Chapter 2
The hot and humid air made Jewel feel sticky and uncomfortable. Restless. She slipped from the house and drifted silently through the trees to the edge of the water. Here perhaps, if she sat motionless, the lake’s nighttime calmness would seep into her.
Tranquility by osmosis. She could only hope.
Outside, the light breeze blowing off the lake made things slightly better, but there were other risks to ward off. She could smell the faint scent of other animals, nocturnal game prowling the still, wild woods around her. At least her shifter senses still worked, even if she couldn’t change.
Above, myriad stars sparkled in the velvet sky. The moon, still full and pulsing with power, called to her other self, the missing part of her. She desperately longed for the freedom of the change, to race and run and hunt on four paws, snout lifted to taste the scent of the wind and the earth.
The ground felt solid under her feet as she walked down to a thicket of trees close to the water. But her entire body feltwrong,off-kilter. She was tired of fighting herself. If only she knew what had been done to her, she could find a way to purge it from her system.
For now though, she could only wait and pray.
A rabbit dashed by in the underbrush and Jewel spun, blood surging. Bitterly, she subdued the wolf, knowing she didn’t dare attempt to change so soon after her last disastrous try.
In need of a distraction, she thought of the man instead. He seemed familiar to her, as if she might have met him somewhere, known him before, in another time or place.
In another life.
Shying away from the thought, she focused on his physical attributes, planning to dissect exactly what made him seem so familiar.
Perhaps it was his resemblance to Clive Owen. She nearly laughed out loud. If all it took was the look of a film star to lull her natural wariness, then she was already halfway on the road to madness.
No, the feelings he evoked in her had to be more than that. Tall, solid, with broad shoulders and muscular arms that made her think of a protector. If he were Pack, she’d have looked upon him favorably as a potential mate; especially since his size and agility spoke of a good hunter.
Potential mate?She sat cross-legged within the protective circle of trees and stared out over the moonlit water. Shaking her head at her own foolishness, she rubbed her tired eyes. Been there, done that. Not about to get back in that dance again. For a long time, maybe never. Choosing Leo as her mate had been the mistake to top all others. She would never again trust her own judgment where men were concerned.
What she’d seen in Leo had been a lie. What she’d seen as focus had truly been obsession. His cunning had become ruthlessness, and whatever kindness he’d once harbored in him had fled long ago.
Marrying him had been a one-way ticket to death or insanity.
All through their courtship and the early weeks of their marriage, he’d kept his true self hidden from her. Looking back now, she shouldn’t have been so surprised. After all, cruelty and viciousness were often easily masked, especially when he’d worked as much as he did. Twelve-hour days and a lot of travel made it simple for him to hide his real nature.
And, as she’d learned too late, Leo was an especially adept liar. After all, he’d had their entire town and the Leaning Tree Pack Council completely fooled.
Once she changed again, she would be a solitary wolf, outcast and alone. Later, she’d figure out how to convince herself that she liked her life that way. For now, she’d concentrate on the problems at hand.
Staying alive and shifting again.
She sighed, pushing her hair back from her face and wishing she could taste the night air with her other, much more sensitive nose.
Dipping her toe into the warm water, she took a deep breath, hoping for peace. Instead, she saw a boat in the moonlight, moving quickly and unerringly toward her.
She slipped behind a thick oak to watch.
The boat came closer, the headlight directing a path to the shore. As the moonlight outlined the stark features of the driver, her heart skipped a beat. It washim.
The fact that he was here, skulking about her place in the darkness, showed her exactly how poor her judgment had become. What was it about her, that she drew a certain kind of man to her like a moth to a flame?
Could he be a threat?
Every instinct told her no, but the possibility appeared hard to dispute. Though she hated to be always looking over her shoulder, imagining danger in every shadow, she couldn’t afford to take any chances.
Leo had sworn to have her killed.
Tying the boat to a tree, the man stepped ashore and stood, facing her rental house. The moon colored his dark hair silver and made his craggy features seem even more handsome and mysterious.
Heart racing, Jewel held her breath, her entire body quivering with fury and fear. He lifted his face to the wind and for a moment she thought he’d scented her, then remembered he was only a human and couldn’t. Such an advanced sense of smell was impossible for a non-shifter.
