Her eyes went to the windows and her heart skipped a beat.
She’d been able to hide the changes from him since he’d been distracted, excusing herself with a smile. But as soon as he saw her again he’d know the deal. Over the last two hours her hearing had gotten better. Declan’s conversations, once muffled, were now crystal clear. The air shifted, scents becoming apparent. The wolf had gotten louder in her mind, eager for the day to end. Her muscles ached and she’d felt a hollow throb build in her arms and legs.
It had only taken minutes to realize the pain was radiating from her bones.
“Baby,” Declan hollered from the office, catching her off guard. She ripped her eyes from the window and turned toward his voice. “Can you come here?”
He hadn’t called for her in over an hour.
Be cool. You’re fine.
Rising from the stool, she stepped away from the counter. As stupid as it was she was worried about his reaction. She rubbed her palms over her itchy skin, wishing the irritating sensation would go away. She had marks on her arms from scratching. As soon as she’d seen the damage she’d caused, she’d forced herself to stop.
It had taken all of her willpower not to tear at her skin.
Knowing it had to be done eventually, she walked down the hallway. Each step drew her closer. His scent—now much more potent—drifted to her nose. Her body responded and she felt a growl creeping up her throat. She exhaled roughly, shaking her head, wanting the tingling in her nostrils to stop.
“Yes, we’re about to leave,” she heard Declan retort sharply. “As far as I know, she’s fine. Thanks to all the bullshit I’ve had to deal with today, I haven’t been able to take care of her. Whatever, man. See you there.” She heard the phone hit the cradle, followed by Declan’s snarl, “Fucking asshole.”
The chair in the office squeaked and her pulse quickened.
She heard his footsteps, each one bringing him closer to the door. He was going to get out of the room before she made it there. She tried to decide which lighting might be better—the dimly lit hallway or his work lair—but accepted nothing in the world was going to change her eyes. She’d seen them earlier in the mirror, noting the way the color had changed.
He exited the room, his hair mussy from him combing his hands through it. His head turned, his gaze landing on her. He stilled, nostrils flaring as his eyes went wide.
“I think something’s wrong,” she confessed like an idiot and wondered if she should have gone to him sooner. “I know I’m supposed to change later but I feel really weird.”
“Son of a bitch.” In an instant he was at her side. His fingers cupped her face, his eyes locked on hers. “Tell me what you’re feeling. When did it start?”
“Around noon,” she answered, trying not to panic. Her gums and fingertips burned, her bones practically on fire. “I won’t shift yet, right?”
“We’d better go.” He released her without answering the question. “Once Jackson’s close he can make things easier for you.”
Before she could argue he vanished into the office and returned with his jacket and keys. He hurried down the hall, led her from the house and got her in the SUV. In less than a minute they were on their way. She noticed how strange the car smelled this time around, the leather scent in the vehicle almost offensive. Strangely the cold didn’t bother her anymore. She turned off the heater Declan hadn’t bothered cutting off the last time they’d exited the car.
“I’m sorry,” he said, reaching for his cell. He pushed a button and lifted it to his ear. “I didn’t realize how much time had passed. I should have paid attention.” After a second he snarled into the phone, “Haul ass. It’s happening.” Before the person could respond he hung up, tossed the cell into the cup holder and took her hand. “Don’t be afraid. You’ll be fine.”
“I thought you had to meet the packs.” In fact, she was certain he had to. She’d heard him telling Shane precisely that. “Can’t we make it stop?”
He didn’t answer for several seconds. “I’m not sure.”
“That’s not very reassuring.”
“It’s going to be fine,” he repeated. His fingers squeezed hers. “Jackson is on the way. Shane should already be at the hunt. We’ll figure something out.”
“I’m not sure I’m ready for this.” An enormous understatement.
The car rocked as the tires hit a real road, going from gravel to asphalt. Taken off balance, she thrust her hand against the dash. She saw her fingers and froze. She didn’t have claws exactly but her nails had really grown.
“Declan,” she whispered.
Glancing over, he snarled, “Shit.”
He punched the gas and ordered, “Look at me.”
Ripping her attention from her hand, she looked at his face.
His fingers tightened over hers. “Not yet,” he growled, peering over at her. “It’s not time.” Something settled over her, a soothing yet invisible blanket of comfort. “That’s right,” he persisted, “you belong to her and she belongs to me.”
Little by little the animal inside her backed off. She could still smell things and her vision was a lot clearer but she didn’t feel like she was going to crawl out of her own skin.
“You’re holding the wolf back,” she said, cracking under the strain, “aren’t you?”
“For now,” he told her softly. “Don’t be afraid. I know you don’t believe it but you’re going to love the night, Rachel. You’re going to find out there’s nothing to be afraid of.”
Even as he said it, she heard the fear in his voice.
She decided to let it slide, grateful for his help. “I believe you.”
There was no way to know if he believed her and she didn’t push to find out. Instead she studied the landscape, watching the buildings blur by. The night hadn’t come yet but it was well on the way. The sun had already started its descent, dipping to the horizon. She didn’t bother him as he drove, taking in her surroundings. They ventured through the city before Declan turned onto a side road. It went for miles, taking them deep into a wooded area.
The scent changed, no longer tainted by smoke or urban smells.
Grass and earth filled her nose, a tantalizing fragrance that called to her soul.
She leaned forward and closed her eyes, taking a deep breath. The burn in her muscles and bones returned and Declan’s fingers clamped down on her hand.
“We’ll be there soon. Sit back and focus.”
Damn. “I don’t want to.”
“Rachel.”
More of that powerful soothing from him, yanking her back. She sank into her seat, taking ragged breaths. The wolf seemed to snarl but then went quiet. The fire in her blood retreated, leaving her shaken. The trees sped by in a blur, Declan’s grip on her fingers nearly painful. She paid attention to that, forcing everything else from her mind. A minute or so later she saw a large building of some kind in the distance. She focused, trying to see. A dozen or so cars surrounded it.
“Hold on a little longer.” Declan relaxed his grip and brought her hand to mouth, breezing his lips over her knuckles. “We’re almost there.”
Declan lowered Rachel’s hand and stared at the large structure in the distance. The building had been created years ago for the packs. There were meeting rooms and beds inside, in the event pack members didn’t want to drive home after a hunt.
His gaze swept over the cars until he found the one he was looking for.
Fuck yes. Shane’s here.