Page 22 of His to Claim

Everything…

The words burned into my mind, ones said by my father many years before. I glanced down at my forearms, studying the way my veins continued to pulse, bulging from the amount of blood. This wasn’t normal. I took a swig of my beer, trying to calm my nerves. There was no damn way Vanessa was my mate. Not only was she human, but she was a pain in the ass, a woman in need of taming.

As the hammer of my heart echoed, I was forced to do everything to shove my beast back into his cage.

I’d heard every story told by the elders, had been forced to sit through the history of our kind more than once. And why? To make certain the Wolfen were never pushed into extinction. Everyone in our pack continued to fear the damn disease that was destined to return, especially after an incident only a few months earlier.

Destiny.

I refused to believe in such crap. Neither did the Lycans I led in the Nightwalkers. While the majority were true soldiers, prepared for almost anything, not one of them had ever fallen into the fear of the curse.

And I planned on keeping it that way.

One way to make certain? Stay away from Vanessa.

There were even those on the council who believed mating with humans would bring our demise closer. The last thing I needed was to tangle with members of the Wolfen.

Sighing, I couldn’t take my eyes off her. The vile and indecent thoughts I had regarding my desires were darker than any I’d had even years ago. I could almost taste her from before, her scent still lingering. I’d wanted to take her in every hole, claiming her as mine. I’d almost lost control, allowing my knot to form, my wolf even hungrier than the man.

I shoved the thoughts aside. I’d been able to control myself easily all those years ago. Why had I had such difficulty the other night?

Because you’re close to Wolfen land.

“Fuck,” I hissed under my breath. Was I starting to buy into the curse bullshit? I turned my concentration back to watching her.

It was painfully obvious she was involved in the middle of something, but I doubted she’d be inclined to share the information. I growled and nursed my beer, attempting to keep my lurid thoughts to a minimum.

I stayed in the background for the few minutes she’d remained in the bar, obviously bothered by what she’d seen in the hallway. When she shifted on her stool, staring me straight in the eyes, she clenched her jaw. Sadly, I didn’t think the way she continued to shiver had anything to do with the asshole who’d accosted her. My beast had clawed its way to the surface, coming dangerously close to exposing who I really was.

I’d seen the flash of fear in her eyes, the haunted look that had remained seconds later. She was terrified of me.

When she attempted to pay the tab, the action waved off by her friend, I slid two twenties across the bar. If my instincts were correct, the assholes would make another appearance, likely following her home.

I’d driven my second bike, the restored Harley my true baby and one I rarely drove. However, the method of travel allowed me to venture into spaces often refused to a full-sized vehicle.

She was smart, scanning the parking lot before getting in. I gathered her anxiety was riding high, her emotions rousing my curiosity, but I was forced to admit the woman was ferocious in her own right.

I kept my distance, studying the cars on the busy road. Within seconds, I located them, the large black Dodge Ram maintaining a wide berth behind her. If she had any indication of being followed, she certainly didn’t show it.

Her building was very secure, the underground parking the only area where the fuckers had a chance to attack her. Once she was in the elevator, there was no way for them to get to her. At least not without permission.

When she turned down her street, the truck immediately followed, but three blocks away, the driver turned off on a side street. What their actions told me was that they already knew where she lived and were merely making certain she went directly home. The shit in the bar had been about something else other than the woman herself. What could Vanessa be involved in?

I rolled the bike to a parking spot across the street, able to watch her a good portion of the way as she drove in. I killed the engine, easing off and securing my helmet. My instincts were still on high alert, the hair standing on the back of my neck. With my exceptional hearing, I was able to detect the closest vehicles, none of them with a large block Hemi.

After crossing the street, I debated my actions. The last thing I wanted to do was terrify her again, but if I was right, she needed protection.

The parking area was well lit, at least for a solid one hundred feet. That’s when my hackles were raised even more. Several lights were out, enough to create a wave of ominous shadows. The parking spots were numbered and while they didn’t correlate to the units, I had the distinct feeling that Vanessa’s particular spot was somewhere in the middle of the darkness.

Basic assholes wouldn’t take the time or risk being seen preparing to such a degree. They thought themselves impervious to the police. Interesting.

I stopped long enough to listen, able to hear the sound of her engine maybe two hundred feet ahead. The moment she stopped the car, I scanned the area as I crept along the side, taking several deep whiffs.

The stench of the asshole who’d touched her was evident. My instincts had been right. While I still had to be careful how I handled this, I would stop at nothing to protect her. The sound of her high heels clicking on the dense concrete created a wave of heat and trepidation, my heart racing. My beast was on high alert, still glancing around the perimeter of the garage for a sight of them.

Even the light over the elevator was out, her annoyed hiss an indication she was close. I took long strides, rounding the final corner and within seconds was forced to face the assholes as they approached from the darkness.

Her scream was cut off by one of them as he grabbed her, snapping his hand around her mouth. I moved quickly, grabbing one of the men by the arm, tossing him over a bank of cars. The hard thud reverberated in the space, drawing the attention of the other two. Within seconds, the barrel of a Glock was placed against her neck, the asshole who’d grabbed her dragging her several feet away.

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