Page 11 of Red

“Stark told me to come by. I’m Nikki. You definitely aren’t supposed to be running alone.”

“I can keep a secret if you can. You can go or do whatever your plans were.” I stand up and step toward the driveway.

“I can’t, and neither can you.”

I don’t want to bolt past her. She could turn and then catch me in a blink. I’m the only known non-werewolf in the pack, so even if she’s tiny when she changes, a werewolf’s speed isn’t something I can keep up with on only two feet.

“Want to run with me then?” I need space, air. Movement. I lift my arms up overhead for a stretch.

“No, thanks.” She brushes her short hair out of her eyes.

I can’t believe he sent someone to watch me. I don’t even know her, and you’d think he’d mention it. Not that we’ve seen each other since dinner.

“Guess we might as well go inside.”

She’s comfortable in the house and grabs us both a glass of water before sitting with me in the pit. She’s tall and beautiful. A twist starts in my gut, and I force it away.

“So, Stark and you are friends?” I ask while hiding my lips with my glass and taking a sip. My pulse sounds loud in my ears.

“No, more than friends. Stark is . . . well, you live with him. You must spend a lot of time together.”

I open up to hear her thoughts.

Stark is mine. We’ll be mated soon.

My new suspicion is right—she’s not here ‘cause Stark asked her to be. She’s here because she knows everyone else must be busy. I’m not surprised he has a partner under wraps since the Elders’ rules on mates and fraternizing imply that once you find a mate, your ceremony date is expected to be scheduled, and some want to be able to take time before then.

“We don’t, and I know nothing.” I shrug.

She glances down at her phone, then back up at me. I don’t have anyone to text or call anymore so my phone hasn’t left my bag since I was forced here.

“He just likes to take time with making life decisions, but he will get there. Some mate young, others later. You have anyone?”

“I think you know the answer to that question.”

She lets out a light laugh, then her eyes do a full once-over. There’s not much to see—my dark-brown hair is tied back in a high ponytail, and I am in incredible shape, but so are most of the pack. It’s not a rare occurrence to have a six-pack around here. The purple under my eyes hasn’t faded after a restless sleep of Pratt filling my dreams with warnings.

Before her glass is empty, she stands. “Well, I just came to say hi. I’ll see you later.”

I don’t bother to say goodbye before she’s out the door.

The large clock above the mismatched gray stone fireplace gives me the answer I want. There’s still enough time.

When the sound of her SUV hits the road, I move off the stairs and round the large house, straight toward the pine-filled woods. I pick a well-used path for now to mesh my tracks with others. I know where Stark’s house is in general. If I go off this way, I should reach a clearing and then a rock face that goes to another expansive part of the forest.

The thrill of being alone outside shoots bursting vibrations through my legs. I glance at the snow melting below my feet. If I move quick, the snow is deep enough it won’t be noticeable out here.

I pick up the pace, pulling the cool air in and forming dense clouds from my own breath blowing behind me. Hair still up in a ponytail, I reach up and tighten it to keep it snug.

It doesn’t take long for the clearing to start to show in the distance where there’s more light behind the trees, but blackness fills my vision as my body gets thrown to the side. Wolf scent floods my senses, and one large paw pins my chest. The internal heat rolls off me, as I sink from the snow melting below me.

A low growl escapes Stark. Huge arctic eyes flare at me, ready to kill. If I wanted to be dead, I would have made a lot of different choices in my life. I squirm, trying to get him off me, but he doesn’t budge. My legs squeeze together, betraying me; it’s been a while. I blame his coat; the universe never should have given him one so devastating.

He blows his wolf breath into my face. How dare he pin me. What happened to a normal hello—a word lacking from Stark’s vocabulary. The bottom of his paw is rough on the skin my sports bra doesn’t cover. I can’t get a word out while he’s holding my ribs down.

Pratt might drop in and kill me himself for this.

I shut out all the cold air I’ve been clinging to and fuel the temperature of my skin with the anger coursing across me. In seconds, his wolf eyes lose the glare and go wide, showing off the bright blue in contrast to the darkness of his coat. Then he lets out a small yelp as his paw burns from the heat radiating from my chest.