Page 16 of Revenge of the Blood Pack

I tapmy fingers on the table while glaring at the empty plates in front of me, along with the coffee cup I've had refilled four times. This is… irritating.Why the fuck is Max having some lengthy meeting at a bar when my pack is in danger?

For a guy who seems to be programmed like a robot instead of being a living, breathing shifter, this is not at all his MO. If he ends up just drinking his ass off, I don't know what I'll do. Part of me would be impressed. The other part would want to claw his eyes out.

Either way, I'm done waiting. It's time to find out what the great Max is up to. What he didn't want me to know about.

I put enough money for my meal and a generous tip down on the table, then exit the diner, looking in the direction of the bar he's in. But before I cross the street, I freeze. Max doesn't seem like the cruel type, but these Enforcers just barely took me out of handcuffs. Just barely reassigned the other three guys Max was working with.If I cause an issue, will I lose my freedom again?

I sigh. The smart thing would be to let him have his secret meeting. Not that I usually make the smart move.

Waiting, I eye the bar again.Where the fuck is he? And what the hell is taking him so long?

Mentally, I command him to come out. But, after a minute, there’s still no sign of him. Which makes sense. I can do a lot of weird shit, but controlling people like puppets isn't one of my powers. At least, I don’t think it is. I haven’t experimented enough with my mage abilities to be sure.

I shift from one foot to the other, thinking about what to do next. I can't handle sitting still any longer, but he'd also made it clear I wasn't welcome with whatever he was up to.

What to do… what to do…

Deciding to take a walk, I head to the left, having no sense of where I'm going but wanting to clear my head. This is a small town, after all, so I'm sure I can be back before Max is finished. And I'll probably be a bit calmer after expelling a little energy.

That's a win-win for both of us since even I know I get a bit irritating when I'm in this kind of a mood. You know, a mood that comes from not fucking enough, shifting enough, or feeding enough… I think of the hottie from the cafe.

I definitely haven't been fucking enough.

The evening slips away to night around me as I take in the rustic buildings along the main street. Unable to help myself, I breathe in the scents around me. There's oil, dust, and gasoline. But beyond that, the sweeter scents of the woods. Earthy and rich. Lighter and more delicate. It's intoxicating. It calls to me. And I veer off the main road to slip onto the smaller roads, moving ever closer to the woods behind the town.

No, I'm not going into those woods, as much as I might want to. Because I have no doubt then I'd want to shift. And if I shift, I won't ever want to come back to this form. And I don't deserve to escape into my wolf form. Not after what I did. Not after theblood that's on my hands. Not after I betrayed everyone I ever loved.

I freeze, breathing hard. That heavy weight's back on my chest. The one that's more than a physical pain. The one that's some fucking curse inside of me, never letting me forget what I did and what I deserve. I practice taking slow, deep breaths. But then I see those black wisps out of the corner of my eye, and the whispering starts. The terrible whispering that seems to haunt me. Closing my eyes, I try to picture a safe place, even though I never can. Even though it's just darkness in my mind beyond the horror.

But the darkness is still better

When the pressure on my chest lessens, I open my eyes and try to ignore the sob building in my throat. No matter what, I won't cry. I won't let myself feel scared or sad. Because if I do, I'm not sure I'll ever come back. Ever function again.

And I have to keep going, as long as a single member of my pack is alive. As long as there's a shred of hope my brother is.

Okay, walk. Keep walking. Clear your head.

I'm about to keep going when the hair on the back of my neck rises, and I flinch instinctually. Looking down, I realize my hands are clenched, and then I glance around me, wondering what my body senses that I don't.

As far as I can tell, I'm alone. No danger is in sight, but I still can't calm my instincts. Once upon a time, I trusted this feeling. Now? Now I'm not sure if it's a current danger or a past ghost making me feel this way.

I keep walking, more slowly and deliberately this time. A shiver rolls down my spine, and I have the sense that I'm being followed. But when I glance behind me, no one's there.

My heart races, but I try to shrug off this feeling. If some human sees a woman walking alone and wants to cause trouble,I'll end them. As for every other supernatural? They fear my kind.

I've become the monster that scares the other monsters.So, is there really anything for me to fear?

Besides, I don't smell anyone. I don't see anyone. It's just as likely that thinking about the past has me feeling unsafe, as stupid as that is.

So, I keep walking. Trying to shake the feeling away. Waiting for it to pass as I make my way back to the cafe.

But the feeling doesn't go away, no matter how much I tell myself it isn't real.

Fuck.My breathing becomes more rapid. This isn't a ghost from the past. Something is wrong, even if I can handle it. I've been through too much to stupidly ignore the deep sense of dread that's washing over me.

Just as my instincts predict, I see a man round the corner in front of me. He appears like I conjured him, because one minute he isn't there and the next he is. And he's just looking at me like I'm either the best or worst thing he's come across all day.

Which immediately puts me on edge.

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