A small smile lit up the womanโs eyes as she glanced at Elias like they had something in common. "That's why I ran all the way from home before they closed.โ Elias pointed east. โI work a few blocks from here so I always make sure to come before they shut their doors. Some nights? I fail. Those are the worst.โ โI donโt come every day, but when I canโฆI do.โ Terry returned with a way too kind and obvious smile. Elias gritted his teeth as the woman caught on that Terry felt sorry for her. Before he could think of a way to stop her, she ducked her face, grabbed the latte, thanked Elias under her breath, and took off for the door. Watching her maneuver past the line, he set a ten on the counter. โWhat do you think happened to her, Elias?โ He picked up his fresh double shot and said in a booming voice with an easy laugh, โShe plays softball. Her team sucks. Took one to the noggin the other day and called me about it all whiney. Sheโs just embarrassed.โ The woman looked back a
Espresso propelled a stormy stroll through the streets of Ayala Avenue. As he neared the courthouse, Elias pulled out his phone and dialed his packmate. He only had to wait one ring for a curt, "What?" "'Bout time you answered, Donald,โ he joked, dryly. โWhat are you doing, watching porn with your dick in your hand?" A wry laugh came through the phone. "I'm not you, Elias." "Your only flaw," Elias smirked, glancing up at the greying light, thanks to high-rise buildings blocking the waning sun. His wolf loved it. โAnd I donโt need porn when Iโve got real live women.โ โAsshole.โ โAre you looking in a mirror again?โ โYouโre ridiculous,โ Donald chuckled. "I need you to look up someone for me. Diana Camo." The sound of heavy fingers smacking the keyboard was instantaneous. โWhatโd you see?โ โBeaten pretty badly and over time. I managed to get her to talk with me for a while, which wasnโt easy. She lied to me about who did it." โOf course she did. Women love to lie.โ E
Elias stared at the apartments resting above Pogi Hair and Nail Salon just off Main Street. He looked at the door of the address Donald had given him that evening and wondered how to get in. Downtown is fairly quiet on a weeknight compared with the villages, Cherry, the Meatpacking District, and most everywhere above. But despite the quiet of the near midnight hour, Diana and Leilaโs apartment was on the third floor. Even with his advanced hearing ability, he couldnโt listen to their actions from here. Since it was such a small building, hope that someone would walk up and let him in, was small. He certainly couldnโt buzz Diana direct but he stared at the security box wishing he could. It would make it so much easier to just tell her, Iโve come to beat the shit out of whoever is beating you. Let me in. But life isnโt that easy. He watched the lights go out behind the closed curtain he guessed was their window. They were going to sleep, and tonight there was nothing to be done
Elias took the drink, but couldnโt stop laughing. โFireplace!!! I get a FIREPLACE!!!โ Daniel dropped to the leather chair and shouted, โSHUT UP!โ A sobriety overcame them that had nothing to do with alcohol, and Elias felt a pull inside his chest. โItโs been good having you as a roommate.โ Daniel nodded. โYou too. You sure you want to do this?โ Eliasโs eyes dropped to his glass, another thing theyโd gotten together. โIโm happy for you. But itโs kinda fucked up that things have to change that I never thought would.โ He glanced up with the raw face men make when theyโre uncomfortable with a tender subject. โYou know?โ Danielโs voice lowered and he looked out toward the skyline, their balcony view. โYeah. Life surprised us both this time, didnโt it?โ Clearing his throat, he blinked and asked, โWhen do you want to do it?โ โSince weโre turning into girls, as soon as possible so I donโt have to see that mopey face anymore.โ Daniel chuckled. โTomorrow night. Iโll stay the
โI fell asleep for thirty minutes in the middle of a Sunday afternoon.โ And when heโd awoken heโd gotten out of there as quickly as possible, terrified sheโd get the wrong idea. She hadnโt. Or so heโd thought until now. The fact that she remembered it was evidence enough. They were no longer on the same page. With patience, he reminded her, โYouโre always telling me, Elias, I have no interest in dating you.โ She blinked, her chin jutting out. โStill. Time has passed andโฆโ โAnd how many times do we normally fuck? Three, four, five times, right? Iโm not all of a sudden treating you differently, am I.โ It wasnโt a question. She stared at him in silence. Rising up, he put his muscular arms around her and planted a kiss on her prominent collarbone with finality. โExactly. So donโt act like Iโm hurting you. This is what we always do.โ โWell, maybe I donโt want to do what we always do anymore,โ she murmured, burying her face in the nook of his shoulder and neck. Sliding her finge
As Rihanna stared at the closed bedroom door, stunned, she could feel her body whirring with pleasure at having seen one of the biggest cocks of her life, on the sexiest body ever. His curly pubic hair was surprisingly dark auburn and his chest had a healthy amount of the same colored soft hair. He was beefy and packed with muscle and when heโd turned around covering himself, his pecs were fantastic, clenching with his biceps and forearms. The shock on his face, it was fucking adorable. Thank God I was able to hide my reaction, she thought as the secret place between her thighs still throbbed. She began to pace. The speech heโd given her had turned her on as it was, the way the fire of his anger and self-preservation darkened his warm brown eyes. Sheโd felt stunned by his masculinity as he leaned forward and directed all that heat at her. She wished the attorneys in the courts would argue their points like he just had. Despite her attraction to him, sheโd asked him for a drink j
She unbuttoned it and let it fall to the ground around her sneakers. โTake those off, too.โ She kicked them off and bent to slip out of her socks, but stopped when he said, โDid I say to take off those?โShe straightened up and shook her head, the delicate scent of her arousal returning. A human male would never have detected the gentle sex fragrance from here, but he wasnโt human.โTake off your sweater and let me see what color bra youโre wearing.โShe reached around her waist and pulled the soft acrylic fabric over her head, hesitating a moment with her face masked to let him look at her pale pink, lacy bra.He went rock hard in an instant and rasped, โAll the way off.โShe dropped the sweater to the floor. He tore off his own black, thin jacket and tossed it aside.Licking his lips, Elias stared at the crotch of her jeans, imagining what she looked like underneath. โTake those ripped-up, sexy ass jeans off nice and slow.โShe slid the zipper down one tooth at a time, then scooted
Elias knocked louder on the door. It was only two in the morning. Itโs not like it was late. โWhyโd I give him my fucking keys?โ he muttered under his breath. Footsteps from inside. The door opened with Daniel standing there, his hair pointing in all directions and his green eyes hazy from sleep. โHey. Come in.โ Like he was still in dreamland, he turned and padded naked into the hall. โHi Elias!โ Alessandraโs groggy voice called from the bedroom. โHey Alessandra,โ Elias called back, feeling like a dick as he locked the front door. โI wonโt keep him too long.โ โItโs totally fine.โ The sentence faded like she was disappearing down a cave. โI found your phone,โ he called to her. She didnโt answer. When Rihanna left, heโd sat down on the couch trying to figure out what to do. Sheโd called him out and had seen his wolf, and that had never happened before. It took everything he had to let those elevator doors close. He couldnโt tell her what he was. He couldnโt make that choice
Thalia grinned and nodded, biting her bottom lip. Donald opened the door for them. โAllow me.โ Darius gave him a look that said everything about how he felt, that his best friend was finally on board for his happiness. โThank you.โ He received a small chin dip in response. As the group filed in, another couple was leaving, big smiles on their faces, too. Darius watched them go. Elias stepped around to practically attack the County Clerk. โHey! Weโre back!โ The manโs eyebrows shot up as his eyes darted around the approaching faces. He lit up with recognition. โAh yes! How could I forget?โ A big smile spread. โI was wondering if weโd see you again,โ the female employee said. She served as witness and recorded the events as well. She flushed as Elias remarked on her new hairstyle. Then he turned around and grabbed his wife. โLook baby. We left an impression. They remember us.โ Daniel snorted and entwined his fingers with Alessandraโs. โCould have been us who left t
Daniel smiled. โI knew what you were going through. Remember?โ Darius nodded. โThatโs whatโs been on my mind. Iโm sorry we werenโt there to help you.โ Daniel shrugged and glanced around his friendโs faces. โThere was no choice.โ โYeah. Now I understand.โ Darius took a sip of Guinness. โI want to go see her.โ โWell, letโs at least finish our beers first.โ Elias clinked his bottle of Bass Ale against Dariusโs pint. โRemember just days ago how you were complaining we never spend any time together?โ Darius laughed and a huge weight lifted. โYouโve got a gift, Elias.โ โThank God Iโve got one,โ Elias said, dryly. So they stayed for another two hours, like the old days. Daniel yanked out his phone and called his driver. โNigel, buddy. Weโre hammered. Come get us.โ They climbed out of the dark booth and headed for the door. Elias and Daniel led the way, Donald behind. โHey, D. I idolize you, just so you know.โ Donald cocked an eyebrow sideways. โIs that right?โ
Three very different guffaws trailed off as the others left the room, talking amongst themselves about how strange that had been for them. The last one she heard was Elias. โSo, Donald, youโre saving it for a special woman, huh?โ and Donaldโs reply: โFuck off.โ Darius loosened his embrace but kept her close. She looked up at him as he gazed down at her. โYou said you love me.โ She flushed. โI was having a moment.โ โA moment?โ โYeah.โ A small frown pierced his brow and he lifted her off the ground, kissing her deeply. Every cell in her responded to him, and then he moaned against her lips, โI love you, too.โ Soundless tears trailed her cheeks before she even realized how much emotion had been waiting under the surface. All her life sheโd wanted to meet the guy and here he was. Finally. He kissed some away, picked her up and carried her to the couch. โWe have to talk business now.โ She nodded and picked up the blanket to wrap around her waist so she could hike up
He dropped the hand and turned back to his friends and packmates. They were speechless, too, their moment of entertainment usurped by the bold pronouncement. Theyโd seen it coming, but that heโd said it aloud, outright and so soon, shocked them all. Maybe even him a little, too. There would be no stupid debate. Not anymore. Heโd heard enough arguments from Donald. What good were they? Not only had he dreamed of saving her life before it actually happened, thereby telling him she was a part of his destiny, but today his wolf had taken control for two reasons: how he felt about her, and also because there was another wolf inside the โdenโ when she arrivedโDonald. The beast inside Dariusโs soul who knows what is best for him more often than he knows, took her immediately to mark her as his. Sheโd gotten her instinct right about his bite. His wolf needed to ensure there was never any question as to whose mate she was. That sheโd accepted him so readily affirmed she felt the same. Who has
Thalia had been climbing out of her skin. Underneath everything sheโd done was the nagging desire to check up on him. She hadnโt mentioned the robbery to Jonas. The air of secrecy among Darius and his friends combined with her aiding the hero of the day in his odd escape, made her keep her mouth very, very shut. How would she explain to police what had happened, if they ever questioned her? The fewer people who knew about what happened the better. And Jonas wasnโt exactly the quiet type. Nor were his friends. They lived big, and a story like this? Too hot to keep mum about. She was loath to admit that she didnโt just want to check up on his well being, she wanted to be around him again. She missed the connection sheโd experienced when they were alone in the ally. Sheโd replayed those intimate moments with him over and over despite her desperate desire to let it go. She hesitated with her fist in the air and ready to knock. Her heart slammed in her chest. She didnโt even know if
Fuck it. She leaned in and softly kissed him. His lips parted in surprise as she pulled away. She whispered in his ear, just for him, โThank you for saving my life.โ โThank you for trusting me.โ She arose and headed for Elias who was by the door. She didnโt need him to tell her, โIโll take you home.โ She nodded and it struck her that he seemed like a statue. She glanced back to Daniel, then grazed a glance over Donaldโs solemn countenance. They suddenly seemedโฆ inhuman. โIt was nice to meet you.โ They nodded and murmured the same. Rihanna and Alessandra looked the most uncomfortable. Donโt make me go home. Let me stay here and take care of him. Let me tell him Iโm here for him. Iโm here. Iโm hereโฆ Makati City sparkled outside the limoโs window as they drove west to her small apartment, flashes of blurred color zipping by. She couldnโt see any of it. Her mind was on him. โYouโre awfully quiet,โ Elias said after theyโd been silent for a long time. She glanced ov
Donald sighed and said with more control, โWe donโt do the stuff.โ Drugs have a different reaction on werewolves than humans. But he couldnโt explain that. At her confusion, Daniel interjected with authority, โItโs not ego. We donโt take pain meds. Just accept it.โ Darius watched Thalia glance around his packmatesโ faces. He couldnโt blame her for not understanding. How would he feel if he were on the other side of this? She tightened her jaw and shrugged with defeat. โFine. If youโve done this before, Iโm sure you have twelve inch long tweezers?โ โIโve got better than that.โ Donald returned a moment later with a kit that made Thalia pause, full of surgical tools, gauze, Aloe Vera gel, and wood clamps to bite down on. They even had teeth marks in them. โIโm not even going to ask,โ she muttered, choosing a very slender metal piece that looked to be an advanced type of tweezer. โYou ready?โ โOver my dead body youโre doing the removal,โ Donald growled. Darius grabb
Fear-charged shouts came from the woman and the boy, begging to know if he was okay. The woman yelled to the man behind the register, โCall the police!โ โIโm calling an ambulance!โ He shouted back. โNo!โ the wounded man groaned, speaking only to Thalia as if he needed her to understand. โDonโt let him,โ he whispered, leaning down to her ear. She pressed her hand over his, adding more pressure to stop the bleeding. โWe have to get you to a hospital.โ โNo,โ he whispered, closing blue eyes against the pain. He bent at the knees, and she caught him. Years of working with patients had prepared her for his collapsed. โIโm a nurse. I know what Iโm talking about.โ โThen get me out of here,โ he whispered in her ear, again so low nobody else could have heard. She stared into the future and the immediate past, making a decision. Heโd saved her life. She owed him. He seemed desperate not to go. Praying she was doing the right thing, she called out to the others, โDonโt call
The buzzer from Room 321 had been quiet for a long time. Too long. With her eyes on the room, Thalia rose from the desk and headed to check on Dorothy. Janet called over, โIs that old bitty at it again?โ โWhy donโt you crawl back under the house,โ Thalia shot back. Lacking a witty enough response, Janet just sneered. As she walked into the room, Thaliaโs heart exploded. Paler than a sheet of paper, Dorothy stared lifeless into the distance. Thalia pulled back the hospital gown and started pounding on Dorothyโs frail chest, screaming loud enough the entire third floor could hear, โJANET! GET A DOCTOR! CODE BLUE! CODE BLUE!โ Her eyes darted to the monitor. It was off, the plug lying on the floor. โCome on Dorothy! Donโt you die on me!โ Thalia leaned down to blow into quiet lungs as Janet ran in with a defibrillator machine. Bitch or no bitch, when shit hit the fan, Janet was ready. She charged the machine while Thalia pounded an artificial heartbeat into Dorisโs chest, pe