01 Taming the Wolf - Anna Avery (29 page)

Grunts of agreement circled around the table. “We’ll need to call surrounding packs to assist with the take down.”

“That’s the problem, isn’t it? We don’t know who they have on their side,” Jeff commented.

“Anna, did you need something?” Joe asked, coming around the corner and arching a knowing brow at me.

I gave him my best please-don’t-rat-me-out face, and he nodded, a shallow movement but relief washed through me.

The talking at the table ceased, a chair squeaked and Adam walked up behind Joe.

“What are you doing out of bed?” Adam asked, coming around Joe and gripping my shoulders.

“I was thirsty and—.”

“Didn’t I explain what the bell was for?” Adam said incredulous.

“I also needed to go to the bathroom,” I added. “Are you going to do that for me too?”

Adam smiled, a sexy glint lighting his eyes. Ignoring him, I slipped into the bathroom and shut the door. Walking over to the mirror, I gawked at my reflection. My hair was all kinds of chaos, and Joe and Adam had seen it. That’ll teach me to go to bed with it wet again. Fishing a brush out of the drawer, I ran it through my frizzy locks a few times. When enough time had passed, I walked over to the toilet and flushed, hoping I’d fooled Adam. His conversation with the leaders nagged my mind. What were they talking about? I hadn’t asked him what happened to Eve and Anthony. I hadn’t questioned him about that day at all. Would he even tell me? There seemed to be secret plan underway and he was doing his damnest to exclude me from it.

Opening the bathroom door, I came face to face with the man in question. Adam leaned against the wall, a glass of water in his hand. As I watched him, I noticed how pale his face was and how bloodshot his eyes were.

“When was the last time
you
slept?”

“I don’t know,” he said with genuine confusion. I took the glass; clasping his hand I led him to my bedroom.

“I know you’re planning something,” I told him, straightening the blankets.

He scowled, realizing I heard at least part of his conversation.

“And it’s not going to work if our pack has a sleep deprived alpha leading them.” I smiled, finding it funny that Adam and I had reversed roles and now he needed to be persuaded to rest.

“You need to sleep.” I nodded toward the bed.

“I’ll sleep,” Adam said, dragging his T-shirt over his head. My eyes soaked up the beauty of his chest and abs. “But lay with me. You still need to rest too.”

I flicked a glance to the door, anxious to snoop into Adam’s secret plan.

“Nothing out there concerns you, Anna,” Adam said, catching onto my idea. He shuffled into bed, inching over so there was room for me. Propping himself up on his elbow, he stabbed the mattress with his finger, and his I-mean-business stare pinned me in my place.

“Get. Into. Bed.”

I spared one more look at the door. If I disobeyed him, he’d be out of that bed and hauling my ass back before I made it down the hallway. Declaring defeat, I climbed into bed. Adam slung an arm around my waist, guiding me against the hard plains of his body. He was so warm, my muscles immediately relaxed against him. Being held prisoner had taken a lot out of me. It could have been worse. Eve and Anthony could have
really
tortured me.

“What happened?” I asked.

“Hmm?” Adam mumbled, his nose buried within my hair.

“At the place where you found me,” I paused, a new question occurring to me. “How
did
you find me?”

“I tracked you,” Adam said.

It was a bit surprising, but not all that out of the ordinary for a werewolf. “And?” I fished.

“And nothing. You’re home, you’re safe, and you’re in my arms. That’s all that matters.”

His dodging knew no bounds. Frustration and anger overthrew my nonchalance. Where did he get off keeping things from me? Especially when those things involved me.

“What happened to Eve and Anthony?” I asked through clenched teeth.

Adam released a breath through his nose, a subtle sign he was just as annoyed and frustrated with me as I was with him.

“They fled,” he admitted. “But they won’t hurt you again. Now close your eyes and go to sleep.”

*

When I opened my eyes and saw my bedroom, I frowned. I planned on sneaking out of bed after Adam fell asleep and doing a little recon. I guess becoming a spy was not in my future. Still, I vowed that I’d find out what Adam was hiding.

Sitting up in bed, I looked over my shoulder. Adam was gone, and because he thought he was clever, he sat the brass bell on top of his pillow. Did he expect me to stay cooped up in my room all day? Week? I’d spent six days being held against my will, and I wasn’t going to become a prisoner in my own home. Getting dressed for the day, I slipped out of my room and headed, with purpose, to find Adam. Though still weak, I was stronger than before. I wasn’t 100%, but I was sure after eating some more I’d feel even better. Adam wouldn’t be able to use my frailty against me.

“Good morning, Anna,” Wade said, looking over the top of the newspaper. “How are you feeling?”

“Better. I think the twenty hours of sleep helped.” I smiled. I swiveled my head, looking around the house. The pack was still here. Some were sleeping, their bodies strewn all over the living room floor. I guess with the leaders each having a spare bedroom, the floor was the only option for them.

“Is Adam around?”

“Ah, I think he ran into town,” Wade said, his eyes traveling back to the print in front of him.

I sat down at the table across from him and glared at the newspaper that hid his face. “You know, you could say congratulations,” I snapped, annoyed not just with Adam’s absence, but with Wade’s evasiveness. I knew damn well Adam wasn’t in town, and if he was, it wasn’t for shopping.

Wade bent the newspaper down so he could see my face. “Excuse me?” he asked, arching a brow.

“Well you guys spent all that time trying to convict me of murder, and it turns out I’m innocent.” I smiled smugly.

Wade’s lips turned up, setting the paper down and resting his arms on the table. His dark hair looked like he’d just gotten out of the shower.

“Do you have proof that Eve and Anthony killed anyone?”

My mouth dropped to the floor, my heart stopped, and the air in my lungs thinned. They were still accusing me?

Wade chuckled. “Kidding, Anna, geez. Did you lose your sense of humor while you were away?”

I frowned, not in the mood to make light out of my latest near death experience. If Adam hadn’t rushed in like a white knight and saved me, my body would’ve been delivered on his doorstep.

Wade had the decency to look ashamed. “The fact is, you’re off the hook, but now we have an entirely bigger mess to deal with—one that you may be able to help with.”

I sat up straighter, my eyes widening and a smile growing on my lips. Adam wouldn’t be happy about it, but could he do anything if my orders came from a leader?

“Have you had anymore visions?”

I pursed my lips and shook my head.

“I see. Would you be up for some experimenting?”

I shrugged. “I guess, but I still don’t think they’re visions. Maybe they’re just relapses of the dreams. Being accused of murder takes a toll on a girl, maybe the stress made me bonkers.”

Wade laughed, a smooth rumbling coming from his chest. “Perhaps, but I’d still like to test the theory.”

“Are there a lot of psychic werewolves?”

“I said seer, not psychic.” Wade took a sip from his coffee cup.

“What’s the difference?” I stood up, deciding I should eat something before Wade ran tests on me. I needed all the energy I could get. Opting for a microwavable breakfast sandwich, I opened the film and heated it.

“There’s not much difference, most believe they mean the same thing. But the term I used—seer—means a person capable of reading a person’s history. They’re able to see the past, not the future.”

The microwave dinged, and I removed my plate. “The past?” I asked with skepticism as I sat down. That didn’t sound as cool as predicting the future. “How’s that helpful?”

“In a lot of ways, all of which you don’t need to worry about until we prove you are in fact one. Eat up. We should leave before your alpha gets back.”

*

“Close your eyes,” Wade ordered.

We snuck into Adam’s house, and Wade handed me Eve’s stuff, hoping I’d be able to discern something useful from the items. I was starting to believe Wade was a wackadoo and all this hoodoo malarkey was just that—malarkey. I kept my opinions to myself though, it was better than being locked up at the house.

I closed my eyes, per Wade’s instructions, and hummed the theme song from
The Twilight Zone
.

“What do you feel?”

Like you’re using me for entertainment and laughing at my expense
. “Nothing,” I told him.

“Are you concentrating?”

No
. “Yes,” I lied.

A rumbling sound came from Wade’s chest. Snatching the shirt out of my hand, he said, “Open your eyes.”

He stomped out of the room, disappearing around the corner. I eyed the king size bed against the wall, a vision of Adam and Eve’s naked bodies twisted in passion popped into my head. I so did not want to be in here. My eyes traveled around the room past the log walls, wood plank floors, the oak dressers, and then stopped at a corner shelf that held pictures. Walking over, I bent down and studied the photographs. Some were of Adam holding up impressive sized fish, teeth gleaming in his smile as he showed the photographer his catch. Another one was of Adam in wolf form, pitch dark except for his citrine eyes, perched atop a rocky cliff looking out onto the horizon. Even in the picture you could tell how powerful he was. His alpha status exuded from him, demanding respect. The last frame was on the bottom shelf, hidden and covered in a layer of dust. Adam, Eve, and Anthony stood with their arms around each other’s shoulders in front of a building that looked like a ski lodge. Upon closer inspection, I noticed Anthony’s hand was wrapped around Eve’s waist, his fingers gripping her hip.

“Anna,” Wade called, scaring me.

I placed the frame back on the shelf and set out to see what other ridiculous items he wanted me to “read”. I thought about the picture as I made my way through the house. Most families have baggage, it’s just life, but I couldn’t imagine being in Adam and Anthony’s position, of course I didn’t have siblings to rival with. But I couldn’t imagine allowing my mate to sleep with my brother. Sadness filled my chest as I thought about how lonely Adam must have been, pretending to be united as the alpha couple when he was miserable behind closed doors. Eve had Anthony. I hated her, and I didn’t understand him. Anthony looked like Adam. What did she find in one brother that she hadn’t in the other? I guess I should’ve been happy. If Eve and Adam were in love, then I’d be the pathetic loser admiring him from the sidelines. I smiled because that wasn’t the case.

“Where are you?” I called. I’d been lost in my thoughts and wandering aimlessly around Adam’s house.

“Upstairs bathroom.”

Hiking up the knobby wood staircase, I headed down the hallway, peering into rooms and stopping when I found Wade. He held a hairbrush, Eve’s if the hot pink color was any indication.

“Hold out your hand,” he instructed.

Outstretching my arm, palm side up, Wade pulled the hair from the bristles and dropped them into my hand. I frowned, but my mouth went slack when pins-and-needles prickled through my skin.

“You feel something?” Wade asked expectant.

“It feels like my hand’s asleep.”

“I’ve been wondering something,” Wade said, so quiet I wasn’t sure if he was talking to himself or me. He looked up, meeting my eyes and said, “All along I assumed you could be a seer, but what if because Eve made you a werewolf, you’re just attune to all things that include her?” He leaned against the sink counter, wrapping one arm around his waist while the other bent at the elbow. He ticked off theories to support his idea.

“You dreamt of the murders, and we’re pretty sure it was Eve who’d kill the humans.”

“How do you know exactly?” I interjected. I figured I’d take advantage of Wade’s willingness to talk.

Wade hesitated. I leaned my head forward, brows arching in my best out-with-it-already stare.

“We found bodies at their compound. It looked like they’d stuck a bunch of humans in a room and let their wolves go to town.”

I shivered, closing my eyes at what that must have been like, what those people went through in their last moments alive. There was a part of my brain that couldn’t fathom anyone being that monstrous, but I’d seen the gleam in Eve’s eye, and it spoke volumes to who she was.

“Where’s their compound?”

“Uh-uh,” Wade said, shaking his head. “I don’t have a problem telling you the details, but I’m not going to draw you a map so you can get yourself in trouble again.”

I ground my teeth together, pressing my lips into a hard line. “Can I let go of this now?” I nodded towards the clump of auburn hair in my palm, changing the subject. I’d gotten more information out of Wade than I would have Adam. I’d celebrate small victories for now.

“No.” Wade stood up straight and walked in front of me. “Close your eyes and concentrate.” He was silent for a moment. “Do you still feel something?”

I nodded, the sensation getting more and more annoying.

“Okay, good. Now think about Eve. Picture her face, her voice, the way she walks.”

“And why do you think I’m connected to Eve again?” I asked, annoyed I was being forced to think of a woman I loathed.

“Because she turned you. Sires and their children share a bond, linking them together.”

My skin itched thinking about being linked to a woman like Eve. The only gratitude I had was that if she hadn’t attacked me, I never would have met Adam. Or, if the myths were true, I still would’ve met Adam since he was my chante. The book said the earth guided the two halves towards each other. No matter, I didn’t want any type of connection with her.

“Are you concentrating?” Wade asked like a teacher disciplining an unruly student.

“Yes,” I told him exasperated. At the moment I imagined introducing her pretty face to my fist—over and over and over. As my imagination ran wild, inventing cool new ways to inflict pain on my ex-alpha female, the picture in my head wavered. I furrowed my brows, confused by the sudden change. I saw Eve walk down the hall and disappear into the third door on the right. Once inside, she walked over to the closet, opened it, and slid some boxes aside. Removing a piece that was cut out from the wall, she reached inside and pulled out a scroll of paper. She stood up, turned around, and smiled directly at me, a cold devious smirk that promised awful things.