Jett's Wild Wolf (Mystic Wolves 3) (7 page)

She nuzzled closer in her sleep, and sighed deeply in contentment. The way she fit perfectly against him, her soft curves melding to his hard muscles had him stiffening and moving away. He wasn’t a forever type of wolf. Not like Niall and Zayn. As he went to get up, she made a mewl of protest. A glance at the clock showed they had a few hours before they would need to check in with his alpha. Jett shrugged and let his body relax.

When he woke, light was filtering through the blinds. Sleeping with the dark haired beauty was a mistake. One he knew immediately when his body didn’t want to disengage from her warm embrace. Her long lashes were like dark crescents on her high cheekbones, he longed to trace them with his finger. Jett didn’t wax poetic. Sure, he loved tracing a woman’s body for mutual pleasure, but never had he looked at a sleeping woman and thought her lashes were something to trace. He almost jumped from the bed, but the dark smudges under her eyes showed him she hadn’t had much sleep lately, and he hated to wake her. Another first for him. Usually, he was ushering women out the door before the sun had even risen with a quickie, and a pat on the ass.

Mentally he scoffed. No, he corrected himself. He didn’t usually bring women home at all, just took them to the backroom of the bar, or a nice hotel, where there were no awkward morning afters. Taryn was the first to grace his bed. So what did that say about him, he wondered.

He eased out from under her, working to not wake her. He accomplished his mission, tucking the sheet that had been kicked to the bottom of the bed around her. Fuck, next he’d be climbing back in beside her. Jett shook his head, fingering the earring in his left ear. Deciding to use the other bathroom, he grabbed up his discarded sweats and walked out without looking back.

Life had been great. He didn’t have a worry in the world, until a woman with a purple streak in her hair barreled into his life. How the hell did he go from having men who trusted him with their lives, and the lives of the pack, to being a big ass loser?

Jett washed his hands, staring at the image in the mirror. At thirty-six years old, he looked just like his father had the last time he’d seen the man. Dark hair, dark eyes, and dark skin. Jett changed his hair on a regular basis, and got his first tattoo with Niall and Zayn when they were only sixteen and seventeen years old. Of course, the two brothers didn’t go for any piercings, but Jett enjoyed the tongue ring, and so did the ladies. As for the ear, he liked it as well. Damaged is what his father said he was, but Jett called bullshit. His first instinct was to hunt the bastard down and show him who was the damaged one, but that took an effort he no longer cared to expel.

“Fucking hell.” He raked his hand through his hair, splashing water on his face. “Don’t get shit twisted, Tremaine. She’ll be gone in a day or two, then your life will go back to normal.” He was such a liar. Maybe she was just what he needed to heal his old wounds from the past.

After checking that she was still sleeping, he decided to start the grill. It was already afternoon, and he was supposed to be working at Chaps that evening. He’d have to call Niall to let him know he wasn’t coming in. The urge to reach out through their link was strong, but he resisted. Some scars were too deep, and he didn’t want the alpha to see them. With his walls down, he had to tread lightly until he could get them back up before allowing anyone into his mind.

Once outside, thoughts of grilling left him. Peace settled over his shoulders as he sat down in the middle of his backyard. He crossed his legs, breathing deeply and let the world melt away. He needed to build up his walls. The simple, yet fortifying task came easily now that he allowed his mind to let the worries of the last few months go. He’d fucked up one time, but he’d make up for it, and in all the time he’d been with the Mystic Pack, he’d always put pack first. As he began the process, he noticed a green speck in his otherwise white world. Jett nearly laughed out loud. All his doubts had been from a source not of his own. He carefully surrounded the miasma with his own light, until nothing was left of it, pushing it out. Anger at the thought someone had mind-fucked him churned, but he didn’t allow doubts to take him back down the proverbial rabbit hole.

He jumped up with more energy, rushing up the few steps to his deck and found a sleepy eyed Taryn staring at him. “You looked really...focused, and then elated.”

Her eyes held no guilt, but he swore the only way the evil presence could have gotten in him was the night she’d distracted him. Jett didn’t touch her as he walked past her. “Yeah, I was busy communicating with Mother Nature. You should try it. It’s good for the soul.” Unless your soul was black. He chanced a quick glance back at her to see how his words affected her. She chewed on her bottom lip, making his dick hard. Honestly, everything about her got him hard, but he didn’t trust her.

With his walls as secure as they could be, he opened his mind to Niall, and Zayn.
Yo, I was just convening with Mother Nature and shit, when I found this disturbing presence tucked away in my mind. It was a sickening green that I didn’t recognize. I had no clue it was there until I decided I needed to...work on myself.
Yeah, he wasn’t gonna tell them he didn’t want them in his head anymore. That shit would just piss the two Malik brothers off, then they’d come and want to kick his ass.

Are you okay? How long has it been there?
Niall fired the questions at him, no recriminations.

You’ve been acting like a dick for weeks. I’m going to assume it’s due to this, right.
Zayn wasn’t as nice.

Jett flashed him the image of him flipping him the middle finger.

Children, please. Can we discuss the matter at hand? Also, my mate wants to know how you’re feeling? Oh, and she said to tell Taryn to call her.

No way in fucking hell was he allowing the woman anywhere near the alpha’s mate and child. He explained what he thought and how he came to that conclusion.

Niall’s sigh was loud through their spiral path.
Jett, she was willing to die to save you. If she planted this killer in you, then why would she do that?

Hell, he didn’t know if it was a killer, or a worm eating away at his brain, or what. All he knew was he’d been fucked in the head since that night, steadily thinking he was worthless. He could handle just about anything, but those feelings brought back memories he’d thought dead and buried.
She is still connected somehow, and until we know how, I don’t think she should be around your cub.

Nolan would probably kick him in the shins if he heard him being called a cub. The little guy was taking his role as protector when his dad wasn’t there seriously. Ever since Alaina had almost been taken while Niall had been off on pack business, both father and son didn’t like leaving her side. Jett was waiting to hear they were expecting another little one or two in the Malik family soon.

Jett would kill anyone who tried to hurt his family. Blood or not, the Malik’s were his family for better or worse.

––––––––

T
aryn stared at Jett, knowing he was communicating with someone, assuming it was his alpha or the second. She wondered what they were discussing, but wouldn’t invade their personal space. If he knew she could, he’d probably rip her throat out before she could explain herself. Not that she’d blame him. Some things were personal. She’d learned to barricade her mind, not just build up walls, because Keith could get through just about anyone’s defenses, except hers. She forced a smile to her lips, turning on her heel and leaving him to mind talk in peace.

Jett’s kitchen was kitted out with all things a person would need, with stainless steel everything. She wondered if he did a lot of cooking, or if they were more for show. Her heart ached at the knowledge she’d never be the one to fill the space with her own cooking. When it seemed as if Jett was never coming back, and wasn’t sure if waiting was the right thing to do or not, she walked back to the patio doors. Leaning against the frame, she opened her mind and felt for his. In her pack it was dangerous to let your guard down, especially if you were a higher up like Jett. A lower ranking member would do anything to move up, even wait in the wings to slit your throat while you slept. Tiny cracks only the really talented could move through were visible. She pulled back not wanting to invade his mind.

She turned and met his dark gaze, a sense of expectation washed over her. The impassive look she received made knots in her empty stomach, the omelets she wanted to make no longer sounding good.

“I’m going to shower, then I’ll cook us something.” Jett’s words floated to her as he walked by. Needing to check if he was angry at her or what they’d done, she coasted the front of his memories, only the ones he’d been thinking on recently and used a push to look for her in his mind. What she found confused and pissed her off to no end. The fact he was judging her as guilty without a trial, just like Keith showed he was no better.

Hurt and angry at him and herself for wishing for things she knew better than to want, Taryn kept her back to him. Her ears picked up the sound of his feet making their way into his bedroom. When the shower came on, she didn’t wait around to make a fool of herself. She’d suffered humiliation at the hands of those who were supposed to love and protect her, she’d be damned if she allowed a man or wolf she’d just met to do it too.

Thankful he’d left the patio doors open in his haste to get away from her, she took the stairs at a leap, tossing his shirt off as she went, and shifted. He might be bigger and stronger, but not many were as fast, nor as cunning as she was. Knowing he’d expect her to head back down toward her vehicle, the cheap little thing that meant nothing to her, she raced across the wet grass. Her tears were like wet tracks she tried to hold at bay until she was safely away. Once she was deep in the woods, she shifted to another form, knowing he and the other wolves of his pack wouldn’t be able to track her. There were times she was grateful Keith had screwed with her DNA enough to make her what she was.

The sound of wolves howling didn’t send fear or trepidation skittering down her frame as she continued to race away in the opposite direction. She’d always known she’d be leaving her only home, she just didn’t know her heart would be in tatters. She let the cheetah in her take the lead. The form her pack had scorned her for having, gave her the swiftness and agility she needed.

In a blur of speed she raced across the rocks and dirt, trying to get as far away as she could. Her sides heaved as hours passed. The pads of her paws ached, knowing she couldn’t continue on, Taryn stopped near a creek, the cool water soothing. She lapped up some of the refreshing liquid, letting it wash over her as she stood in it.

Hunger knifed through her when she spied a small deer, but even in her other forms she couldn’t fathom the thought of taking down a living creature. A memory of being ridiculed and made to do just that when she’d been little more than a child surfaced. Keith had taken a large animal down, blood had speckled his wolven face and dripped down his neck. He’d made her sink her teeth into the warm blood, even when she’d gagged and begged, he’d made her.

Taryn shook her head. She hadn’t realized the sun had set while she wallowed in the water, letting the memories of her past haunt her. Trudging out of the water, she shook her fur out, droplets flying in every direction until she was dry again. Her body felt weary as she dragged herself farther away on four legs. The temperature dropped, but she continued until she found what appeared to be an abandoned cave. Agile as the cat she was, she leapt the twenty feet up, inspecting the small space and found it was not a cave, but a small rock ledge with an overhang for shelter. Too exhausted to search for a better place, she settled down on her belly, having at least three of her sides covered she felt somewhat safe. A yawn stole over her, and darkness claimed her, drawing her into its embrace.

When she woke, the first thing she knew was she wasn’t alone. Her ears picked up the sound of several predators moving about below her. Their voices carried up, excitement laced at the thought of finding what they thought was large game.
Shit,
she was the game they were hoping to bag. If she was to shift into her human form, she would then have to face down several men. Not something she wanted to do either.

Her heart pounded in her chest as she listened to their footfalls below her. A total of five. Not insurmountable odds if they weren’t all heavily armed. She took a deep breath, catching faint whiffs of gun powder, and hints of drug use. God, she hoped they weren’t friends of Keith’s, or more aptly, customers.

Like children who’d lost their favorite toy, the men got angry when they couldn’t find their prize. Their bickering turned violent, making the birds in the trees take flight. She stayed still, not allowing a single rock to roll out from her hiding spot. The sound of fists hitting flesh, and shouts as the men below began to fight didn’t lure her out. She knew from experience Keith would do anything to orchestrate things his way. She closed her eyes and focused her energy inside.

Stomach grumbling, she worried they’d hear, but Taryn never moved. By the time she was sure it was safe, hours had passed. Slowly she crept forward. Blood-stained debris greeted her on the ground below. A man’s body lay in a heap where his friends had left him. Frowning, she looked around for clues as to which way they went, then headed in the opposite direction. Muted light filtered through the trees. How she wished she could fly.

With her only option to go down, she leapt, her back leg landing between a crack, and twisting. The pain so immense she nearly lost control and shifted. Leaping over fallen trees as fast as she dared, making her way farther away from the hunters and home, she didn’t allow herself to think beyond her next step.

The sound of civilization had her ears twitching, and fur standing up. Tall buildings lined the old fashioned streets keeping with the historic look of the times gone by. Weary, hungry, and needing a hot bath, not necessarily in that order, Taryn made her way to the edge of the woods of Belle Fourche.