Page 45 of Mane Full Of Stripes
Reaching his car, he skidded to a stop, almost fumbling with his keys and dropping them. He pressed the button and opened the car, then got in and grabbed his phone. He called Apollo, who shouted his name as soon as he answered. “I’m fine. Jenrick’s—”
Next thing Jost knew, he was on his back on the road staring up at Jenrick, who threw his phone as far as he could. “You stupid fuck. Who did you call?” he screamed at Jost before kicking him in the side. Jost curled up and let the rain fall on him, cooling his overheated skin as Jenrick stormed around, shouting. He knew not to draw attention to himself. That would only inflame Jenrick more.
Jenrick charged over and grabbed Jost’s coat, hauling him up and dragging him over to his car. Jost knew he couldn’t let Jenrick force him inside. If that happened, then Apollo would never find him because his scent trail would be gone and with his heat in the early stages, he couldn’t have Jenrick picking up on it. Twisting, Jost shrugged out of his coat and kicked Jenrick’s knee at the same time, and bolted back into the trees. Heat rolled through his body, and Jost gritted his teeth. He had to find a place to hide that would disguise his scent, more so now that he was going into heat. He also had to hope Apollo would find him first. Hopefully, Apollo would call the authorities as well.
He heard his name being screamed and ran on, ignoring the branches that slapped at his face, and the rain that ran down his face. He was a lion shifter, and that thought had him pausing. Should he shift and try to fight Jenrick? No, because Jenrick was larger than him in both forms. The fight would be over in minutes, if not seconds. “Fuck,” he murmured.
Pausing, Jost listened for sounds of pursuit and heard them off to his left, so he spun and ran right then fell to the floor as his body pulsed with need. “Not now,” he muttered, as he pushed back up. He jumped over logs, ran through bushes and splashed through puddles in the hope of creating distance between them. Jost didn’t pay any attention to his surroundings but would slow periodically to listen. He could still hear Jenrick behind him, and he sounded closer. Sucking in a lungful of air, Jost stopped and tried to remember where the stream had been, and whether he was near it. He could use it again to cover his scent—which he desperately needed now that he was going into heat—then climb a tree to hide.
“Jost!” Jenrick screamed, and it was far closer than Jost had realized, which meant Jenrick was gaining on him.
This time, though, he didn’t run, he thought. He turned around on the spot, looking at what he had at hand, and picked up a thick, heavy branch. Swinging it a few times, Jost nodded. It would do. Seeing a thick tree trunk ahead, Jost hid behind it, the branch held ready to strike Jenrick as soon as he appeared. He tensed his grip on the branch, slowing his breathing. He stood still, his focus on the sounds Jenrick made as he crashed through the trees after him.
Of course, Jenrick didn’t need to hide the sounds he made. He was an alpha and could easily overpower Jost, so Jost had to use the element of surprise to his advantage if he was to have any hope of escaping, and he wanted to escape. He couldn’t let Jenrick get to him. Not now. He’d scent Jost’s heat and that would be it. Jost had an amazing mate who he adored. No, loved, and wasn’t this just the best time to realize how strong his feelings for Apollo were? Apollo was the only one he wanted. Closing his eyes, he listened to Jenrick screaming at him and tightened his grip on the branch as the distance between them lessened.
Holding his breath, Jost waited as Jenrick neared him and when Jost heard a twig snap right by the tree, he stepped out and swung the branch. To his surprise, it worked. The branch hit Jenrick in the face. Jenrick fell to the ground, screaming in anger and pain, and Jost hit him again, then scrambled back when Jenrick’s lion roared to the surface.
Jost threw the branch at Jenrick and sprinted away, hoping he was heading back to his car, but realizing he had no idea where he actually was. He looked at the ground, seeing it undisturbed, and knew he wasn’t going back the same way he’d come, but he could do nothing right then. Jenrick roared behind him and Jost knew Jenrick had shifted. He was fucked if Jenrick got hold of him.
Falling hard, Jost lay stunned, then pushed back up, wincing when pain flared in his knee. He stared down, seeing the rip in his jeans and the blood flowing, and whimpered. Fuck. His blood would be a beacon to Jenrick along with his stronger scent. Spinning around, Jost bit his lip, then grabbed a handful of mud and smeared it on his wound before limping on.
A huge roar rocked the area and Jost slammed his hands over his ears but kept moving forward. Jenrick was so close, there was no way for him to hide his scent. Blinking, Jost let the tears fall but struggled on. He wanted to see Apollo again. Wanted to spend his life with him, having a family and raising them together. He wouldn’t let Jenrick take that from him. He wasn’t a victim anymore.
Slowing, Jost turned and waited for Jenrick to appear. He was going to make a stand and suffer the consequences. He was done running. He wasn’t that omega anymore. He was stronger now, and he was mated.
Jenrick roared as he jumped close to Jost and Jost stood still, waiting for Jenrick to make his move. He had no idea what he would do, but he wasn’t running anymore. Jenrick prowled in front of him, his mane shaking as he roared. Jenrick’s huge incisors gleamed, saliva dripping from them, and Jost had the thought that Jenrick might actually be crazy. Pawing the ground in front of him, Jenrick lowered his furry head and, with narrowed eyes, watched Jost.
Jost remained still, waiting and wondering what Jenrick would do to him. He’d never faced Jenrick when he’d been like this. He’d compromised, apologized, tried to reason, but that was the past, Jost wasn’t doing that anymore. Whatever happened, he would face it head on.
When Jenrick shook and changed forms, Jost gasped, surprised. Jenrick stood naked and charged Jost, grabbing him around the waist, lifting him off the ground and slamming him to the ground. The air whooshed out of Jost, leaving him stunned, and he turned his face away when Jenrick tried to kiss him. Jenrick bit his jaw, causing Jost to wince in pain, then grimace when Jenrick lapped at the wound he caused.
Jost waited until Jenrick moved over him and then he rammed his uninjured knee into Jenrick’s balls. Jenrick cried out and Jost pushed him off and scrambled up, crying out at the pain he felt. Pushing up off the ground, Jost stumbled, fell, then got back up again, narrowly missing Jenrick’s lunge at him.
His head snapped up when he heard his name. “Apollo!” he screamed and headed toward his voice, ignoring Jenrick’s roar of rage behind him. By the sound of it, Jenrick had shifted back into his lion and Jost cried as he stumbled toward where he hoped Apollo was. There, up ahead, Jost heard sounds of movement and whimpered before screaming Apollo’s name again.
Close. Apollo was so close, then Jost hit the ground and shrieked as claws raked across his back, the weight holding him down. His face was slammed into the ground, and he couldn’t breathe, then suddenly the weight was gone.
Chapter Twenty-Two
Apollochargedatthelion on top of his mate and shoved him off Jost. The lion rolled and shook his head as it got to its feet. “It’s Jenrick!” Jost shouted as he pushed back away from where Jenrick prowled in front of them. Apollo had figured that much out and followed Jenrick as he moved. Holding a hand out, he pulled Jost to him and behind as soon as Jost grabbed him. “We need to get the police.”
“They’re on their way.” Apollo didn’t take his eyes from Jenrick, and when the lion rushed him, Apollo pushed Jost back and met Jenrick’s charge. He was knocked off his feet and rolled to the side, gritting his teeth when Jenrick’s claws ripped through his side. “Jost, run!”
An enraged shriek hit the air and Apollo had seconds to realize it was Jost before Jost shifted and charged Jenrick. Apollo jumped up and kicked Jenrick when he rolled past, then grabbed a large branch and swung it at him. There was no point in his shifting into his zebra form, he would be easier to attack. So even though it felt wrong, Apollo remained human.
Jost jumped on Jenrick’s back and bit deep, then cried out when Jenrick shook him off, throwing Jost into a tree trunk. Apollo lunged forward, swinging his branch and smacked Jenrick over the head, causing the lion to howl in pain and swing around to face him. Apollo adjusted his grip on the branch and spread his legs, waiting for Jenrick’s attack. Keeping an eye on Jenrick, he glanced at Jost, watching him get up and shake his head. “Go,” he murmured, hoping Jost heard him. Jost growled in response and came over to him, standing next to him.
A sound behind him had Apollo tensing until he heard, “Jenrick Neeson. Stop right there or I will shoot.”
Apollo took a step back, then paused when Jenrick’s head swung to him. Jost growled and tried to nudge Apollo out of the way, but he sank his fingers into Jost’s mane and whispered, “We go together.”
“Jenrick. Shift now. Don’t make me shoot you.”
Jenrick shook his head, then lunged at Apollo and Jost. Jost shoulder barged Apollo out of the way, then cried out when Jenrick hit him. Apollo lost it. He rolled to stand, then jumped on Jenrick, hitting him until several darts pierced Jenrick’s skin. Less than a minute later Jenrick lay still on the floor and Apollo kneeled next to Jost, seeing blood on his side. “I need you to shift so you can be treated.”
Jost whined, then his body shuddered, and he lay in human form on the cold, wet ground. Apollo ripped his coat off and covered Jost, then picked him up, noticing the change in his scent signalling Jost’s heat. His body reacted but he ruthlessly pushed those needs back. Jost had been injured. That had to be his priority. “Are paramedics on their way?”
The officer nodded as he warily eyed Jenrick’s still form. “Five minutes out. Should be here once you reach the edge of the trees. Another unit is on its way too.” He stopped talking when Jenrick shifted, then pulled his arms back and cuffed him. “Go, Apollo. We can handle it from here.”
