Chapter~5~Unfolding destiny.

Harley~

We arrived home at our little apartment shortly before midnight, my arms laden after stopping at the gas station, grocery store, and my favorite Chinese spot for takeout. One benefit of living in LA is that something is always open. Another good thing was how it felt to hear your name everywhere you went. I would miss this little town that has accepted me as one of its own, though I am anything but.

After shifting everything from one arm to the other, I can fiddle with the lock that likes to stick and get the door open. My bags hit the kitchen counter with a heavy thud. The shower is calling my name, but I put away my groceries before heading to the bathroom. Afterwards, I don't even bother to blow-dry my hair; it will just get wet again by the time Rae is done, so a messy bun will do.

Slipping into a T-shirt and panties, I settled down at the kitchen table, dishing myself a plate of house-fried rice, and opening my bottle of wine. My answering machine is flashing at me after I take a sip of the Merlot; I hit the play button. Benjamin, my human boyfriend of almost a year, is the first voice I hear. He always brings a smile to my face.

"Hey, baby doll, I miss you. When can I see you?"

Leave it up to piss on my parade, Rae! 'You know you can't keep him, Harley; you are going to wind up hurting him. Dig if you will, how will you explain that headline to your captain: 'Local DA mauled to death inside detective's apartment, film at eleven.'

My eyes rolled. Rae likes to gloat when she is right! 'Yes, I know, Rae, I will try to be more careful.'

Ben's last sexual encounter with us ended with me getting carried away in the heat of the moment and biting Ben. Hard. Rae stopped me before I sank my canines into him. If she hadn't, I would have marked him.

'He must have liked it.'

Since she is me and I am her, I can't lie to Rae; she knows that I, too, miss the primal sexual desire that only werewolf lovers can share. My core leaks with just the thought of having a man who is all wolf inside me again. Also, I want to start a family someday, with my mate, which I could never do with Benjamin.

He couldn't survive in my werewolf world, and I am not meant to exist in his. Not to mention the conversation where I tell him his child is half Lycan werewolf. Though I care for Ben very much, I know that's as deep as my feelings for him will ever grow. Only the bond of fated mates will satisfy my wolf and me.

It's not Ben's fault; it's mine. I never should have started a relationship with him, but a girl gets lonely after a while. Rae growls at me as I pick up the phone, but I ignore her and call him back, telling him I was going for a run and would see him in about an hour. Maybe after I pacify her, she will behave. I didn't lie to Ben; technically, one of us will be running.

We get to the Channel Islands National Park and take our usual spot in the back corner of the hiking trails parking lot. It's well past midnight now, and the only ones here other than us are a few horny teenagers. It isn't far to the treeline. I go a few feet into the trees, strip my clothes, and secure them in a low-lying branch.

Rae is sitting on all-go tonight. She pulls the shift, and we take off into the night. My wolf is an exceptional beast and deserves the freedom to run whenever she pleases. It's just that I can't give it to her as a homicide detective in LA. Maybe our next place should be in the mountains. Rae is quick yet steady on her paws as she moves us through the trees and undergrowth as if she were part of the forest.

It isn't long before I know where she's heading; we are going swimming! I giggle as I can smell the water through her senses. In the last few yards, we sprint toward the lake, and Rae leaps from the bank, splashing into the water. After surfacing, she glides us through the water to her favorite rock, leaps up, and stretches her stomach across the cool surface, painting.

Not being able to resist, I tease her. 'Happy now?'

My taunt did not bother my wolf; she purred at me, satisfied. 'Like a pig with slop!'

Rae's euphoria didn't last long before she was still on the rock. I feel her go into red alert as she lifts her ears and nose to the wind.

'Harley, we aren't alone.'

Rae jumps back into the water and doggie paddles for a minute as she searches the air before we head back to the bank and crawl out. She crouches close to the ground as we cross over the dried leaves and twigs as quietly as possible.

'Can you tell who, or at least what, it is?' I'm not liking this; it doesn't help to know our only protection was my Glock in the glove box, and that was quite a way away.

'It isn't human, that's for sure. It doesn't seem threatening, more curious but powerful.' Rae inches her way back to the treeline.

'We need to get back to the car unless you are ready for a fight!'

Rae growls at our invisible stalker. 'It is following us. Fast!'

'To hell with the creeping, Rae! Run!'

She rises from the ground and takes off like a spent bullet toward the car, stopping long enough to shift, and then I take off on foot through the parking lot. I fumble to open the car door, then reach into the glove compartment.

Just as I reached my right hand inside, thunder erupted overhead and lightning struck the ground behind me, illuminating the darkness. My hands are shaking as I grip the barrel of the Glock and turn my naked form around to face the light.