Page 2 of Spike

"Gray, of course, I remember you. You were the only omega wolf at the bar that night," Jack said, his voice cutting through my thoughts.

Alarm bells rang in my head at his words, but in that moment, I was too exhausted and hungry to care.

"So, um, is your offer—" I began, feeling my cheeks heat up.

It struck me that in five years, I'd never asked anyone for help. It was a humbling and humiliating experience.

"It is. I'll text you where I live. It's really good to hear from you, Gray,” Jack said, his voice reassuring.

We ended the call soon after. The lack of conversation should bother me if I were a bit sharper, but right now, I couldn't care less.

I tried to recall what I knew about Jack. He had bragged about being part of a big pack in a nearby town.

My father and I had always been solitary shifters, not big fans of packs. Still, if Jack belonged to a reputable pack, that should make him a little legit. Safe.

I waited like a child on Christmas Day, anticipation building as I longed for Jack's text to arrive.

I hated myself a little for what I had just done, my inner wolf pacing restlessly inside me.

"Suck it up. This is way better than freezing to death," I whispered to myself, attempting to quell the unease.

My wolf had no answer for me. When my phone finally beeped, I immediately inputted the address into my GPS app.

Returning behind the wheel, I drove, shivering uncontrollably. An hour later, I found myself waiting outside a tall, razor-wired fenced and gated compound.

I swallowed hard; this had to be some kind of mistake or prank. The little hope that lingered inside me stuttered out.

I jumped when one of the guards knocked on my window.

"Sorry, I think I made a wrong turn somewhere," I babbled, intimidated by the size of the guy and the gun he was carrying.

My wolf instinctively identified him as a shifter. I didn't need his warning to know I ought to be careful; my first instinct was to extract myself from this situation immediately.

"Jack, a friend of mine, must've sent me the wrong address," I explained.

"Jack? Oh, you're Gray then? Go on in," the guard said, returning to his post.

What was going on? I wondered, and finally saw a little sign near the gate.

"You are entering Blue Vale Wolves Territory. Outsiders without an invitation, keep out," I read aloud, then swallowed.

I expected Jack to send me his home address, not the address of his pack. As doubts crept inside me, my cell phone rang.

Jack's name flashed across the screen, and I pressed the answer button.

"Just calling to find out where you are. There's a storm coming, and I got a little worried," Jack said.

His words brought me some relief. Here was a guy who cared, even though we didn't know each other at all.

Maybe I was overthinking the situation, or my tired brain just wanted to shut down.

"I'm right at the gates of your pack compound," I answered.

"Great, then I'll see you soon. I've had a room prepared for you already, and a warm meal's waiting in case you haven't had dinner," Jack said.

"Sounds good," I whispered, lured by the promise of a bed and food.

After cutting the call, I realized the guards had thrown the gate open. I drove through, a mix of anticipation and apprehension swirling within me.

---