Page 1 of Bond & Protect

1

ELIAS

Apit forms in the middle of my stomach as I storm down the street toward the rendezvous point. My pack, a special forces group, hasn’t been called on in years. Something is seriously wrong. I put my head down and walk quickly, trying to work out what I’m clearly missing here.

Things have been calm for way too long, the voice of doom in the back of my brain screams at me. The calm before the storm. That’s all this has been…

It’s true. We’ve been skating on by for months now. That isn’t like us. Just because we are a wolf pack in a small town doesn’t mean we face less distress than those in the big city. There is always something to deal with, some drama flying at us, some nightmare to survive.

Apparently, it wasn’t always like this. My dad always liked to tell me that the wolf packs got along in ‘his time’. That there wasn’t any tension and packs would rather have nothing to do with one another than to fight. He always blamed the ‘new generation’ for being too ‘pig headed’ and always needing drama in their lives.

Don’t get me wrong, I miss the guy, but I have to admit it’s a whole lot easier than listening to him blaming me and everyone my age for things not being like ‘the good old days’. He would have a field day with whatever is about to come tonight. I can almost feel him yelling at me now, reminding me that things don’t need to be this way.

My fists curl up in anger by my side as I recall the gravely tone of his voice. It’s enough to have me reaching into my pocket to grab myself a cigarette. I need to smoke, to calm myself down, before I arrive at the rendezvous point all twisted up in knots.

“Those things will kill you, ya know?”

The voice seems to come from nowhere, sending a surprising shudder down my spine. I wasn’t expecting to come across anyone here on the dangerous outskirts of the woodlands, much less a woman with a sassy tone and a shit-eating grin to match.

“These?” I hold up the cigarette and smirk back. “Yeah, maybe.” That isn’t true. Wolves are always in perfect health, no matter what we do to our bodies. It’s one of the perks. “But I think standing here alone might be more dangerous, ya know?”

Imitating how she spoke makes her chuckle, but I can’t help but notice how she folds her arms across her chest protectively. She’s nervous, I can see that. It doesn’t matter how much she tries to hide it. That fear is there, careering through her veins.

“You can walk with me, if you want?” I offer. “If we’re headed in the same direction, that is.”

“Well, I’m probably headed home. Since it’s so dangerous here.”

I cock my head to one side. “So, what are you doing here, all alone?”

It isn’t normal behavior, not here. Humans don’t like to think about what’s within the trees. They prefer to keep away––safe in their homes as if there isn’t anything to worry about. They like leaving all the danger to the wolves. So, she must know she’s being crazy.

“I’m…” She stops before saying too much, and offers me a one-shouldered shrug. “I don’t know. It doesn’t matter. I’m headed back home now anyway.”

I narrow my eyes suspiciously at her. Why is she being so vague? What the hell is she hiding? This is starting to irritate me now because I want to know more. I need to know more. I’ve never been a patient guy. It simply isn’t one of those skills I have.

But I get the impression that if I push too hard, I will push her away.

“So, like I said, let me walk you,” I offer once more, forgetting that I have places to be. “It’s much better to be safe than sorry, don’t you think? I can protect you?”

Her eyes hungrily run all over my broad, muscular body. She’s assessing how protective I can be of her, and what I can do to save her. She doesn’t need to worry. I can kill any danger, especially when looking after a blonde-haired, blue-eyed beauty like this one.

Eventually, she smiles brightly. “I’ll make a deal with you. You can walk me home as long as you put that cigarette out. I don’t want to walk along with you smoking.”

I shrug and drop the offending item on the floor, smushing it underneath my feet. I have a feeling that walking this gorgeous woman home and making sure that she’s safe will be far more satisfying than the rest of that cigarette anyway.

“There, done.” I wipe my hands together playfully. “Shall we get going?”

She purses her lips once before nodding and edging a little closer to me. The nerves are rolling off her in waves, which is very strange because someone so fearful shouldn’t be here. I don’t get the impression that it’s me she’s scared of, so what is going on?

“Are you going to tell me what you were doing now?” I ask as we walk, almost side by side. “Because you have to admit, it’s a little odd for you to be there by yourself like that.”

An adorable pinkness stains her cheeks, but still, she says nothing of use. “Can’t a woman go for a walk on her own without putting herself in danger? That hardly seems fair, does it? I mean, I’m not questioning you for walking around by yourself.”

“Yes, but I can look after myself…” As soon as those words leave my mouth, I realize that is a bit of an asshole thing to say. “Sorry. I’m just worried, that’s all. I don’t want you to get hurt.”

She shoots me a suspicious look. “You don’t even know me. Why are you so concerned?”

I let out a little laugh. “Okay, so tell me about you. What’s your name?”

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