The Wolf Who Played With Fire: New Adult Paranormal Romance (Cry Wolf) (2 page)

“Sure, just a moment,” Ethan said. He ducked his head under the shower’s spray that both of us had ignored in our burning lust then shut off the water. He wrapped my towel around me, motioning toward the shower.

I opened my mouth to argue, but his severe frown had me shaking my head in defeat. With a huff, I gathered my clothes.

Water dripped down Ethan’s chest and my mouth watered, wanting to slide my tongue over his skin. The moment passed as he grabbed a towel.

Before I closed the shower curtain, I mouthed ‘you owe me’ to Ethan, who managed to suppress a chuckle. The sparkle in his eyes was more than enough to make me wish Nolan hadn’t interrupted us. The doorknob rattled a little as Ethan turned it.

My brother stomped into the bathroom. “You sure took your time,” Nolan grumbled, his shadow pausing near the sink. “Did you get a new purple hairbrush for your thick, flowing hair?” I balled my hands into fists. Shit! I knew I’d forgotten something. “Wait. This looks like Mia’s. What is it doing here?” The soft clap of plastic on marble indicated he’d set it back on the counter.

“Huh, I didn’t notice. Maybe she forgot her brush when she last stayed over?” Ethan flung his towel over the curtain rail, leaving it to dry and giving me a little more concealment.

“Must have.” My brother sounded a little confused, but he let it go. “I’ll give her a call later. She really hates when her stuff goes missing. But, seriously, I have to go.”

A sharp slap of energy sizzled from Ethan, conveying his emotions more than any words could, but he left. His control was slowly unwinding. Time would tell if he’d be able to keep calm as a werewolf, even when others pressed him.

For now, my immediate concern was staying hidden from Nolan. When we were kids, I’d sucked at hide and seek. He had possessed an almost superhuman ability to find me, no matter where I’d hidden. I only hoped that superpower had faded with time.

The one thing separating Nolan and me was the thin shower curtain. Thankfully, you couldn’t see through it, but I hated being stuck in here. If he looked behind the curtain and saw me wrapped in a towel, he’d know what was going on between Ethan and me.

After the celebration with my family on Christmas Day, I trusted Ethan knew what he was talking about. Neither my parents nor my brother needed to know about our relationship, not yet at least. We could explore each other and see if we worked first, especially with Ethan’s upcoming transformation. Part of me wasn’t sure I could handle him as a werewolf.

Stop overthinking it.

If I could fight Jared as a novice witch, then surely I could work through my issues with the wolves. Chad, the Alpha’s son, had been okay once we’d figured out who the real villain was. Unfortunately, it didn’t seem like the rest of his Pack agreed.

The toilet lid smacked the back of the commode, and I bit my lower lip. My stomach churned and nausea swirled through me anew. Everything within me prayed that Nolan took a leak and not anything else. Silence would be hard won if he did more.

The loud unzipping of his pants shot panic through me. If my brother sat, I’d lose my nerves. Scanning the shower, I looked for some way out that wouldn’t end with me being seen, but there was no escape.

A steady stream of urine and the following flush of the toilet nearly had me sighing in relief. He washed his hands, brushed his teeth with an electric toothbrush and fixed his hair for what felt like hours. I had no idea my brother was this meticulous with his morning routine, when he looked like he’d barely rolled out of bed most days.

Closing my eyes, I stayed as quiet as I could. Silence filled the air, then the shower curtain crinkled a little as it moved. I snapped my eyes open, a scream building in my throat.

“Hmm... There should be more moisture in his towel.” The gig was up. Any minute now, he’d open the curtain. I was toast.

The loud blare of rock music shrilled through the bathroom, and Nolan groaned a second before answering his phone. “Hey, sexy, I was just thinking about you. What? Your car won’t start? Did you try getting a jump?” He laughed at something his newest girlfriend said, probably a dirty joke. “Sure, I can take you. Let me finish up at home first. I’ll see you soon.”

The bathroom door opened then snapped closed. Oh God, that was too close.

Waiting a full minute before acting, I carefully moved the damp curtain enough to confirm what I’d heard. Nolan was gone.
Good.
However, he could come back. If I didn’t go now, I might be giving away the chance to leave undetected.

I couldn’t repeat this stressful situation. I had to get out.

Slipping into my clothes, I remained quiet like my life depended on it. My ears strained to hear any movement in the hallway. Once dressed, I climbed out of the shower and hung my towel inside in case Nolan came back.

The blinds were drawn at the bathroom’s small window. While we were on the second floor, I didn’t have many other options. The last thing I wanted was for the boys to fight. With Ethan slowly transforming into a werewolf, I wasn’t sure how much control he had now, especially with the incredible wave of power he’d given off earlier. Besides, my family wouldn’t understand us. Most of the time, they didn’t even get me.

I reached beneath the blinds to unlatch the window. My attention was still focused on my surroundings. If the door opened now, anyone could see me. The window squeaked as I lifted it. The blinds could remain lowered if I could slip outside without wasting more time.

Glancing back at the sink, I thought about taking my hairbrush with me. However, that would be a surefire sign of my presence. It was better for Nolan to think I’d forgotten it, even if I suspected he didn’t totally buy Ethan’s excuse.

Pulling myself through the window presented a problem. It was positioned on the wall at chest height. Fortunately, the toilet was nearby.

There was no way around it. I pulled up the blinds, then used the toilet lid to climb out the window, legs first. Sitting on the windowsill, I plotted how to drop without hurting myself. Fear clenched my chest. The distance to the ground was bigger than I’d anticipated. Some say they’re afraid of heights, but heights aren’t my problem; it’s falling.

What had I been thinking? I started to drag my legs back into the bathroom and wait in the shower for Nolan to leave, but footsteps in the hallway steeled my resolve.

Wind rushed through my hair and I bit back a scream as the ground flew up to greet me. My feet hit first, but the momentum threw me to the right. The pleasurable ache Ethan had lit within my body snapped into searing pain.

I sank my teeth into my lower lip, looking up at the bathroom window. Thankfully, no one stared back.

Climbing to my feet was a burden. My right ankle badly hurt, but nothing appeared broken. I’d make a comfrey poultice when I arrived home. Still, I could support some of my weight without bringing too many tears to my eyes.

With one last backward glance, I quickly limped through the backyard of Ethan’s neighbor. This way I could cut cross over to the next street and hobble home without Nolan spotting me. My bare foot squished on something wet, and I glared at the sky. I had just taken a shower. This was not so fair.

The Universe had to be picking on me. Mornings couldn’t possibly start this wrong without help.

CHAPTER TWO

Ethan

With each passing minute, my anxiety increased. Was Mia okay? Nolan had suspicions about her hairbrush being there, and I only hoped he didn’t act on them and find her hiding. That would raise questions better kept secret for now. With everything going on in the Pack, I didn’t need more stress.

I hovered in the doorway to my bedroom, keeping my ears open for any sign of Nolan leaving the restroom. With how good my hearing was these days I could’ve been further away, but concern refused to let me get that comfortable.

Then again, my improved senses hadn’t helped me detect Nolan’s presence in the first place. Somehow, Mia overrode them all. Being intimate with her had been my top priority. My cock was still half-erect from our close encounter. A cold shower would be in my immediate future.

My job resumed soon. Who knew how that would go? With what had happened with Mia during Christmas break, and my future as a werewolf, my career wasn’t exactly top priority, but I’d used up my leave. Maybe getting out of the house would do me good.

The door opened to the bathroom and I tracked Nolan’s footsteps as he headed down the hall.
Damn.
I hated walking on eggshells with him, but our friendship had been tense since Christmas Day. He hadn’t liked that I didn’t come home on Christmas Eve. But I’d been in bed with Mia after the fight in her friend’s shop and ensuing hospital visit.

He thought I was hiding something, which granted I was, but the cold shoulder frustrated me to no end. I’d spent a year of my life overseas thinking about how good it would be when I came home, but my life was turning upside down.

Anger flowed through me stirring my beast, and I squeezed my hands into fists until the joints in my fingers hurt. Each moment that passed, my wolf grew stronger and more dominant. If I didn’t calm down, he might take over. The last thing I needed was to explain to Mia why I’d mauled her brother.

I crossed the span of my room to rummage in my closet. He might ask fewer questions if he thought I was busy, or at least I hoped so.

Instead of him coming in, he walked by. Should I be relieved or worried? This could be the end of our lifelong friendship.

The door to his bedroom shut and I walked to the hallway, checking to see if the coast was clear. It was.

I stalked down the hallway then slipped into the bathroom, but I came up short as I saw the open window.
What the hell?

The blinds bumped against the windowsill as a breeze cooled my skin. Did Nolan open the window? He’d never done so before.

Mia?
She could seriously hurt herself. Sucking in a deep breath, I noticed her scent was fainter than it should’ve been. My feet carried me toward the window. Mia half-jogged, half-limped away barefooted. Damn. Her shoes were still in my bedroom. I needed to hide them in case Nolan snuck into my space while I was gone later.

The muscles in my jaw tightened, but I forced myself to keep my cool. Part of me wanted to run after her and make sure she was okay. I couldn’t. We both had things to do.

The last thing we needed was more tension in our lives. She was helping her friend, even though her parents weren’t happy their daughter was caught up in ‘magical mischief.’ I was coping with the aftermath of the werewolf attack, not to mention the stuff I’d been through overseas while deployed. Some nights I tossed and turned, but when Mia was beside me, I slept so much better.

I walked to the shower, then pulled back the curtain. The towel she’d been wrapped in hung on a towel rack. Her lingering scent spread heat through my groin. Desire to rub the soft terry cloth against my cheek and bask in her scent dredged up uneasiness in me. Already my urge to protect her was a wild and fierce thing growing not by days, but by hours and minutes.

My humanity slowly faded. Would I still be the man Mia fell in love with? Time would tell.

Nolan paused in the doorway of the bathroom. He glanced between the open window and me staring into the shower. Thankfully, I’d released the towel in time. “Dude, I thought you already took a shower. Might not be a good idea to have the window open if you’re taking another one. It’s January. You’ll catch a cold.”

Somehow catching a cold didn’t seem to be the worst of my problems these days. I chuckled. “No, I’m not taking a shower. I’m airing out the room while I clean. The ventilation isn’t as good as it could be.”

He shrugged. “Take it easy. Tonight’s poker with the guys, remember?”

“Yep, I’ll be here. Don’t forget the beer.” I had forgotten, but with Mia looking after her friend, I’d be available. I hated the nights we had to sleep in separate beds, but it was just how things would be until something changed.

Grinning, Nolan released a held breath. “Will do.” He waved then darted out of sight, his footsteps retreating downstairs.

Frustration grated in me. I snatched up the towel Mia had used. Before I knew what I was doing, I ripped it in half. The fabric limply dangled in my hands and I tossed scraps to the floor. I’d always prided myself on loyalty, trust, and honor. Yet what I was doing with Mia betrayed all of that.

My friendship with Nolan hung in the balance, waiting for me to make a decision that would either repair our bond or forever destroy it. I leaned against the window, but Mia was long gone now.

No matter what I did, I could lose them both.

CHAPTER THREE

Mia

While Jessa was in the hospital, I helped at Eternally Magick. She didn’t have a lot left over to pay me with after shop expenses, especially now that she had medical bills. What she could give me helped with gas and groceries. My work here made me hesitant to ask my parents for any help.

Their hopes about the ‘Wiccan stuff’ being a fad grew more distant. But I knew the truth. I came from several generations of witches, but my parents had no clue. My grandmother had known my mother didn’t have magical power, so she’d never shared that part of herself with her daughter. When I was old enough to understand, she’d begun teaching me what she knew.