The Wolf's Prey (22 page)

"Why does she
want to hurt you and your parent's?"

"Her mother died
when she was young. Our dad met our mom and mated with her a year
after she died. Rachel hasn't gotten over it. She thinks our dad
rushed in to the relationship. Then after I was taken," I clear my
throat. "They were so preoccupied and sad they didn't pay much
attention to her. She holds that against them and me."

"Like it was your
fault Alpha Rhys took you. The bitch must be crazy." Marta
huffs.

"This is too
weird." Jessica complains, looking round us. I realize what she
means, we have five guys surrounding us. It is weird. “Why don't
you come back with us and spend the night? We'll have a girl's
night in?"

"Jessica, you
should ask dad first." I say, trying to remind her of the tension
bringing home Marta might bring.

"Okay, I'll call
him." She states, unconcerned.

She gets up and
walks towards one of the guards. I assume to ask for a phone. "Are
you happy?" Marta asks.

I look back at
her. "I think so. It was hard to forgive him when he kicked you
guys out, but we're working through it. Are you happy
here?"

"I'm making
friends. It's just not the same without you."

I cover her hand
with mine. "I know exactly what you mean."

***********

Jessica !

Jessica come's
skipping back to us. "Dads fine with it." For some reason I don't
think he's totally fine with it. More like Jessica told him he was
fine with it and he agreed to let her have her way.

"Are you headed
back?" Andrew asks, as a rather large man with the darkest eyes
I've ever seen steps closer to us. He's focused on Marta for some
reason and he doesn't look too happy. I wouldn't want to deal with
him. He's as big as Lennox and looks just as hard.

Mesmerized by his
eyes for a split second, I snap out of it and answer Andrew, "Yeah,
Marta is sleeping over with us."

"I'll follow you
back. I have a few things to discuss with your father." I nod and
look around for the Robinsons, but they’re not here.

The three of us
head to the woods to shift and I whisper to Marta, "Who was that
guy?"

"Beta Dante
Hightower. A delicious caramel treat isn't he?"

I giggle at her
description. "He's definitely memorable." I reply, looking back at
the handsome man.

She tucks her
hair behind her ear. "He asked me out."

"Really?" I ask,
shocked she didn't tell me already.

"Yeah, we're
going for dinner tomorrow."

"So, that's why
he was staring at you. By the looks of it he doesn't want you to
leave."

"Well, he can get
over it. I want to spend time with my sister." She responds, as we
go a little further into the trees.

"Do you like him,
like him?" I question.

"He's a tad bossy
and sometimes a little too controlling, but those eyes and those
abs." She says, pretending to swoon making Jessica and I erupt in
laughter.

Jessica changes
her voice trying to sound like Marta. "Well, he's bossy, arrogant
and a domineering jackass, but those eyes and abs!"

"I don't sound
like that! And I didn't call him a jackass!" Marta yells, trying
not to laugh.

"Even if he was,
would it matter?" Jessica asks.

Marta starts
undressing. "Probably not." She admits. "It’s kinda
hot."

We shift and run
back to the house with more wolves then we came with. The three of
us are surrounded by the other wolves and I'm surprised we make it
back quicker than I thought we would. We find our clothes where we
left them and shift back. I dress quickly and find clothes for
Marta to wear. My brothers leave extras outside for themselves, but
I'm sure they won't mind.

We walk through
the back door and as always Mom is in the kitchen. I didn't talk to
her very much after we landed. I played dress up with Jessica for
about 40 minutes before we left to go see Marta. "Hey, do you need
help making dinner?" I ask.

"No, honey I got
it."

"Is this your
sister?" She asks with a smile.

"It is, this is
Marta. Marta, this is my mom." I wince, that is officially the
weirdest introduction that's ever been given. Mom laughs and holds
out her hand.

"It’s nice to
meet you, Marta."

"Nice to meet you
too, Mrs. Griffin. Thanks for allowing me to come."

"Anytime. Truly I
mean it." Mom says, sincerely.

Marta smiles and
I hear a loud bang. The twins come into the room pushing each
other. "Who's the hottie? In my clothes and do I get to take them
off of her?" Jason asks. I jump when I hear a loud growl and see
Beta Hightower glaring at Jason. Jason wisely puts his hands up in
a surrendering motion. "Just asking, Bro." He smirks.

"Watch it,
Dante." Andrew warns.

Beta Hightower
looks away from Jason and I see Jason visibly relax. "Jason, Josh.
This is my sister Marta." I say.

"Hey." They reply
simultaneously.

"So, are you
seeing anyone?" Josh asks, smirking. I giggle and Marta turns red.
Mom of course laughs the loudest and I look at Beta Hightower who
is not amused, but his alpha is all smiles.

"You're asking
for it, pup." Beta Hightower warns.

I stop laughing
immediately, noticing the coldness in Beta Hightower's eyes. Andrew
growls, "You scare her again," he says, pointing at me, "and I'll
be the one kicking your ass." He threatens as dad comes into the
room.

"What's the
problem?" Dad questions.

"There's no
problem, Alpha." Beta Hightower replies.

"Good. Let’s talk
Andrew. I just got an update from Lennox." The guys leave and I
smirk at Marta. "You've been claimed."

"He's a little
presumptuous, don't you think?" She asks and I chuckle.

"You know you
love it."

She sighs
dramatically. "I know."

I look at mom and
ask, "What's going on? Have you heard anything about Rachel and her
being on Lennox's territory?"

"He's searching
for her. She’s been there with another female he kicked out of his
pack."

"Do you know the
name of the other female?" I question thinking of Wendy, the
brownie girl. The girl who set my bed on fire.

"No, Travis
didn't say." Mom answers.

"Do you think it
was that Wendy girl?" Marta asks me and I shrug.

"That's who I was
thinking it might be." I reply.

"She did set your
bed on fire." Marta says, like I need the reminder.

"Someone set your
bed on fire!" Jessica yells. Marta tells everyone the details of
Wendy's jealousy. By the end everyone seems to think it’s her
acting with Rachel.

I can't help but
feel a little relieved. I think the shock of Rachel's betrayal to
the family has worn off and they're trying to minimize her chances
on hurting the family. All, neighboring alphas have been alerted
and have agreed to detain her if she crosses onto their land. I
hope she comes home and nothing comes of her threats. She obviously
needs help and won't get it if she gets herself killed. Walking
onto claimed land and hiding in the woods is a sure way to get
yourself hurt.

I wonder where
she is. She had to have left the US for Canada or is hiding in a
nearby city. There aren't many options, but she could still have
allies within the pack relaying information to her so she'd know
where to hide. I can’t help but worry that someone will get hurt in
the end. Something's can't be controlled or predicted, no matter
how careful you are.

"Marta, what are
you being for Halloween?" Jessica question's innocently.

"Good God! No,
Jessica!" I yell.

Alpha Lennox
Hall

The search turned
up nothing. Rachel and Wendy are most definitely not on my
territory anymore. If they wanted to stay close Rhys's pack would
be ideal. If they wanted to flee they're either past the U.S.
border into Canada, or in a big city.

Travis has the
cooperation from all the Alpha's in the surrounding packs. If Wendy
or Rachel come onto their territory they'll immediately be detained
until Travis can transport them back home.

I'm not
comfortable with the wait, I want to find them now. Tomorrow, I'm
going to Alpha Rhys’ under the guise of asking about his former
pack member Wendy. I'll know if he has any involvement with the
two. I'm not doubting that he knows something. However, he wouldn't
want Jocelyn hurt and those two woman want to hurt her.

I walk to our
bedroom and strip down to my underwear. I climb into our bed
breathing in Jocelyn's scent, instantly finding myself wanting her.
It hasn't changed, her scent still makes me want her even after
mating. It always takes control of me. I breathe in her scent and I
can distinguish it from mine, it’s not our scent as one, we still
have separate scents! How can that be? I sit up, her sent is still
her own as is mine. How can I have claimed her with a mark and
still our scents haven't joined as one? Did her body, her wolf
rejected my claim? How didn't I notice this before?

I jump out of bed
and dress quickly. If my claim on Jocelyn isn't recognized, then I
can still be challenged by another male on the date of the Alpha
challenge. Which is Jocelyn's eighteenth birthday. As it stands
we're not mated, my mark on her is meaningless. If she chose
another she could and I wouldn't be able to stop her. However, the
thing that's making me rush to the door is the fact I let my
unmarked female, whom I’ve chosen as my mate leave my
territory.

I try to feel her
through our bond. It’s not there, why isn't it there anymore? I
didn't notice until now, I'm not feeling her emotions. I don't
recall when it stopped, it could have been earlier this week. My
mind has been on work and then Rachael and Wendy. This is a
colossal fuck up. I call Travis.

"Lennox."

"I need you to
keep Jocelyn from any unmated males. Something went wrong with the
claim, it didn't take. I can't feel her emotions. I just now
noticed our scents aren't intertwined, we're not mated."

"Calm down. I
didn't want to tell you this because I didn't want anything forced
on her, but the same thing happened with Jen. My claim wouldn't
hold until I had gotten her pregnant. It looks like Jocelyn is the
same way. My claim never last longer than a few days."

"You kept this
from me." I seethe.

"I wanted my
daughter to have a choice. Are you willing to wait for her to be
ready to have pups? Can you accept that you won't be fully mated
until then?"

"Did you?" I
question, knowingly.

"I did not." He
sighs.

"Then that was a
pretty stupid fucking question, now wasn't it?"

"She gets to
choose." He states with finality.

I grit my teeth
together, but I can't control the rage inside of me. "If I lose her
because you kept this from me I'll tear off your God damn head!" I
shout, hanging up and dialing Liam. "Get Jocelyn home, right now."
I order.

Choosing
Lennox

"We're leaving.
Where are your bags?" Liam questions, looking around. By the
intense look on his face I can see he's on edge. Obviously,
something's happened.

"Why? What
happened?" I ask, calmly. He's looking flustered and tense enough
for the both of us.

"Alpha needs us
back now. I don't know what’s going on." He answers, locating my
bag and picking it up. Jessica stops painting my fingernails as we
watch Liam.

If Lennox is
ordering me to leave after trying to ensure I had a good time by
not telling me about Rachel and Wendy, then something is definitely
wrong. "Give me your phone I'm calling Lennox." I
demand.

Liam hands me his
phone as he starts to pick up my things and stuff them into my
duffle bag. I find Lennox's phone number just as my dad comes into
the room.

"She's not going
anywhere." He states, looking at a surprised Liam.

"Lennox ordered
me to take her back home." He counters.

"This is her
home. You're the one leaving." Dad replies.

"Dad, what’s
going on?" I ask, hesitantly.

"Lennox
discovered he has no claim on you. His mark didn't take and won't
until-"

"Until I get
pregnant. You told him?" I question.

"He figured it
out himself. I asked if he planned to impregnate you or give you
the choice. He's not going to give you a choice
Jocelyn."

I knew Lennox
wouldn't. I'm not shocked by the news, this is Lennox we're talking
about. "You didn't wait for mom either." I state, trying to figure
out my feelings about Lennox forcing me to carry his
pup.

"I didn't wait
and I never regretted it, but you're my daughter it’s different.
You can still be with him, but he'll have to wait for you to be
ready."