Chapter 11 #3
“You can’t just claim her, Jase. You’ve got to be smart here. She’s very wounded by the way you’ve treated her and if you–”
“This is none of your goddamn business, witch. If you and your fuckin’ sisters hadn’t baited her to get her to follow me, none of this shit would’ve happened!”
“Things happen as they’re supposed to.”
“Yeah, and I’m supposed to be claiming my mate and making things right with her.”
“You can’t go off all half-cocked alpha and expect her to just deal. If you aren’t extremely careful, you’ll do more damage.”
“This is not your business. Nobody gets between an alpha and his mate.”
She gives me a measuring look before she says, “That might be the rule in your pack, but I am not a member of your pack. And Bailey has asked me to help her so that’s what I’m going to do.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?”
“How about if we give you some time to cool off and then we’ll talk about it?” she suggests, then lifts her bag and climbs the stairs.
I stomp up behind her. “Don’t you fucking dare leave me here!”
But she’s already left through the door, left it open but I can’t get any further.
Fuck!
***
Several Hours Later
“Are you ready to have a reasonable conversation about this?” she asks from the top of the stairs.
“Are you fuckin’ kidding me?” I shout. “Let me outta here. Now!”
She stands still, visually measuring me with a level of arrogance that has me seething.
“If you’ve got the ability to get me out of here and you’re choosing not to, we’ve got a major fucking problem,” I warn.
“Do I look concerned?”
“You should be,” I volley.
She shrugs and shuts the door.
“Fuck!” I shout.
***
The Next Day
I wake up after what couldn’t have been much sleep and the fucking witch is sitting at the bottom of the stairs, examining her manicure.
“This is some bullshit,” I tell her.
“Why is that?”
“You’re pulling a power play when I’m just being who I am. It’s my goddamn nature.”
“It’s your nature to mistreat someone in your pack who has shown you care and compassion? To threaten to sexually claim a woman despite that she’s hurt for good reason?”
“You clearly don’t know enough about wolf shifters, or you’d know part of why I’m this edgy is because I’m trapped, unable to do what I’m built to do.”
“And you’re clearly unable to see past your baser urges, which suggests you should be nowhere near Bailey until you can manage your actions.”
“I’m out of my mind with worry about her thanks to you.”
“Or… thanks to you,” she offers a bullshit alternative.
I growl, then warn, “When this shit is over, I suggest you steer clear of us.”
“Or what? And be careful how you answer that, or you could find yourself here for a while.”
I wish I could hit something.
“I can leave,” she threatens, hooking her thumb over her shoulder.
“I’m not threatening you; I want out of here. I just want you to steer the fuck clear of me and my mate going forward. I know you’re Erica’s sister but as far as I’m concerned, the further your coven is from me and my mate, the better.”
“Including Grey, your best friend?”
“Grey would not ever do this shit to me.”
“Grey would be okay with knowing you’re going to aggressively claim his sister despite that she’s hurt and upset?”
“Who says I’m going to be aggressive?”
“This is what Bailey believes.”
I take in a big breath and let it out slowly through gritted teeth.
“She’s frightened, Jase.”
I snap, “Your sister shoves fake shit in my bag, you guys make Bailey follow me and put herself in danger, and now you’re keeping me from her. I’ve had it with this bullshit! Bailey is not afraid of me, for fuck’s sake. Bailey knows who I am!”
“Tell you what… I’ll let you out and you can prove to Bailey that you’ve got a mind to her feelings, her fear. To ensure that, you’re not to lay a finger on your mate for a minimum of three days from the time you get home. Deal?”
What the fuck?
“Minimum,” she repeats.
“I’m not making that promise to you. Who the fuck do you think you are?”
“I’m thinking it might be prudent to talk to my sisters about voting to make it thirty days. I suspect three won’t be enough.”
I’m livid.
I glare at her, rage pulsing in my blood. But I only say, “Let me out.” Because I sure as shit can’t do anything if I’m stuck here.
She digs into her bag and sets up several bottles and a stone bowl on the bottom step.
She drops in a green breath strip before she uncaps a small glass bottle and pours some dark liquid over the strip.
She then uncaps another bottle and uses a dropper to drop three drops from that bottle and then sprinkles something from a larger jar, then cranks a small battery-operated spice jar over top.
She pulls a pestle out of her bag and begins digging through the bowl with it and I watch as she works all the shit she added into the green thing, which is now a mustard-colored blob.
“I’ll send this through the shield after I’ve got some of my sisters and Aphra on the phone to do a circle where Aphra’s presence and acceptance will allow my potion to fuse with hers.
You’ll put it under your tongue and in about two to three minutes the shield will disintegrate.
You may continue to feel a bit weak for a few hours as you overcome the side effects of that flower Alta used to disable your wolf.
I’ll order a cab to get you to Ljubljana airport.
I picked you up a few sandwiches and there are some sports drinks.
” She gestures to a bag on the step above her.
“Which airport?”
“We’re in Slovenia. I’ve booked you a flight that leaves in six hours.”
How the hell did those assholes get the two of us to another country while unconscious?
“Alta dabbles in many gray areas, evidently.” Dani mutters answering my unspoken question while examining the broken ampule on the floor from when Alta threw that potion at me, knocking me out.
She sniffs the ampule and makes a face. “Nasty. But potentially useful.”
I force out, “Is Bailey safe?”
She looks me over with those measuring eyes before she answers.
“Vivi picked her up from the airport almost an hour ago. She’s spending the night in Marblehead with my sisters.
Vivi and Ronnie will drive her home in the morning.
She’ll be home before you. I strongly advise you against pushing your suit with Bailey.
In fact, take my advice and work on mending things before you even think about laying a hand on her. ”
I say nothing.
“You’ll regret it if you don’t follow my advice, Jase.”
“What’ll happen?” I demand.
“I suggest you don’t try to find out.”
I growl.
She says, “I suggest you reflect and decide the best course of action to show your mate real remorse and do your best to win her heart.”
She can shove her suggestions up her ass.
“All I did was live my life until I found out who my mate was.”
“And yet the girl who has for years wanted nothing more than to have you choose her is terrified of you claiming her. I’m giving you the opportunity to take time to think and figure out the best way to win her heart.”
I give her nothing. Because fuck this shit.
“Now, shall we begin?” she asks. “Or do you need more time stewing in your angry testosterone soup?”
I don’t answer. I wait.
She gives me a long, disapproving look and does something on her phone before setting it on the step.
“Erica? Aphra?”
Erica and Aphra appear on screen.
“One sec. Here’s Jess, too,” Erica says and the other Young redhead appears in a separate window on the screen.
I say, “Erica, I have a bone to pick with you, not to mention the fact that your fuckin’ sister is–”
“I know,” Erica Savage cuts me off. “And believe me, Jase, knowing Dani, she’s gone easy on you. You’re lucky she likes you.”
What the fuck?