Chapter 4 Casey
Casey
I wake up again with my heart pounding for a second time, but, this time, there’s daylight pouring in around me.
I’m lying on my back, and there’s a giant red wolf standing over me with his mouth open less than a hand span from my face.
The teeth are so very long. I recoil back onto the couch, wondering what to do.
I’m working up to shouting at him when he licks from my chin to my temple.
“For fuck’s sake, Hazard, what the fuck?” I shout and try to push him off me. His huge pink tongue comes in again, and, this time, he gets me in my mouth. I turn my head away, but he puts his paws on my chest, pinning me in place.
“Hazard, we are not dogs!” someone shouts, but they don’t care enough to actually stop him.
The massive red wolf licks my face again and draws back, but, all at once, he pauses, his amusement fades, and he looks like what he is, a hunter. He comes back, sniffing suspiciously at my neck.
I growl.
He startles and jumps back. His eyes lock on my face, drop to my neck, and return. I can see all the questions, but I’m not answering any of them. I owe him nothing.
Shit, why did I do that? I roll off the couch and walk towards the bathroom, ignoring the other men wandering aimlessly around my house. There’s no damn space in here with all of them.
When I come out, I pull out my cereal and sit down with a bowl.
“All right. Let’s talk,” I say around the food.
The pack has followed me in and is watching me with various shades of suspicion and hostility. Not good for the digestion.
“Let’s do an easy one? What do you want to do today?”
“Do?” Wrath asks with a frown. He brushes his silver hair behind his ear and snags a protein bar, watching me almost like he expects me to protest. “What do you mean, do?”
“Well.” I frown, picking my words carefully. “You are wolves. This is your temporary home. I thought you’d like to go sus out the territory, isn’t that what wolves do?” I ask him in a mocking tone.
“We’re allowed to do that?” Hazard asks and sits at my tiny table. He takes my spoon and tries some of my cereal. He seems to like it, so I refill the bowl and offer it to him.
There’s a hesitation, a brittle moment before he reaches out and slowly drags it towards him. Food is sacred to wolves. I know what I just did, but I’m not a wolf. And they don’t know where I came from.
It means nothing in this house. Food is just sustenance.
“Look, I don’t know how other people have handled having you five, but I’m not going to be your prison warden.
I’d like to consider us temporary allies in a war against the bigger evil,” I point to the cuff.
“So, you can come and go as you please. Eat what you want, when you want. I’d appreciate you not leaving me a mess; I have enough work to do.
There’s beer in the fridge. A whole mountain to play on. Go wild.”
The room is thick with I-don’t-believe-you energy. Angel seems the most enraged by my statements. I think if I’d locked them all up in chains, he would be less mad at me. I shake my head, dismissing him from my thoughts.
“And what do you get out of this?” Khaos asks coldly.
Oh, the icy suspicion of the pack leader. We lock eyes, glaring at each other.
“Well, I was hoping for freedom when I came up here, and yet, here I am, back drawn into the world of people. Five suspicious, home-destroying alphas invading my space and acting like assholes was not what I wanted for my happy ending,” I snap at him.
“Shifters, not people,” Hazard butts in.
“I just want to be alone,” I say calmly, regaining control. “That’s why I live out here alone. Because I like it that way. You five are ruining my happy ending. So, let’s work together at getting you gone.”
Angel is drifting closer. Of the five, he’s the most reticent but the one I’m the most nervous about.
Angry alphas are dangerous. His ice-blue eyes are otherworldly.
I keep my gaze off him as he eyes the bowl of cereal.
Hazard senses him and pauses, looking at the bowl.
I sigh and fill it again. He hands it to Angel, who takes it and disappears.
I stare speculatively at the spot he vanished from.
“Do you need anything from town…” I trail off at the rage dripping off the four remaining wolves. “What?”
“Why were you looking at my brother like that?” Hazard asks, and the licking jokester wolf from this morning is gone. This is all deadly alpha, and he’s ready to tear my cabin apart with his bare hands. It would be better not to take him for anything less than a predator. I won’t forget.
“His jeans are torn. He has no shoes. He’s not wearing a top. Furthermore, he’s too skinny for a shifter.” I list off the reasons on my fingers. “Oh, and he wants to kill me, and I have no idea why.”
Khaos blinks.
I stand up, ignoring the hostility in the room, and put a pen and pad down in front of Khaos. “Write me a list of what you need in town. I’m going to cut more wood.”
I walk out of the room before they can call me on the fact that when their wolves rose in defense of Angel, terror had risen in me. My sour fear scent is probably washing the walls. I don’t have the advanced scenting abilities of shifters. Which has been a blessing and a curse.
Today is already on my top fifty worst days ever.
I return an hour later and look down at the list and add several more items. I tuck it in my pocket and, keeping my eyes lowered, skirt the hulking mountains of alpha flesh.
“Right. I’ll be back, um, in a few hours.” I walk out to my truck and start it, only to stiffen when Khaos opens the door, and Angel climbs in. He looks pale, well, paler, and like he’s going to throw up.
“Angel’s going with you.”
“I am thrilled and relieved,” I say dryly. “And also, no.”
Angel growls and sinks down in the seat. Yeah, this is not happening.
“Why are you coming with me?”
Angel flicks his eyes up. “I don’t want you to get me clothes I will hate. I’m not wearing leather,” He barks out, his eyes wild, nostrils flared.
I glance at him sideways and feel a bit sick at the thought of trying not to say the wrong thing and ending up dead.
“Listen, I understand-”
“Oh, no, we are a whole new level. You don’t know who we are. You don’t understand anything,” Angel spits.
He’s vibrating in the seat, claws come out and puncture my dash.
I turn the truck off and turn sideways. We haven’t even made it out of the drive. I wind the window down.
“Khaos, tag in Riot. Angel can’t people today. I’m not having a fight with him in Main Street over my honest-to-god good intentions.”
Riot glides in my direction and leans on my door, peering at me, his dark amber eyes gleaming. He flashes his teeth in what should be a threat but somehow makes my stomach flutter. “I’d like to fight you on Main Street. We can make it…fun.”
“You keep that nonsense to yourself.”
I turn back to Angel. I thump my head back on the headrest; he looks like he wants to crawl out of his skin to get away from me. It’s mildly offensive, but I can understand.
“Angel, look at me.”
He looks.
“There is a storm coming. Can you smell it? It’s going to be a bad one.
We need to get these things for you and your pack.
We can duke it out when we get home. But let’s make sure everyone is going to be warm enough first. Have enough food.
I promise I will get you good, decent clothes, nothing sexy, provocative, or that will make you feel foolish. Riot is going to help me.”
“We can hunt. You-” Angel suddenly starts hyperventilating. “We can’t let her leave; we can’t.”
I flinch at the hysteria in his voice. The truck is too small. I need to get out, but I know that if I try to move, he’s going to lunge at me and rip me apart.
“Please, Angel. I’m not asking a lot here. Listen, I’m not going to hurt you. I’m being pretty reasonable. I know you have no reason to trust me, but I promise there is no ulterior motive. Just make sure we all survive. Fire. Food. Shelter.”
Angel lets out a howl. I tense, but Hazard appears and wrestles his brother out of the truck. I sit there, gripping the steering wheel, drenched in sweat and shaking.
“You did well,” Riot murmurs.
“Fuck you.”
Hazard shifts and goes after Khaos. The two of them roll, huge, massive wolves, fur flying. While Wrath leans on my porch rail watching with detached interest and eating an apple.
I can’t see Angel anywhere.
“Get in the truck or stay here,” I growl at Riot.
He has three seconds. When I get to three, I start the truck and turn back down the mountain, refusing to look back.