Revocation (The Canyon Wolves) (3 page)

Oh
boy, this would get tiring. How did they get along in the past? Did her wolf
lose her memories too? Harper tried getting Wolf to respond, but she stubbornly
refused to help.

“Harper?”
Axel asked, gazing at her.

“Oh!
Yes?”

“We’re
here.” Axel had apparently been trying to get her attention, and Harper hadn’t
responded because she was too busy trying to get information from her mulish
wolf-self.

She
glanced outside and tried to remain unflustered. They were in the driveway of a
modern two-story home. Flower pots were on the porch, and an old swing hung
from a massive oak tree. Harper thought the swing looked familiar, so she must
have sat on one in the past few years.

“You
should probably stay in the car,” Axel told her gently.

“I’m
not going to hide here like some weak-stomached baby.” Just who did he think
she was? It was insulting.

Her
words made Axel smile.

“Why
are you smiling?”

“You’ve
changed, that’s all,” he replied cryptically before crossing in front of the
car to open her door. She had two complete seconds to check him out without him
knowing, and she took full advantage. Harper was still trying to figure out how
she had ended up with such a hottie when emerged from the backyard gate. He was
tall, dark, and handsome. Yummy. Wolf snorted, obviously peeved at the
direction of Harper’s thoughts.

“Harper!
Feeling better, I hope?” he asked immediately.

She
started to glance at Axel for help before deciding it might make her seem
reliant upon him.

“Much!
Thank you for asking,” she replied cheerfully, watching with amusement as his
eyes darted to Axel’s before settling on her again.

“This
is Doug,” he introduced for her.

“Ah,
yes. Okay, nice to see you again, Doug.”

“No
worries, Harper. You’ll be back to your old self in no time.” He leaned over
and whispered, “Although I kind of like you this way.”

Before
she could ask him what he meant, Axel interjected, “Whose home is this?”

Doug
cleared his throat. “His name was Ben, and he was found about an hour ago.” He
led them through the gate and towards a workshop next to the alley.

“What
about the police?” she whispered to Axel.

“We
run the police, dear,” he whispered back with amusement.

This
is one messed up town,
Harper
thought to herself.

You
have no idea,
Axel responded in her
head, making her jump. She glared at him so he knew not to spook her like that
in the future, and he laughed at her.

Doug
glanced back at them with curiosity, and Axel indicated that he should keep
talking. “He was killed by a blow to the head, and after death he was bitten
all over his body. It’s like someone is trying to frame us.”

Gross,
Harper thought.

Tell
me about it.
Axel had invaded her
privacy again.

Stop!
She thought-yelled at him and he
sent her a feeling akin to demeaning amusement.

Harper
tried to send her frustration through the bond, and it must have worked because
he laughed. Doug stared at him in bewilderment.

Axel
said, “My apologies. What was his age?”

“68.
He had two children, both adults.”

They
came upon the workshop door, and Doug looked at Harper before turning the knob.
She nodded her confirmation, and he opened the door. Her senses picked up the
smell of death, making her sneeze loudly. Harper caught a glimpse of a large
foot beyond the doorway and decided it would probably be better for her to
remain outside after all.

As
Axel and Doug entered the garage, Harper explored the backyard. It was large,
for a house in the city. The grass had been watered and manicured often.
Someone had attended to the multiple flower beds and filled the hummingbird
feeding often.

She
vaguely remembered this neighborhood from high school; one of her friends used
to live a few houses down the block. It was a quiet home, but now it reeked of
sadness and death.

Harper
gazed around, feeling that déjà vu feeling that must have been cause by her
wolf. It was possible that she had known the man, met him one day, or perhaps
she had raked his yard clear of leaves. Regardless, those memories were all
lost.

She
felt Axel’s sense of regret through the bond as he examined Ben’s body. Harper asked
him,
Who would do such a thing?

I
have a few people in mind,
he
replied while exiting the garage. Their eyes locked, and Harper’s heart
stuttered. Someone definitely needed to take this man down a few attractiveness
notches, or she would never be able to carry on a coherent conversation.

“Aren’t
we able to smell the murderer?” Harper asked as Doug emerged.

He
shook his head. “Whoever it was had taken extreme measures to mask their scent.
Also, the bites were made with an artificial tool to keep DNA evidence off the
body.”

Harper
suddenly felt sick, but she refused to puke. She was tougher than this, dang
it. Axel must have felt her nausea because he immediately came by her side.

“Come
on, Harper. Let’s get you home.” He placed a gentle hand on her lower back to
guide her to the car. She let him, knowing the contact comforted his troubled
wolf.

He
opened the door for Harper and she slid inside the comforting seat. Taking deep
breaths, the sickness eventually faded. Axel knew she was upset from the murder
but he left her alone.

“I’m
sorry, Harper, I shouldn’t have take you to see that,” he said after a few
minutes, giving her an apologetic glance.

“It
was my choice, so don’t be sorry. I’m glad I went.”

After
they had left the house far behind, Harper was able to relax. She gazed out the
window and tried to count the differences in her small city. There were way too
many for comfort.

She
turned to Axel and asked, “What’s your last name?”

“Sterling.”

“As
in sterling silver?
Sterling?”
Harper couldn’t hold in her laugh. “I
mean, Sterling is a great name and all, but just not for a werewolf.”

Out
of nowhere, Axel chuckled. “You know, you said nearly the exact same thing two
years ago.” He admitted quietly, “I haven’t heard you laugh in a long while.”

Axel
reached over to take her hand, and Harper flinched in surprise. She felt his
sharp sting of hurt before he threw a barrier down on the bond, cutting their
connection. She felt so guilty, though it wasn’t her fault. Her feelings were
all jumbled up, but she didn’t mean to hurt him. She didn’t even mind holding
his hand. He had just surprised her, that’s all.

It
was late evening, and Harper gazed out at the sinking sun. At least one thing
hadn’t changed in two years: The sky. She could remember climbing out her
window at night to look up at the night stars.

Harper
thought of a subject that would distract him. “Tell me about the time we first
met. Maybe it’ll jog my memory.”

He
was quiet a moment before responding. “You had just turned 18, and we were
having a pack meeting out at the field. It was a full moon, a truly magical
night, and I was making the rounds, talking to the pack. I searched for your
family to make sure they were feeling welcomed, because you never know how the
pack will get along with rouge wolves, and there you were. Your family was at
the edge of the field, but as soon as I came near you it was like my wolf came
alive.” Axel fell silent, remembering one of the most important nights of his
life.

Tears
of guilt threatened, but Harper forced them back and waited for him to finish.

“I
was about fifty yards away when you jerked your head up and began scanning the
pack. Somehow your wolf knew that her mate was nearby. Your eyes met mine, and
it was instantaneous.” Axel grinned at her. “The whole pack felt the bond
form.”

Suddenly
Axel’s voice was in her head.
Every pack member turned and stared at us, but
we didn’t care. From then on, you were my world.

Harper
could feel his grief, wistfulness, and guilt.

“I’m
sorry,” she whispered.

Her
words felt so inadequate for this moment, but there was nothing else to say. Wolf
growled softly, feeling guilty for Axel’s emotions.

“What
happened next?” She asked with true curiosity after a moment. It was such an
odd feeling, knowing that these things had happened to her but not remembering.

“You
got the silliest grin on your face,” he said.

Harper
glanced over to see Axel smile fondly at the memory. “Then the pack fell
silent. There were 78 present that day. It was a glorious sight to see, because
the pack is never quiet. All of a sudden, your emotions were in my head. You
were elated, but scared and nervous. That moment we bonded was perfection is
all its forms.”

Harper
couldn’t help but smile at the image in her head. “What was my grin like? Love
struck?”

It
was like this.

Axel
sent her a mental image. Her smiling face filled her mind. The woman looked so
darn
happy.
It wasn’t fair. Why couldn’t she remember? Harper vaguely
felt the car turn and then roll to a stop, but her attention was on that night
two years ago as she watched the scene through Axel’s memories.

The
clearing was surrounded by towering trees, and Harper was at the very edge with
her mom and dad. They looked uncomfortable, with crossed arms and wary glances.
Harper’s head jerked up and began scanning the nearby pack members. Axel’s
emotions spiked when he spotted her. Her hair was long and golden, her exposed
legs tall and lean. She was completely perfect. The howl of Axel’s wolf filled
his head as he tried to take control.
Mate
,
his wolf thought. Harper’s blue eyes found his and stayed locked.

The
pack magic gathered around Axel and swept towards Harper. It began weaving and
braiding, forever linking them together. Her excitement rushed through the bond
and was soon followed by elation.

Her
big eyes blinked at him with eagerness and confusion. Axel tentatively examined
her essence through the link. He soon discovered that Harper’s wolf was fiery
with passion while her human mind was cool and calm. She was utterly perfect,
completely at odds with her wolf and yet completely balanced.

Harper
was jerked into awareness as the scene ended.

“Wha-”
she started to protest.

“You’ll
have to earn the ending.” Axel winked at her.

“
You’ll
have to earn the ending…”
Harper mocked, opening her car door. “And how am
I supposed to do that?”

“Oh,
I can think of a few things,” Axel joked inappropriately, making Harper blush.

She
leapt out of the car to escape his presence and then spotted their destination.

“Holy
cow. Holy cow. We have the wrong house. I don’t live here.” Harper turned to
reopen the car door when Axel intercepted her.

“Oh,
no you don’t.” He wrapped an arm around her waist and began gently dragging her
to the house.

The
estate was a neoclassical home complete with a brown exterior, white columns,
and grey roof. She hadn’t noticed the large circular drive and white fountain
because she had been too enthralled in her past moments.

How
in the world did she live
here?
Was this Axel’s house?

He
picked up on her shock through the bond and explained, “It’s the pack’s house.
I live here permanently as the pack’s leader, and you live here as my mate.”

“It’s
incredible,” she whispered, stepping out of his reach.

They
had arrived at the entrance. Its columns were made to intimidate the weak-hearted,
so Harper steeled herself. Axel opened the door.

It
was grand, with beautiful hardwood flooring and an elegant staircase. The
chandelier hung high and mighty above their heads. The best part about the home
was the comfortable feel to it. Perhaps it was simply her memories of living
here stirring, but for some reason she could feel the years of love and
happiness put into the house.

Harper
stepped inside and ran her hand over the smooth table.

“Would
you like the grand tour?” he asked from directly behind her, making her jump.

“Oh!
Umm, yeah. I would, please.” She was nervous, and Axel could tell.

He
laughed deeply, held out one arm, and said, “Allow me.”

She
took his hand and Wolf leapt to life, sending shocks of excitement and glee
through her body. Her wolf fought for control while she was distracted, and
Harper won the mental battle by a hair’s breadth.

After
a deep breath, she said, “Lead the way.”

Chapter
3

The
house was extensive. It contained at least seven bedrooms and bathrooms. How Harper
had comfortably lived here, she didn’t know. Axel had just shown her the
outdoor pool when they came to a stop in front of a pair of wooden doors.

“And
this is the master bedroom,” he announced, opening the entrance for her.

She
stared as she tried to figure out how anyone lived like this. The walls were a
gentle cream that complimented the brown wooden furniture and bedspread. The
ceiling was tall, making the room open and airy.

Harper
swallowed nervously. “I, uh, I’ll just sleep on the couch tonight.”

Axel
was enjoying her discomfort, even raising an eyebrow to make her squirm
further. How had she gotten in this situation? Wasn’t her original plan to go
home with her parents? Well, she was no longer 17, even though that’s what it
felt like. She needed to grow up and act her age.

Harper
cleared her throat. “It would make me feel more comfortable. Or I could stay in
one of the bedrooms, I guess. It doesn’t matter to me, they’re all nice.”
Shut
it, Harper,
she told herself.

“You
take this room, I’ll find somewhere else.”

“No,
really. I don’t want to kick you out of your own room. It doesn’t matter to me,
because…” Harper shrugged, not wanting to remind him this felt like a new and
strange place to her.

“We’ll
see,” he said, basically telling her that he would get his way eventually. “Are
you hungry? We have some leftovers in the fridge.”

“Yeah,
I guess so.” She let out a breath of relief at the subject change and followed
Axel into the kitchen.

He
rummaged through the fridge, extracting what looked like Chinese food. Harper’s
stomach rumbled eagerly as he popped it into the mircowave. Before long, a
steaming plate was being waved under her nose teasingly, and she laughed,
snatching it from him.

The
kitchen’s stillness was more noticeable in this huge home, so Harper fished for
a topic. She wasn’t comfortable enough with Axel to eat in silence yet, and he
could probably feel her nervousness through that stupid bond.

“What
flooring is that outside by the pool?” Harper did a mental face-palm. Could she
have come up with a lamer topic? Leave it to her to start a conversation about
flooring.

“Acid-stained
concrete.” If the topic bothered him, he didn’t show it. In fact, he seemed to
find it amusing.

“Of
course it is,” she muttered. “It’s pretty.”

The
doorbell rang, making Harper drop her fork. It clattered loudly on her plate as
a noisy punishment for her jumpiness.

“Stay
here,” Axel commanded, striding to the door.

Of
course, Harper immediately followed him. She was curious to see who the visitor
was. She hid behind Axel as he opened the door and revealed a tall brunette
with big brown eyes and a gorgeous body.

“Harper!”
she squealed, running for a hug.

They
embraced, and Harper was flooded with relief at seeing a familiar face.

“Hey,”
she trailed off lamely, not knowing how to respond. Gabby had been one of her
best friends in high school. She was the only one who had truly accepted Harper
when she had moved here, and they had been inseparable ever since.

Just
then, Harper felt so guilty about forgetting the past two years of her life.
With Axel, it wasn’t as bad because she hadn’t met him before losing her
memories, but with Gabby, she had no idea where they were in their friendship.
Had they faded to acquaintances, or had they stayed best friends through
everything? Harper didn’t even know if Gabby knew she was a werewolf.

“I’m
Gabby. We were best friends before the accident,” she explained slowly, looking
at Harper expectantly.

Harper
just stared at her friend, not sure how to handle the situation. Before panic could
set in, she said, “Hi Gabby, I remember. I’m so sorry, I just,” Harper fought
for an apology, “My, um, my memory isn’t…” She shrugged and fought back the
tears of frustration.

Gabby
hugged her again, and Harper hugged her back. A few tears slipped out, and she
sniffled. Soon both the women were crying as Axel stood by silently.

“Oh,
Harper! I’m so sorry. I can go if you want-”

“No!
Stay, please.” Harper would much rather be with Gabby than alone with Axel. He
might have been her mate for the past year and a half, but her human self still
didn’t entirely trust him.

“Want
to go to the living room?” Harper asked, pulling away from her friend.

Axel
left the foyer, saying, “I’ll leave you two to talk.”

Gabby
and Harper sat on the couch together, and before long Gabby was filling in the
memory gap for Harper.

“Your
mom told me you forgot everything past our senior year of high school,” Gabby
started, and Harper nodded in confirmation.

She
couldn’t believe how much her friend had changed. The last she could remember,
Gabby’s had dyed blonde hair and was several inches shorter. She had grown into
such a beautiful woman. As a matter of fact, Harper hadn’t looked in the mirror
since she woke up in the hospital. What did her own body look like after two
years?

“Well,
let me start from the beginning. Graduation was a complete nightmare. Do you
remember Benny? He tripped on the microphone cord and fell! The party after was
okay, but Daniel had gotten drunk and puked everywhere.” She rolled her eyes
dramatically. “You remember your old boyfriend, right? Yeah, he got into drugs
and moved off to Illinois; haven’t heard from him since!”
Well,
Harper
thought,
some things never change.
Her friend might look older, but she
still talked the same way.

Two
hours later, they were still sitting on the couch. Harper had a sudden thought.
“Wait, so what happened to your boyfriend, Gregory?”

Gabby
held up her hand, showing off a large diamond ring. Harper squealed, leaping
off the couch. “Oh. My. Gosh. You’re married!”

They
hugged again, laughing. “We got married four months ago, and the wedding was
crazy.
Okay, so there was this slut there who was all over Axel, and you got so
pissed. After she didn’t take the hint, you dumped champagne all over the front
of her dress and it was the most hilarious thing ever.”

Harper
smiled, but she couldn’t imagine herself doing that. Throughout Gabby’s recap
of her wedding, Harper began to notice small changes from the girl she
remembered.

The
woman sitting next to her was more self-assured and a bit more arrogant. She
talked haughtily, taking special amusement from the stories where someone else
had been humiliated. Since the funniest of these memories had happened in the
second half of her senior year, Gabby was flipping back and forth between the past
two years, confusing Harper terribly.

“And
then he told me he was a werewolf! Can you believe it? No? Well, you couldn’t
believe it when I told you, but then you turned 18 and apparently became one
too. I was completely shocked. You were angry at your parents, of course.
Anyways, I had better get going. I’ll be back soon to fill you in some more!”

They
hugged goodbye, and Harper’s head reeled after she closed the door. Gabby had
talked nonstop, and it was disorienting to compare the two versions of her best
friend. The Gabby she could remember had been sweet and accepting of everyone.
This new Gabby was such a different person, with no sympathy. In fact, it
seemed like she was glad that Harper had lost her memories, because then it
meant she had someone who would listen to her rehash the past few years.

She
shook her head, deciding to worry about it tomorrow. The grandfather clock
chimed 11:00, and Harper began wandering down the hallways in search of a
closet with clothing. She wasn’t picky, but she needed
something
to wear
after her shower-to-be. All she wanted to do was wash off those hospital germs.

It
took her three tries, but she finally found a pair of grey sweats and a
matching sweatshirt. Turns out she would have to go without a bra and
underwear.

Now
time to find a bathroom,
she
thought.
Any help, Wolf? You remember your home, don’t you?
she asked
herself while feeling silly.

Wolf
stirred, taking control. Harper let her, knowing her wolfy-self could maneuver
the house better. She brought them to the master suite and didn’t pause before
opening the door. Harper prayed that Axel either wasn’t inside or, if he was, fully
clothed. Luckily, he was nowhere in sight. She made it to the bathroom without
any problems.

Thank
you,
Harper thought to her wolf,
wanting to regain control.

Wolf
ignored Harper, refusing to relinquish command of Harper’s conscience. Giving a
mental shrug, Harper let Wolf have her way, content to sit on the backburner as
Wolf took a shower. Stripping shamelessly, her wolf turned on the shower to hot
and stepped inside the steam.

Harper?
Axel asked inside her head.

Yes?
Harper tried to send back, but
couldn’t. Wolf had control of her thoughts as well, and that knowledge was
scary.

Wolf
sent Axel an unmistakable feeling,
sex
.

Harper
thought at her wolf,
Are you freaking kidding me?
If you hijacked my
body for sex, then that is so wrong.

Harper
could feel Wolf’s amusement. Axel chuckled deeply, his voice reverberating in
their head.

Little
wolf, that wasn’t kind,
he told her.

Harper
began fighting to regain control, but Wolf was adamant.

Now,
Wolf thought at Axel.

All
in good time,
Axel thought back at
her.

It
was like being a third wheel in her own body, which was extremely irritating.

Listen
here, Wolfie, it is my body, and I am saying NO to sex. Got it?
Harper thought, giving her wolf a mental shove. Wolf
snapped back at her, but gave up control. Harper was yanked back into her own
head with a sudden lurch and was left clutching the shower walls for support as
she regained her bearings.

Sorry,
Harper apologized to Axel.

Oh,
my dear Harper, do not be sorry
, he
replied immediately.

It
took her a few minutes to calm her racing heart, but she managed. After turning
off the shower and getting dressed, Harper tried to decide which toothbrush was
hers. With a shrug, she grabbed the nearest one and began brushing her teeth.
The mirror was foggy, but Harper was too nervous to wipe it clear to reveal her
reflection.

She
emerged tentatively from the bathroom and was unsure of what to do next. Axel
was watching TV while lounging on the bed. Where the heck was his shirt? It
must have been a werewolf thing.

He
looked up at her approach and gave a small smile. “Ah, back to your lovely self,
I see.”

Harper
couldn’t tell whether or not his words were meant sarcastically, so she stayed
silent. She nervously shifted from foot to foot before saying, “Goodnight.”

“Where
do you think you’re going?” Axel asked, sliding his eyes over her outfit.

“I’m,
um, going to, uh.” Harper fought for words, distracted by his six-pack. Why did
her mate have to be so sexy? “Going to go to the other, uhm, bedroom! Down the
hall.”

“Harper.”
He lowered his head and stared at her with a don’t-be-so-silly look.

“Axel,”
Harper replied, furrowing her brows and lowering her voice to mimic him.

He
laughed suddenly, making her grin. “Come here. No sex, I promise.”

She
hesitated in the doorway, afraid to go to him but afraid to disobey.

“Don’t
make me call your wolf,” he threatened, only half joking.

Nothing
else would have made her come to him faster than that threat. She hopped on the
bed and crawled under the covers. Her back was to Axel, and not being able to see
what he was doing left chills on her arms.

She
could stand the silence no longer. “So we’ve, you know.” She wanted to ask if
they’ve had sex, but she already knew the answer.

Axel
chuckled. From the sound she could tell he was lying on the bed facing her.
“Yes, Harper. I would apologize, but I’m afraid the apology would be a lie.”

“But
I swore I was going to stay a virgin until marriage,” she protested weakly.

"That
was before I charmed you into bed."

Harper
tried to smother her laugh. “I am such a terrible person! Well, I am going to
believe myself to be a virgin because the new me wouldn’t do that.”

Harper
wanted to ask what their first night together was like, but she was too afraid
of the answer. Was he good in bed?

“Goodnight,
love,” he said while she was trying to figure out the answer.