Chapter 12
FLETCHER
I was frustrated.
Adam was hot and then he was cold. One minute he seemed interested in me, and the next he was backing away, creating distance, and it was fucking with my head.
Last night, he’d asked me out to dinner. Nothing fancy, just burgers and shakes. But then, after, he’d holed himself up in his study under the guise of working and I was left watching TV by myself, feeling oddly empty inside.
Had that not been a date?
It had felt like a date, but maybe it wasn’t.
I knew Adam’s family had big plans for him, but plans changed, right?
I scoffed under my breath. Right. Like Adam would give up the chance of a wealthy husband or wife for me—a homeless cat who didn’t even have a job.
Frustration and pain bubbled up inside me. No wonder he didn’t want to deal with me. It was a miracle he’d given me this much.
I got up off the couch and went into the kitchen, searching for a notepad and pen. I scribbled a note that I was going for a walk, so that Adam wouldn’t worry, then went out the door and down the front steps.
It was a crisp fall day, the autumn leaves crunching underfoot as I walked down the sidewalk, my hands shoved deep into the pockets of my hoodie.
In the bright sunlight, I let myself daydream of a reality where Adam wasn’t constricted by familial necessities like marrying for wealth and genetics.
A reality where Adam threw caution to the wind and came to me, tipping my chin up and kissing me sweetly, his golden eyes gentle and warm in a way that was meant only for me.
A reality where I wasn’t mooching off Adam, but instead we were partners and I had my shit together.
I was so lost in thought that I didn’t hear people approaching until it was too late.
“Hey, asshole,” a voice growled, so hauntingly familiar that it sent goosebumps shivering down my arms.
I spun around to see Jacks glowering at me, his beefy arms crossed over his chest. Beside him stood Cara and a couple of the other gang members that had given me hell over the last year.
Cara’s thin lips twisted up into an ugly sneer. “Nice going, you little snitch. Ratting us out to the cops so you could walk free? Then shacking up with the Alpha you robbed? Hah! Priceless! How did you con him into trusting you?”
I took a hesitant step backwards, shaking my head. “It isn’t like that at all,” I began, but they didn’t want to hear it.
Jacks flung his hand out, swinging his arm wide. “I don’t give a shit what it’s like. You fucked us over big time, cat, and you owe penance for what you’ve done.”
“I didn’t do anything!” I snapped back, my lynx hissing beneath my skin. Claws tipped my fingertips, but I forced my fingers into tight fists. “You’re the ones who lured me into Adam’s manor and then set off the alarms so you could use me as a scapegoat!”
“Hilarious,” Themis snorted out. “You were just too slow. Always too slow. And you’ll be too slow this time, too.” He grinned, showing fangs.
“Huh?” What was that supposed to mean?
They crowded closer, growling softly under their breath. Jacks reached out and shoved me, causing me to stumble back a couple of steps.
“If I were you, I’d start running, cat,” he said, his voice low and dripping with acid. “I’ll even be kind enough to give you a head-start, if only because you used to give killer blowjobs. You have to the count of five.” He grinned wickedly. “Five…”
My heart leapt into my throat. Shit, he was serious. They were going to chase me down!
I spun on my heel and bolted toward the manor. My shoes slapped against the pavement with each step, sending jolting shockwaves up my legs as I silently counted down from five.
The pack was faster.
They were on me in an instant, their fangs digging in, claws scraping over my skin.
I screamed, a blood-curdling sound, as Jacks’s jaws clamped onto my side. He bit down hard. The cry that tore from my throat was equal parts terror and pain: “ADAM!”
Their fangs ripped at my skin, agony ricocheting through my soul. I covered my head with my arms, trying to protect my face and throat the best I could. They were all over me, digging at me with their claws, biting and snapping. Vicious.
They were going to kill me.
Their snarls and growls echoed in the air. Paws scuffled over the pavement. Pain throbbed through me with each bite, each ripping yank as my flesh was flayed open. All I could smell was blood.
I let out a soft sob, screaming again for help, but it petered out into a weak whimper. No… Not like this. I gasped for breath, tears blinding me.
And then, suddenly, overhead—BLAM!
A gunshot sounded so loud my ears rang. Warm blood splattered across my neck and back.
A dog yelped out in pain, followed by whines, whimpers and growls. Claws scrabbled over the ground as the pack retreated, leaving me alone with whoever had come to my aid—but was it too late?
I gasped for breath, pain pulsing through me with every heartbeat, my mind a haze and my vision blurry.
I cowered on the sidewalk, still covering myself. Hands gingerly touched me, rolling me over onto my back, and I stared up at Adam, my chest cracking open.
I began to cry harder.
He was already on the phone with 911, barking orders. He dropped to his knees beside me and gripped my hand gently in both of his.
“God, Fletcher, I’m sorry,” he said, his voice tight. “I’m so sorry. Hold on, sweetheart. Help is on the way.”
A whine wheezed out through my nose as I let my head loll back against the pavement, too exhausted to move. My whole body trembled with pain. Adam squeezed my hand.
“Stay with me, baby,” he crooned. “I’m right here. Stay awake.”
Even in my dazed state, the word punched through the fog like a lighthouse beacon: Baby…