Page 4 of Secret Wolf Baby

“Well, you failed on that bit,” I growled.

“Audrey, please—” He reached out toward me.

“I told you not to touch me,” I snapped, jerking my arm away from him. It took all my strength not to give in to the urge to tear him to ribbons. I willed the tears to stay back long enough for me to get out of his sight. “I never want to see you again.”

I walked out the door, slamming it shut behind me as I hurried down the path, walking as fast as I could without breaking into a run. A lump had filled my throat to the point it was hard to breathe. I forced myself to keep moving, to not look back, to put as much distance between myself and the man I thought I had loved as quickly as possible.

The instant I thought it was safe and I was out of view, I doubled over. Tears dropped from my nose and cheeks to splatter on the ground as I sucked in a deep breath, willing myself to get a grip, but all I could do was replay his words over and over again in my head.

God, how could I have been such an idiot? I should have known something like this would happen. I had been an outcast and a reject my whole life. Why would the guy I had thought was my mate be any different?

There were so many dreams I’d had but never admitted: Jackson and I getting married, having kids, my best friend being my sister-in-law as he and I settled down and built a life for ourselves. I had pictured our dream house, the way our wedding would look, how we would grow old together. I had imagined so clearly what the rest of my life would be like with my mate, a perfect life where I would finally be happy.

All of that just flew out the window. It evaporated in my head in an instant. All that was left was me, alone, hunched over on the sidewalk, crying over a guy I would never get to have.

I wasn’t sure how long I stood like that. Eventually, though, I pulled myself upright and dried my damp cheeks withthe heel of my palm. I could be sad later. Right now, I needed a plan.

I had meant it when I said I never wanted to see Jackson again. There was only one way to guarantee it, and that was to pack up and leave. It wouldn’t be too difficult. I had run away once before; I could do it again.

I’m sorry, Mira, I thought. Leaving her was the only pang of guilt I felt once the idea got into my head. I was going to miss her, and I knew she didn’t have many friends here. But I also didn’t think I could look her in the face and admit that not only had I had sex with her brother, but that he had rejected me after.

And if I stayed friends with Mira, I would inevitably have to see that asshole again. I couldn’t.

The best thing was a clean cut. To leave tonight, to put Jackson and this stupid town and everything else behind me so I would never have to deal with him again.

So that was what I did. An hour later, I threw my suitcase in my ancient car and drove away, putting the town and Jackson in my rearview mirror for good.

I would never have to deal with him again.

Chapter 1 - Jackson

It’s never a good thing when your boss pokes his head out of his office and says, “I need to speak with you.” Especially when said boss has a grim, mildly annoyed expression on his face.

Without waiting for me to respond, Declan jerked his head, motioning for me to come inside.

I looked over at Rose, his assistant. She shrugged.

“Don’t look at me,” she said. “He hasn’t told me anything.”

“That somehow makes it worse,” I muttered, glancing at Declan’s open office door. Whatever was going on, I got the sneaking suspicion that I wasn’t going to like it. “Wish me luck.”

“Look at it this way,” Nolan said, clapping me on the shoulder as he gave a broad smirk. “Even if it’s something bad, there’s no way Mira will let him kill you. Perks of being the alpha’s brother-in-law, eh?”

“Not really comforting, you know,” I fired back.

Nolan just responded with one of his trademark self-amused grins.

Shaking my head, I brushed past him and headed into Declan’s office.

“Close the door,” he said.

“You know this is getting more and more ominous as it goes on, right?” I said jokingly as I shut the door behind me.

“I just don’t want this to get out unless it’s necessary,” Declan replied. “You know how quickly gossip spreads in this town if you don’t keep it contained.”

“It doesn’t help that all of us Gold Wolves are notorious gossips when we’re bored,” I pointed out.

“Might not be bored for much longer,” Declan said. He leaned forward, propping his forearms on the desk.

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