me. “Maybe I could help?”
Knox grinned around his fork. “That’s the best thing I have heard all day and honestly, it would bother the hell out of Rafe.”
I rolled my eyes, though I did like the sound of that. Bothering Rafe didn’t sound like a bad thing. “Then, I’m in.”
Knox looked me over and then a devilish grin replaced the other one. “There are many ways we could annoy Rafe.”
Maybe Knox wasn’t such a bad escort after all.
Chapter 47
Jade Rivers
