Jackson stood and lifted his hand, releasing her. She rubbed the back of her neck, finding that he’d been careful with his claws and hadn’t so much as scratched her skin. Craning her neck, she looked up at him. The playful glint in his eyes was gone. His shoulders were tense, his brows furrowed. When she looked at his hands she didn’t see any claws, although his fingers were curled into fists.
“Fuck it. I didn’t want to hurt Wade’s feelings by telling him his daughter gets me about as hot as the fucking Arctic, but he asked for it.”
“I’ll come with you.” Declan rose, rubbing his hands together.
“No.” Jackson strode toward the door, turning his back on all of them—including her. “Stay here. All of you.”
Before she could argue she felt that same odd energy surrounding her, cementing his will. She’d never gotten the chance to chew his ass out for pulling the stunt earlier. She was supposed to be his mate—his equal—not a plaything he bossed around.
Rotating her gaze around the room, she saw everyone else had been affected in the same way. None of them moved, remaining exactly as Jackson had left them.
As she sat fuming, she decided that she couldn’t wait to get Jackson alone. As soon as the opportunity presented itself she was going to show him why it wasn’t smart to underestimate her. He was going to regret treating her like this—whatever this was—not once, but twice.
It was time for her to teach him a few things for a change.
The moment Jackson opened the door he was greeted by Wade. The Alpha had brought along his Beta, who stood a few feet back. Jackson stepped into the night, feeling the rays of the moon wrapping around him. His mating was supposed to be the best thing that had ever happened to him, not a series of unfortunate events. Since the moment he’d met his mate in the flesh he hadn’t been able to enjoy her. It had been one thing after a fucking other.
That ended tonight.
Normally he would have heard someone out. But not this time. He went straight for the throat. “I don’t want your daughter. I told her I wasn’t interested. She wouldn’t listen. So I’m telling you.” He took another step forward, getting into Wade’s personal space, monitoring the Beta who mirrored his movement. “I don’t want Simone. I’m not interested in an arranged mating. The answer is no.”
There. It was done. Sign, sealed and delivered.
His relief was squashed when the very person he was trying to avoid slid out of the enormous SUV Wade had arrived in. As always, Simone made sure her assets were on full display. This time she was clothed in leather, showcasing all her curves. She glided over on high heels, her visage one of insult and outrage.
“How dare you,” she snarled, storming toward him. “You fucking bastard.”
“Don’t interrupt,” Wade warned Simone, rotating to face her. “You kept vital information regarding this situation to yourself. We’ll have to discuss that.”
A-fucking-men. A ray of sunshine on an otherwise shitty day.
While Wade doted on his daughter, the man was an Alpha through and through. Jackson had hoped Wade would understand his disinterest wasn’t personal. He simply wasn’t interested in Simone—period.
“He’s being difficult.” Simone changed tactics, becoming whiny. “If you talk to him he’ll change his mind. This could strengthen the pack. It’s time for you to stop being second best.”
Ouch. That had to hurt.
Jackson’s gaze darted to Wade, who’d taken one hell of an insult. The Alpha didn’t so much as flinch. Simone—in true Simone fashion—didn’t seem to realize she’d just socked it to her old man in the worst possible way, indicating he wasn’t strong enough to stand on his own. Fortunately Jackson was polite enough to look away and salvage some of the man’s pride.
“Did Mr. Donovan indicate he was interesting in an arranged mating with you, Simone?” Jackson’s admiration for Wade increased. The Alpha was handling the situation better than other fathers would have. “Did he say he’d consider your offer? Don’t try to convince me this was his idea. Not unless you want me to take your credit cards for the next few months.”
“Of course he did.” Simone didn’t back down, feigning hurt.
“I did not,” Jackson corrected with a snarl. “Before you try to argue, you should know something.” He narrowed his eyes even though he knew Simone wouldn’t heed the warning. “You interrupted me while I was introducing my mate to my pack.”
Wade’s gaze darted to Simone before he gawked at Jackson. “Your mate?”
“That’s right.”
Folding his arms across his chest, he faced the man who’d obviously been sucker-punched repeatedly. First his daughter had tricked him into visiting a man who wasn’t interested in her. Then he’d learned she’d been keeping secrets in order to get what she wanted. Now he knew she hadn’t stood a chance in hell the entire time.
“He’s lying,” Simone said in a rush. “He’s always lying.”
Wade didn’t even glace at his child. Jackson almost felt sorry for the wrath that was about to come down on Simone for making a fool of her old man. “When are you introducing her to the packs?”
“Tomorrow. At the hunt.”
Wade met Jackson’s gaze and held it. When he read the truth in his words, he snapped, “Get in the car, Simone.”
“But—”
“I said get in the car!” Wade roared, pivoting away from Jackson. “Zip your lip and do as you’re told.”
“No,” she retorted, reaching out and placing her hand on Jackson’s shoulder.
He shouldn’t have been surprised. The flirty female never listened. That was what she was known for—all body and zero brains. What he didn’t expect was to see her flying back several feet, knocked to the ground as someone barreled out of the building behind him and took the female to the ground.
In an instant he knew who had disobeyed his order to remain inside.
Curly blonde hair flared around Chloe as she wrapped her hands around Simone’s throat and applied pressure. His mate’s words weren’t words at all. More like snarls of a creature that was out for blood.
He rushed toward the screaming females, intent on the one who was—even without full possession of her wolf—currently beating the hell out of a werewolf with several pounds and a whole lot of inches on her.
Son of a bitch.
The woman beneath Chloe was covered in a cloud of red, making it impossible to make out the color of her eyes or hair.
Not that it mattered.
The moment she’d heard Simone speaking to Jackson, something had snapped. The members of the pack had watched in disbelief as she rose from her seat and walked toward the door. She hadn’t looked back, driven by a force that had taken over. Fury had obliterated logic. The moment she’d entered the hallway and saw the strange woman touch him, the wolf had taken control.
Moments in time were blurry. She vaguely recalled bursting from the parlor and tackling the woman to the ground. Now that she had her hands on the bitch she wanted to see Simone bleed. This would be a warning to anyone who dared to do the same, a reminder that the man she was fighting for was off limits.
Jackson was hers.
The words “I’ll kill you” didn’t come out right. Instead her vocalizations echoed as snarls in her ears. She didn’t stop, using the hands wrapped around Simone’s throat to drive the woman’s head into the concrete. The rusty scent of blood filled her nose, making her hungry for more. She wouldn’t stop until there was nothing left of the bitch’s head or face.