Afflicted (3 page)

Oh. Boy times are changing. Well I hope I can change your mind. Can you tell me why you want to break the lease?

Let’s see I feel like someone is stalking me now. And oh yeah someone spray painted bitch on the front door. I am afraid of what is going to happen next and I don’t like that I am being targeted,
Victoria thought as she typed in her reply. She cleared the message and decided to text a decent summary of her reasons for breaking the lease. It seemed better to just let Kellie know why she wanted to get out of here so fast and out of the blue.

At first she wasn’t going to let the sprayed painted door get to her but now that Victoria felt like she was being watched her mind changed big time. She couldn’t have peace of mind, knowing that someone might be out there right this minute, and watching in the shadows like the fucking creep he or she was with no sense of decency.

I will be over first thing in the morning to take a look at the door. Let’s discuss this when I come over.

There wasn’t much Victoria that needed to be discussed. She had to leave and move into a different place. The chances of finding something decent to live in was going to be a tough find but she was more than willing to compromise. Whoever the person was, that decided to use intimidation tactics, needed to back off.

Maybe I need to take a trip to the local pawn shop. It couldn’t hurt to buy a nice little handgun and learn how to shoot for protection. I can’t only rely on the self-defensive moves I learned in college.

Perhaps buying a gun was the first thing she should have down when she moved here. She was living alone, becoming the ideal candidate for anyone that was aiming for ill intent, and no one would hear her screams.

Well I’m just the perfect little target for a serial killer or worse a damned vampire if they actually existed.

Chapter Three

K
aden walked into the bar situated about ten miles away from town. The only bar in Collins, that his pack ventured to, operated by Rick Grant. It gave the pack some sort of entertainment, especially for those who didn’t like going into town to much, and mingling with the humans.  The humans never came to Rick’s bar due to him purposely putting it out there that his place overpriced alcohol. It wasn’t true that he overpriced anything. It just was a lie to keep the humans from coming and to keep them going to the bar in town.

“Hey Kaden,” Rick shouted out from his place behind the bar.

Kaden nodded his head in greeting and strolled over to the bar.

“You look like you are in need of a drink son,” Rick said as he started to pour Kaden a drink. “This one is on the house.”

Kaden chuckled.
Damn right I need one.

He needed a drink badly. His problems were giving him a massive headache and on top of that he was insanely horny at the moment. Kaden had the urge to fuck— actually to make love to Victoria and only her.

“I need a whole damn bottle,” Kaden grumbled. He took a sat on a wooden bar stool.

“I suppose so with you stepping into the role of alpha.”

Kaden grunted.
The man thinks I’m joking about leaving again.

“Since I saw you this morning my mind has not changed Rick. I am not staying no longer than I have too. This place is not for me and I am still not going to lead this pack. I’m just here to make things peachy before I head back.”

“It’s your birth right kid.”

“Kid…in case you haven’t noticed old man but this guy over here is a man. A man who knows hard work a-”

“Ignores his responsibilities,” Rick leaned over and said to Kaden.

Before Kaden left for Alaska Rick, who’d been a upstanding role model towards Kaden had always told him there would be a day, he’d become a person that everyone looked up to. He believed Kaden had the ability to make the pack greater, to be a proper leader, and all Kaden needed to do was believe he could do that. The only problem was Kaden had no desire to be a leader. He really wanted nothing to do with Collins and the pack. Kaden was done with this place.

My life is back in Alaska. There is no way in hell I am staying any longer than I have to.

“Where is that drink?”

“Here you go.”

Rick slid the drink over that he’d just poured for Kaden. He knew Rick wasn’t fond of the idea of him passing the torch on to someone else to be the leader, to become the head man in charge, and Rick had already informed Kaden he was going to object when the time came.

Rick is always busting my balls.

Kaden looked around the empty bar. Soon it would be full of patrons. No one else was there but the two of them. Kaden needed someone to talk too and right now Rick was the only person he could trust with this secret. Rick wasn’t going to judge him but give him advice. Kaden sighed heavily and turned back around to face Rick.

“I need to lay something heavy on you and I need your help to… well make sense of it.”

“Lay it on me.”

Kaden’s lips twisted in self-disgust. He appeared as if he was in some kind of discomfort. 

“I think I met my mate today.”             

Yes she is mine. Shit… no she is not mine!

“Aw shit who is it? Come on don’t keep me waiting,” Rick said as he reached over to pat Kaden on his shoulder.

“I’ll tell you this much. She isn’t a shifter by a long shot. She’s human,” Kaden said as he run a hand through his hair.

“God damn it boy. So who is the lucky lady?”

I can’t let anyone know its Victoria Lane not even Rick. What…is he serious… lucky lady? Didn’t he hear what the fuck I just said? She is human.

“I’m not saying,” Kaden said. He chuckled and shrugged his shoulders.

“Why the hell not…you can’t lay some shit down like that and leave out something so juicy. I have to know who this lady is and besides it’s funny.”

“And why the fuck is this funny?” Kaden didn’t find any of it funny. His mate was human for Christ sake.

“You ass has been anti-mate since you were sixteen. Now you found the one woman that has the power to change everything and I mean everything. Your ass is in trouble son but in a good way.”

No I haven’t been anti-mate.  I just don’t see the point in having one at the moment. Hell I don’t want a mate right now. So maybe I am anti-mate.

Rick started to smile. He shook his head and laughed.

“Did you forget the fucking part where I said she is human? Not one of us,” Kaden said through clenched teeth.

“Yeah, nothing wrong with my hearing. Damn boy I’m old but I’m not that old. It doesn’t matter if she is or isn’t a mate is a mate. And I can’t wait to meet her.”

Yeah right
, Kaden thought as he rolled his eyes. As far as he was concerned that wasn’t going to happen.

“I’ve never heard of a something like this.”

“It happens. You wouldn’t be the first. Before I settled here in Collins I’ve seen it. You just make sure you’re careful and she isn’t going to go jabbering about our kind.”

“It doesn’t matter. I have no plans to stay here and I’m not going to entertain this mate stuff.”

“It’s too late.  You are not going anywhere until she is yours. The wolf part of you isn’t going to let you walk away.”

“Fuck,” Kaden said as he reached for the bottle on the counter and poured a second glass.

“Just wait soon you’ll be singing a different tune.”

“Like hell I am.”

Kaden threw the drink back and slammed the glass down on the counter. Rick was wrong. Kaden didn’t want a damned mate and was leaving here without one. He could do it. The wolf side of him was not running the show.

“Wanna bet,” Rick said as he poured Kaden another drink.

“She isn’t even my type. She wears these geeky looking glasses.”

Wait but they make her look sexy as fuck. Smart too. Ah shit!

“Tell that to the wolf. He doesn’t give a damn. The scent is all he needs to go on to know that she is your type.”

“I like tall women. She isn’t even tall.”

“I told you the wolf doesn’t give a damn. Plus the wolf is always right about what woman is right for you.”

“Argh, this is complete bullshit. I got too much to worry about not this. It’s just an unnecessary complication.”

“Oh stop whining.”

I don’t whine.

“Well I have other things to worry about. Hopefully no one shows up to the auction this weekend. With any luck no serious buyers will show up.”

“Rule number one your mate comes first.”

“I’m not going to make her my mate so rule number one doesn’t apply. So as I was saying this auction needs to be won by me. It’ll be one thing I can nip in the bud.”

“Alight say no more. I can take a hint but soon and I do mean soon the wolf is going to win. Put up all the fight you want Kaden.”

“Fill her up,” Kaden said as he pushed his glass back over in Rick’s direction.

The door opened and two shifters stumbled in giggling.  Kaden looked over his shoulders as the two walked over to the bar supporting each other.

Looks like they got the party started a long time ago.

“Did you see the bitch’s face?”

“I know it was hilarious. I tried hard not to laugh.”

“She looked like she was about two seconds away from having a major heart attack.”

“We need to drink to that.”

Kaden listened to the two men’s conversation and they didn’t seem to notice he was sitting there as Rick refilled his glass.

“Hey there uh Rick let’s get two
bullfrog’s,” one of them shouted as they headed over to the pool table in the middle of the room.

“Two bullfrogs’ are coming up fellas.”

Kaden used the back of his hand to wipe away some liquor that was on his chin. He listened in to the exchange being had behind him. Now would be the time to step in, start making some changes, and cleaning up the pack. For a minute he assumed the two guys were harassing another female member of the pack. He just sat there and listened to their unknowingly confession. 

“You think the bitch got it this time. She doesn’t seem all that bright.”

“Let’s hope she gets it after this auction. What we’ve been doing to her little sweet ass so far is child’s play.”

“Ah, man the look on her face was priceless though. For a second I thought she saw us.”

“Nope Victoria didn’t see us.”

That’s all Kaden needed to hear.
             

“Thanks for the drinks Rick. Now if you will excuse me but duty calls,” Kaden said as he got up.

Without thinking twice about it Kaden took the bottle of liquor off the counter and headed straight for the pool table. He’d wondered since the moment his mother told him, which pack members had been bothering Victoria, and now the idiots responsible had fallen into his hands.

They are putting us at risk,
Kaden thought as he wondered over. The real reason behind his actions mere seconds from now was not because of them putting the pack at risk. It was the need to protect what was his. Everything happened so fast. Kaden hit one of the guys in the back of the head with the bottle, the other charged Kaden but he was pinned against the table as Kaden’s fist connected to his jaw.

“Kaden what the hell are you doing?” Rick yelled. He ran from behind the counter to get to Kaden.

“What did you do to her this time, huh? Do you jackasses realize you might expose us to humans? Have you lost your fucking mind? You are going to keep your fucking distance from Victoria Lane,” Kaden said each word to the flow of his punches.

“Kaden I said that is enough. Now knock it the fuck off,” Rick screamed as he managed to pull Kaden off the guy.

“If I find out you’ve been sniffing around Victoria and pulling your shit again I will make your ass regret it.”

“Hey cool it King Kong,” Rick said as he went to help the one guy on the floor groaning in pain as he rubbed the back of his head where a cut was starting to gradually heal.

“Ow, are you crazy attacking people for no reason,” complained the male that Kaden hit with a bottle.

“You bastards deserve a lot worse for what you have been doing to that woman. Why the hell have you been bothering her?”

“Who
—you mean the human woman?”

“Who the fuck else do you think I am talking about? I am talking about the woman who you have been terrorizing without a fucking good reason.”

After standing on his own two feet without assistance he glanced over to get a look at his attacker. He paled as he recognized Kaden.

“She deserved it for what she did. You should know. She wouldn’t let your mom keep those houses. She took them from us and is now auctioning them off.”

“And where did you hear this bullshit?”

“Your mom told the pack this.  She has been trying to get the homes back for us.”

“You are lying.”

“No he isn’t lying,” Rick said as he stepped in Kaden’s path to prevent him from attacking the man.

“Then why didn’t you tell me this Rick.”

“I thought your mom told you that’s why I didn’t say much. She did tell you? I mean you know the deal right, which is why I asked you to help out in the first place to see what you could do.”

What the fuck are you doing mom? This is unacceptable.

He realized that his mother was playing a dangerous game and he had to stop her in her tracks. She had him thinking one thing, but had the pack believing some bullshit that wasn’t true, and was putting the blame where it didn’t belong. It was almost like she wanted the pack to go bat shit crazy. He got it. She was upset from the lack of support from the pack and the blind eye to the abuse dealt out by Morgan.

Still two wrongs don’t make a right.

“The both of you and anyone else who is involved better stay away from Victoria.”

“We were just having fun man. It wasn’t like we hurt her or anything.”

“No you didn’t but I heard what you said. After the auction you were planning on taking it to the next level!”

“We weren’t serious. Just joking that’s all.”

Kaden took a menacing step forward.

“Easy there Kaden. You already beat him real nice and good. Is this the way you want to make examples out of people or do you want to take a different route? ”

Kaden took a few steps back. He growled out in frustration. This is not the way he wanted to leave his mark in this town with the pack. Kaden was a talking individual and he found that sometimes situations worked out better by simply talking it out. Rarely did he have to handle problems with his fists. Yet at the same damned time it felt good. Not the violence bit but the idea that he was protecting his fucking mate.

Shit! Rick might be right. Fuck that I’m in control. She is not going to be mine. I can fight this.