Worthless: New adult paranormal romance (Age of Blood Book 2) (11 page)

“Don’t stop on my account,” she told him, holding her hands up in surrender. “I’m just here to drop these.”

She was holding two red folders up and without even opening them, he knew what they were. He’d filled in forms just like these ten years ago.

No. Shit, no.

He hadn’t expected it; sure, he’d wondered a few times, but the huge home in the middle of the pack territory, the fact that she owned most of the land as well as a bar in town, the charity she worked at had ensured him that she wouldn’t be departing anytime soon. She was too invested in Laketown.

“You’re trying to leave.”

“I’m leaving,” she amended, shrugging. “My brother and I both are.”

Fuck.

This was no good. No, no, no. She couldn't leave.

Kyle was startled by the strength of his own thought. Sure, he'd always planned to get her to come around at some point, so he was entitled to feeling disappointed. Not panicked. Kyle Jackson didn't do the whole panicky thing. He’d drifted for half a dozen years, meeting tons of packs in the process, and he knew he was the most dominant alpha amongst them all. He did
not
get anxious.

Shit. Shit.
Shiiiiiit
. No.

Too quickly for her to do anything to prevent it, he was in front of her, holding onto her wrist.

He watch with a sense of dread, mixed with elation and also, a shit load of fear as dark, intricate patterns, completely identical formed around her hand, and his.

No.

Hadley snatched her hand away and took several steps back.

He saw a lot of things in her eyes when he glanced up from the fading marks. Hostility. Hatred. Disgust.

Surprise wasn't one of them.

Fuck. How had that happened? Four years. They'd been part of the same pack for four years. How hadn't he noticed?

Obviously, she had. Thinking back through their entire acquaintance, he remembered the one time they’d touched.

The very first day, when he’d bitten her ear. Since, she’d stayed the hell out of his way.

Hell. She’d known from the very beginning.

Hadley turned her heels and made for the door.

“Stay.”

The order held more dominance than anything he'd ever said, anything he'd ever done. She should have shivered. Any female in his pack would have.

She laughed.

“Oh, Jackson,” she said, her voice stronger than it had ever been. “You forget. I'm not part of your pack. I'm afraid I don't heel for you anymore.”

Fucking hell. Now he paid attention, he couldn't feel her – or her brother, for that matter – through the pack link. How had that happened without his consent?

“You can't leave. You're mine.”

His, shaped by nature itself. His fated mate. Many wolves spent a lifetime looking for their halves, and never found it. Kyle had never looked, but here she was.

“How about pretending this never happened? I certainly will.”

He’d pushed dominant vibes right at her, to get her to stop walking towards the damn door, when something else screwed with his mind.

She pushed back. Hard. His wolf didn't back down or cower, but he could feel Jack and Lola snivel behind him, as his own power play fell flat against hers.

He’d always known she was stronger than the others; he just hadn’t realized she topped
him,
too.

Then, when the she had them all shocked into submission, she made a run for it, leaving him, the pack, and everything else behind her.