Un.Requited (Claimed Series) Page 12

  Hayden stood up, not wanting to argue or talk to Devan any further. She would stand by her word and not say anything, at least not unless Joseph continued to assault her. What Devan did with her life was entirely up to her, Hayden wanted nothing to do with it.

  She wandered over to Blake, seeing him hunched over the table and playing with something that looked oddly like spikes. He saw her coming and motioned her over, an impish grin in place as he held up a tattoo needle. Her stomach plummeted.

  “The Alpha is usually the one that does the initiation tattoo,” Blake informed as he plucked at the equipment on the table. “But Addie said Cole had a late meeting he needed to attend. So you’re stuck with the beta.” He flashed a blinding smile.

  Hayden refused to get any closer to the table. Images of foreign viruses and disfiguring do-it-yourself tattoos crossed her mind. “A tattoo?” she asked hoarsely.

  Angling his foot around, Blake revealed a tattoo on his inner ankle. It was a relatively small silhouette of a wolf in mid-stride. The ink was black, but the animal was outlined in what appeared to be silver.

  “It’s been in the Slayter pack for decades. We all agree it’s time for your initiation into the pack, and all members are required to get the tattoo.” He tapped the bench with his hand. “Come on. It won’t hurt a bit.”

  She’d always considered getting a tattoo, but she never imagined Blake doing it by himself. She tried to stifle her disappointment that Cole wasn’t here to do it himself.

  “Do you even have any experience with those needles?”

  “No, he doesn’t.”

  Hayden and Blake both turned around, spying Cole entering the clearing. The Alpha was still dressed in his black slacks and white collared shirt. His suit coat was slung over his arm as he approached his two pack members, his dark eyes immediately falling on Hayden.

  A silly grin stretched her lips, and when she tried to muffle it, it only seemed to grow more difficult to contain. “I thought you had a meeting tonight,” she commented, trying not to admire the way he commanded complete reverence and attention.

  Cole threw his jacket on the table and straddled the chair’s back. He reached for the marker and stencil, inviting her to sit at the bench with a simple nod. “I wouldn’t miss this for the world. You’re my first official pack member. I wasn’t going to have Blake botch-up the marking.”

  For his part, Blake looked affronted. Before he could properly defend himself, Addie called him over from the grill, waving her spatula and asking for his assistance. The beta gave one last pout in Cole’s general direction before dragging his feet toward Addie.

  “Is it safe to assume you have a tattoo on your ankle as well?” Hayden asked guardedly, making sure this wasn’t just something Blake and Cole schemed up themselves.

  Much to her surprise, Cole kicked off his polished shoe and pulled down his sock. There on his ankle, strikingly similar to Blake’s, was the black wolf in mid-stride. He was looking up at her in delight, a sly smirk in place. He had never looked more wolf-like than he did then.

  “You didn’t believe me, pup?” he inquired deeply.

  Something tightened in her stomach at his tone and Hayden forced herself to sit on the bench before she did something stupid. “It was a passing thought,” she admitted inaudibly, looking away from him and toward the needles.

  Frowning, she sniffed at them, noticing something she hadn’t taken notice of before. “Is that really silver?” The outline of the tattoo had looked silver, but Hayden hadn’t thought it was actual silver in liquid form.

  “It is,” Cole agreed, grinning mischievously. He picked up the needle that had the silver attached to it. “Werewolf packs generally do marking rituals like tattoos or piercings. To set us apart from everyone else, we’ve decided to add a small quantity of silver. I’d like to think it gives us a bit of an edge.”

  He was acting extremely playful today. Hayden eyed him doubtfully, but decided she would choose to enjoy this new side of him. “I thought it was poison for werewolves?”

  “The tattoo will be irritated for a few days, but your body will eventually adjust to it. Silver is most dangerous to us when it tears muscle tissue. Silver bullets, especially when they fragment, are toxic. It is rare a werewolf survives a gunshot wound.” He opened the disinfected wipes and motioned for her to put her foot on the bench. “A little silver under the skin won’t harm you.”

  She remembered seeing Cole’s naked back the night of her arrival. The silvery scars on his back must have been from silver blades, or bullets, that had been successfully cleaned and treated. From what she knew, only wounds caused by silver scarred over on a werewolf’s skin. All other lacerations and cuts healed as if nothing had been there in the first place.

  Hayden snapped back to the present as fingers rested on her right ankle. Cole’s calloused and warm hands slid leisurely up her calf and curled around her knee. The touch was confident and sensual, handling Hayden in a way no one had ever done so before. The path of his fingers warmed her skin and ignited a prickle-like sensation across her leg.

  Heat blossomed across her cheeks as he moved her leg and ankle closer to him. At his firm, confident hold, her heart seemed to flutter weakly. Trying to ignore the way her body reacted, Hayden took a chance and looked at Cole.

  His green eyes were bright and contemplative as regarded her. However, the longer he studied her, the darker his expression turned and the tighter his hold became.

  “Who attacked you?” he demanded sternly, his earlier playfulness turning cold and stony.

  It took her a second to comprehend the question. When she realized he was talking about Joseph’s hand around her throat, it took a great deal of restraint not to touch her neck. How could he possibly know someone had grabbed her around the throat? It was hardly tender anymore and she hadn’t felt any bruises. Then again, she wasn’t a fully transformed werewolf who shared Cole’s sharp eyesight.

  “I don’t know what you’re talking about.” She tried to pull her leg from his grasp, but Cole kept hold, tugging her cleanly across the bench by her ankle and directly next to him.

  His hand curled around her chin, forcing her neck back in an awkward arch. Their eyes contested as he scrutinized her darkly. “Don’t lie to me,” he scolded. The Alpha then pressed his face closer, the tips of their noses touching. He inhaled, his eyelashes fluttering closed just briefly before they snapped open.

  “Asher, Blake, or a male from Falco’s pack did this to you.” His emerald eyes challenged her, peeling away any defenses she might have had. “I know it’s not Blake, and I highly doubt Asher’s intentions towards you are violent. That leaves the mysterious member in Falco’s pack.”

  She was impressed that he was able to discern the different scents on her. It was understandable that Cole knew Blake’s scent because of their inseparability. And Hayden recollected Asher admitting that he was once good friends with Cole, which would explain how he would know Asher’s scent.

  But she was surprised that Cole didn’t know Joseph’s scent as well, considering the man was a beta to Falco and around him from time to time. But then again, scents had the ability to wear down over time.

  “I guess my throat is still sore from when you grabbed it in the bowling alley.” As soon as the words left her mouth, Hayden cringed mentally.

  The Alpha looked repulsed. “I would never grab you hard enough to leave marks.” His hand released her chin but his eyes never let her go. “You’re not protecting him, Hayden. When I find out who was behind it, they—”

  “It was a misunderstanding,” Hayden interrupted casually. “Trust me. It won’t happen again. And if it does, I’ll come directly to you.”

  She made sure to contort her features into something that would convince him of her honesty. His protectiveness was well-received, but it wasn’t warranted. If Joseph ever attacked her again, she would go to Cole. The Alpha had nothing to be upset over.

  His lips thinned. “I don’t know what I’m goin
g to do with you, Hayden.”

  Hayden flashed him a bright smile, hoping to placate his foul mood. “That’s what my mother always used to say to me,” she said cheekily.

  Cole reached for the marker again, but paused at her confession. “That isn’t much consolation, pup. Your mother must have been a saint to last as long as she did.” The light smile across his face proved she was able to manipulate his mood if she tried hard enough. As if sensing her intentions, his humor vanished. “Give me your ankle,” he ordered gruffly.

  Maybe Hayden had gotten it wrong. Maybe Blake wasn’t the easiest target to tease after all.

  7. Chapter Seven

  Even in the depths of sleep, she could sense the change in atmosphere. The faint, fragmented wisps of dreams gradually began to turn darker, more ominous. Just as Hayden struggled for consciousness, to escape the advancing nightmares, a hand reached out and shook her.

  Gasping sharply, Hayden sat up in bed, floundering in disorientation. Above her, Addie held out her hands in submission, watching as Hayden took a few deep breaths to calm down.

  “Addie?” Hayden asked in confusion.

  Shakily, she wiped away the beaded sweat across her forehead and surveyed her surroundings. The room was dark and the clock just struck eleven. A deep sense of forbidding settled in her stomach at Addie’s unexpected presence.

  “What’s wrong? Is the pack alright?”

  Addie shook her head, turning around to grab a pair of discarded jeans from the floor. “Cole has just been called away from the property to inspect a body with the other Alphas. I have a bad feeling something is not right, we should be prepared just in case. Quickly, get dressed.”

  Taking the offered jeans, Hayden scrambled out of bed and tugged them on. Apparently, Addie had felt the unsettlement in the air as well.

  “Body?” Hayden repeated with a frown. “You mean there has been a murder?” That would be the only explanation why Cole would leave the property when there was already an atmosphere of unrest around the house.

  Appearing hesitant to divulge the information, Addie eventually nodded. “Matthew, a member of Falco’s pack, had recently left to join Nicolas’ ranks as a spy. His body was discovered just a few minutes ago. It’s clear Nicolas wanted to send a message to our Alphas, a warning.” The woman peered out Hayden’s window, a noticeable frown line across her forehead. “Cole said he’d only be a few minutes. Blake is currently in charge.”

  Hayden stood next to Addie, looking out into the nightscape “There are rogues here.” It wasn’t so much a question as it was a grim statement. She could easily sense the woman’s forthcoming denial to her declaration. “They needed someone to carry the body here, didn’t they?” Hayden demanded quietly. “And they’ll do more than just deposit a dead body. If Nicolas found out they were sending someone to get information on him, he’ll retaliate just at much.”

  Addie shook her head. “Hayden—”

  Suddenly, a wolf howled piercingly, a pregnant pause weighing in the air when it abruptly silenced. Not long after, a harmony of wolves began following suit with their own cries of warning. Goose bumps raised the hairs on Hayden’s arms as she stared unseeingly into the darkness.

  “There’s a gun,” Addie whispered as she clutched Hayden’s wrist. “We hid one up here in case we were separated and attacked.” She turned from the window and led Hayden out of the room. “Blake is outside. He was the one to call out in warning.”

  “And the others?” Hayden asked. It was remarkable that Addie could distinguish apart the members of the pack even if they were in wolf form.

  The other woman paused in the hallway, turning to look at Hayden with futility. “Downstairs. Nathan and Fergus are passable fighters. They will protect Devan. We’ll meet up with them as soon as we get the gun. Otherwise, we will only be adding to their burden.”

  Hayden could only think about Blake and if he would be able to protect himself without someone backing him up. If he had been the one to start the warning calls, then surely he must have encountered enemies. So far, Hayden couldn’t sense any rogues inside the house, but she couldn’t be too sure. Cole would probably be home shortly, unless, of course, he was distracted with his own set of problems.

  As Addie reached for the linen closet, a woodsy scent clouded the air immediately before a hand shot out and wrapped around the older woman’s hair. With a sharp tug, the fisted hand flung Addie against the wall, causing the female to fall ungracefully to the ground. Hayden backpedaled quickly, crouching down just as a clawed hand swiped at her. She looked up, locking gazes with a pair of mismatched eyes.

  Hot denial surged through her as she recognized the hulking figure of Tracer. However, her rage only lasted a mere second before the mind-numbing obedience chilled her into complete submission. His mental sway over her wolf made Hayden vulnerable and exposed to his attack.

  She stayed upright, frozen, all but greeting his flying fist with willingness. The claws sliced her cheek open and Hayden grunted from the force of the hit. She landed on the ground, staring blankly at the blood that dotted the wooden floor.

  “Attack her,” Tracer ordered. It was his will alone that forced Hayden back to her knees.

  Her vision was cloudy, tunneled as she watched Tracer kick Addie in the face, bringing the woman back down to the ground. Tracer seemed to be able to control the degree of hold over Hayden, for she never remembered their bond being this strong back in New York.

  He leered at her stillness, his sharp teeth snapping near her face. “I said attack her. Now.”

  The rogue was her master and she was nothing but a lowly dog as she followed his orders. It was almost as if he was tugging her by the collar, forcing her to carry out his orders. Only, he wasn’t forcing her. Her subconscious wanted nothing but to please this man.

  She could do nothing to stop herself. Her body was paralyzed to only his instructions.

  Fortunately, she still had a sliver of self-control. As Hayden brought back her hand, she made sure to slap Addie with as little force as possible while still carrying out her Sire’s commands.

  “Harder.” Tracer clearly saw past her deceit. He curled a hand through Addie’s hair and held the woman’s face for Hayden’s convenience.

  His commands seemed to stun her mind and flatline her emotions. He urged her to attack and Hayden could only do as he asked. In the back of her mind, one last fleeting memory flickered.

  She remembered Cole telling her about newborns that were Sired by rogues and how they were used like puppets to murder the pack that took them in. Cole had taken a chance on inviting her into his house, and now she was betraying what little trust she had built with him and the pack. Hayden’s guilt flared hotly before her mind completely blanked out.

  Tracer’s laughter was sadistic as he watched her continue assaulting the other female. Her wolf took his delight as encouragement and she intensified her attack. Even if the Addie tried to plead with Hayden, her words fell on deaf ears.

  Whenever the other female struggled against the assault, Tracer was quick to push her further to the ground, holding her tightly by her roots. The blood that stained Hayden’s fingers only acted as fuel for her irrational rage. Her senses began to numb at her Sire’s continued praise, hearing nothing and feeling nothing but his sick glee.

  Her Sire then threw the bruised and bleeding prey aside, thrusting a dagger in Hayden’s hands. “I’m getting bored. Kill her. Quickly. A stab to the heart should do the trick.”

  Dazed amber eyes looked at the dagger in her palm and across at the fallen female werewolf. With a renowned sense of determination to appease her Sire, Hayden brought back the dagger, intent to catch her prey in the center of her chest.

  As she hovered over the fallen woman, blue eyes stared pleadingly up at Hayden, striking a chord somewhere deep inside her. A sliver of Hayden’s awareness came back just as she thrust the blade down.

  The silver dagger descended, bypassing Addie’s chest and imbedding in Hayden’s t
high. The pain, while excruciating, seemed to clear her senses and her hearing. A cloud lifted and she was forced cruelly back into reality. She closed her eyes against the pain, against the humiliation, and focused on Addie’s relieved sigh.

  Hayden collapsed to the ground, pressing her cheek against the floorboards. Down below, she could hear the distinct sounds of a scuffle. And as she panted, she dimly noticed that there was a scent of burning fire wafting in from outside.

  “None of that, no,” Tracer snarled, not missing a beat as he bypassed Addie and grabbed Hayden’s hair. His racing pulse was audible to all ears as he pulled her along the floor, an indication that something was not going according to his plans. “Come. Run. Get up, girl.” His commands were weaker than they had been previously, or perhaps they just seemed weaker due to the pain in her leg.

  Hayden still found herself standing and stumbling after him, more out of her own freewill than his power over her. Her shame was sharp and she never wanted to face Addie again, for what had happened upstairs was unforgivable.

  The pain in her leg was excruciating, but with Tracer’s influence, Hayden was able to push past the limitations of her body and follow her Sire. The dagger she held in her hands was slick with both Addie’s and her blood, yet it went unnoticed by Tracer. Awkwardly, she shoved it into her pocket and followed behind him, waiting until his influence lessened before attacking.

  They raced out the house and around to the backyard. The scent of fire was coming from further down the street, near the heart of the town. Whatever was happening over there, Tracer kept glancing back, his long hair billowing behind him as he cast guarded looks around their surroundings.

  Hayden followed with a profound limp, watching her Sire closely. She had to blink a few times to adjust her eyesight, as her vision began blurring around the edges due to the pain and the exhaustion. He was forcing her at a speed she had trouble keeping up with, not only because of her leg, but because she had yet to go through her last transformation.