Chased (The Graysen Pack Series) (10 page)

             
“What do you mean by hook up?” he asked her.

             
She grinned at him. Then she grinned at me.
Oh no.
I thought. I knew what was about to happen. I put my face into my hand and shook my head.
Now you’ve done it.
Zen looked at me with his quizzical brow.

             
“You know, like getting busy, doing the dirty, knocking boots, or hide the weenie…”

             
“Sam!” I yelled. I was laughing so hard I nearly peed in my pants. She could have continued on for hours. Her mouth has no boundaries.

             
“What?” she yelled back. “He asked. I couldn’t leave the poor guy hanging.”

             
“We get the picture, loud and clear.”

             
“I was just making sure, geez. I know lots more if anyone wants to hear them. Like….” She started to name them again.

             
“No,” we all yelled together.

             
Sam and I bumped fists. “Right on.”

             
“You want to know if you and I can have sex,” Zander quizzed her. She nodded. He never faltered. He kept gazing into her eyes, and answered quickly. “Yes, we can. We can also have babies, but we can’t be mates, unless you are a wolf and we share the signs. Which you aren’t, and we don’t.”

             
“That bites a big one. Doesn’t it Love?” Sam said.

             
“I really have to know where you got that mouth.” Zander lifted up her chin with his hand.

             
“It’s a gift,” she smiled at him and kissed his cheek.

             
They look so adorable together.

             
Yes! But she will get hurt when he finds his mate. She should try not to get too attached.
Zen glanced at me with concern.

             
Yes, you’re right.
“I have a question.” I asked aloud. “Are all wolves born that way or can you evolve into one anytime in life?” I was raising a quizzical brow hoping not to sound stupid. I have so many unanswered questions. There is so much I want to know.

             
Zen spoke only after a moment. “Most wolves are born this way. It is in our ancestry somewhere, the blood that makes you a wolf, but you can be changed into a wolf if you exchange blood. Most commonly this is done with biting. However in my pack, we are taught not to bite humans unless it is a life or death situation. Even then, we still must use such great caution. We wouldn’t want to cause an outbreak of rabid wolves. Becoming a wolf takes discipline because they must control themselves in their environment. It has to be; otherwise, wolves would be attacking all over the nation.”

             
“I see.” I nodded my head in agreement.

             
“So your friend with the mouth,” he glanced towards the backseat, “she could become a wolf if she exchanged blood with one. Most people in their right mind would not choose this. She would have too many rules and boundaries to live by.”

             
“Will I learn these rules and boundaries?”

             
“Of course you will, but the rules won’t be too bad for us. Soon, Zander will become the Alpha male and lead our pack. He will step up and take my father’s position. I will become beta,” Zen said.

             
“Only if I find a mate, brother,” Zander stated from the backseat.

             
“You have to have a mate to be Alpha?” I asked.

             
“Yes! Unfortunately! I have been waiting my whole life to become Alpha. Now I may have to step down and pass that position to Zen since he has found you.”

             
I looked at him feeling his anguish. His eyes were showing such great despair. “That is so sad. I am sorry, Zander. I hope you find your mate.”

             
“Thanks. Me too,” he replied. He turned to face the window. I watched as Sam took his hand into hers. She could be so sweet, and selfless, when she assumed no one was watching. At that very moment I felt sadness for her too.

             
I turned back around and stared out the window. I watched as the road signs passed by quickly. The dense, dark, fog was eerie and caused unwanted goose bumps on my body.

             
I tried calling my mom again. Each time I called it would go straight to voicemail, leaving my stomach in an uneasy mess.
I know something is wrong. She should have gotten my missed calls and messages by now. She should have called me back by now.

             
My body began to feel restless again. Only this time I couldn’t contain my tears. I was really scared for her, and upset. I couldn’t help but cry.

             
Please don’t cry, Love. I cannot stand to see you so upset.
Zen was comforting me with his thoughts.

             
I couldn’t answer him. I reached for his hand to show my appreciation for his concerns. I never bored from his touch. It was so soft and warm. Yet underneath it all, I felt that fire inside. It was like unspoken electricity that formed when we had contact. It would light something inside me that would make the butterflies in my stomach go crazy. He felt it too. I could tell because when our hands met, his breathing became heavier and I swear I could hear his heart beating faster.

             
I still wasn’t able to speak to him. I kept hold of his hand for the comfort. The tears still fell from my cheeks.

             
I heard snores coming from the backseat. I took a quick glance at them and thought of how tired I was. There were no possible ways for me to sleep under these circumstances. Even if I had tried, I wouldn’t have accomplished it. Sleeping was the last place my mind thought of.

             
My poor helpless mom; my thoughts were constantly on her. She is there all alone and defenseless. I couldn’t help but think back to all the wonderful times we had shared together, just the two of us. It had always been just her and me, except now. When she really needed me, I was not there. I defied her by being with Zen, when she had told me not to. Now, she is paying the price. I was acting a fool, a selfish fool.

             
I dialed her number again. “Pick up the phone Mom. Pl-please pick up. I am sorry. I am a selfish brat.” I was nearly screaming into the phone. I had to breathe and then I had to plea. “Answer, please. I need you, Mom. I love you. I will be there soon.” I hung up. I could have screamed at the top of my lungs, but didn’t.
What good would that do me?
So I prayed. I prayed for her safety and my forgiveness. I vowed that I would protect her forever, the same way that she has protected me.

Chapter Eight

              I stared out the window straight ahead. I was lost in my own thoughts. It seemed like the silence was hours long. I was jolted back into reality when the lady on the GPS suggested we take a right in one mile.

             
“Do you recognize anything? It looks like we are getting close,” Zen said.

             
I nodded my head, “Only about ten minutes from here.” I couldn’t help but feel sick the closer we got to my home. My legs started to jump and shake, a nervous habit.

             
These mental flashbacks kept playing in my mind. One in particular stood out, my third grade tap dance recital.  My mom was on the sidelines cheering me on. She was waving and smiling, unconcerned with my lack of skill and know how. I was a day late and a dollar short, she’d always say, and I was. Always three steps behind, but she was my biggest fan, regardless.

             
Please hurry, Zee. Something is wrong and I can feel it.

             
When we pulled into the driveway, I didn’t even wait for the car to stop before I jumped out. All the lights were off, including the porch. This was odd. The porch light was always on.

             
Frantically, I tried opening the door. I twisted and shook, but it was locked. I ran back to the truck to find the keys. I was shaking and fumbling. I searched my purse over and couldn’t find them. “I know they’re in here. I had them before we left. Where the hell are my keys?”

             
“I’ll help you.” Sam dumped my purse out into the seat. It only took us a moment to find them.

             
“Thanks,” I yelled back as I ran for the door.

             
“Wait,” Zen ran to me. “Let Zander and me go in first, in case someone is in there.”

             
“Okay, but please hurry.”

             
Zen unlocked the door and walked in quietly. Zander followed close behind him. Sam and I stayed right behind them on their heels.

             
You could hear the floor crack as we walked across it. There was no use trying to be quiet. The house was so old, it made sounds all by itself. I felt like I was walking through a horror film. I was breathing heavily, waiting for someone wearing a mask to come around the hall and chase me.

             
Zen nearly scared the pants off me when he spoke. “There doesn’t seem to be anyone here,” he said.              

             
I smacked his arm. “You scared the crap out of me.”

             
“Sorry, Love.”

             
“Wait. Shhh… Do you hear that?” I put my finger to my lips. “I hear something. It is coming from the back of the house. “That’s my mom’s room,” I said when we reached her door.

             
“Let me go in first,” Zen said, taking my hand. The noise was much louder now. He opened the door slowly and we walked in. His body had tensed up the moment he opened the door. I peeked around his arm to see, and there she was. My mom was there. She was the noise I heard from the hall. I could hardly see because the room was so dark. She was moaning in pain.

             
I ran over to her and kneeled on the floor next to her. I yelled for Sam to turn on the light. “Oh geez… Oh, Mom….” I was completely losing it. She was lying there in a puddle of blood, clawed and bitten. It looked like she had been attacked by an animal.
She has been attacked by an animal; a hairy, mangy, tick infested mutt.
I thought.

             
Really! Easy there, Love.

 
             
Sorry, Zee. You’re not a tick infested mutt.

             
So I am hairy and mangy.
He smiled at me trying to lighten my mood.

             
You know what I mean.
I smiled at him briefly, but had to brush off his comments and focus.

             
“Mom, it’s me. Can you hear me?” I rubbed her head trying not to hurt her. She nodded her head at me.

             
Zen squatted down into the floor on the other side of my mom. “Mrs. Samuels, I am Zen. I need to know. Did you bite her back?”

             
I looked at him with some concern. I tried to make sense of it. I wondered why this was an important question to be asking. She was writhing in pain.

             
Mom looked at Zen. Her eyes met his only for a moment, and she nodded.

             
“We have to call 911,” I said frantically.

             
“We can’t,” Zen answered.

             
“What?”

             
“She exchanged blood with Paige. She will become one of us now. She will heal on her own. We cannot take her to the hospital. If they happen to take blood it will all come back abnormal,” he answered.

             
“What if you are wrong? You have been wrong before.” I looked at him intensely. I was as serious as a heart attack. He had been wrong. He said Paige would not do this, and she did.              

             
He lowered his head down and stared at the floor. I swear that the sound he made was a whimper, but it was so low I was certain that I was the only one who heard it. “I know that I was wrong about Paige. I am sorry, very sorry. I’m not wrong about this; I promise. His eyes never left mine. His stare was so forceful. Without realizing it, my body sunk down lower, almost in a bow. I turned looking at Zander and he was shaking his head to reassure me of what I had already felt. I knew that Zen was telling the truth.

             
I sighed heavily. “So what do we do?”

             
Zen took my hand. “We have to take her home to my home. We have a pack doctor who has been with us for many years. He will help her to heal. I will have to inform my Alpha that we are on our way.”

             
“It is such a long trip. Are you sure she is going to make it? She is barely breathing.”