Page 14 of Just Dare Me
This time, all three shifters—Rook, Wulf, and Nolan—throw their hands up and shout in unison, “Whoah!”
“Stop saying that!” I growl. And I mean it’s literally a growl. I hear chairs scooching, people scrambling to clear the area, taking cover. What the hell’s going on? Rook and I are locked in a staring contest, only it feels deadly somehow.
“Are you insane? Don’t lock on me,” he warns.
“I’m not doing anything. You are!”
“Lower your eyes. Stand down!” he commands. Now his eyes are starting to glow. He’s seconds away from shifting.
This is absurd, and I can hear myself thinking as much. But my heart’s racing a hundred miles an hour, and no matter how hard I try, I can’t lower my gaze. I feel a desire—a separate will stronger than my own—that only wants one thing: to rip the throat out of the guy who dared to disrespect my dog. No, not just my dog, mypack.
Everybody’s shouting at once, but I can’t make out any words. I just know that they sound scared, and I’m scared, and Rook sets his feet in a wide stance, preparing to let his wolf rip out.
At the last possible second, a face enters my view, eclipsing Rook, and the lock is released. The face is Nora’s. I snap out of my daze, reeling backward, hitting the counter. She steps in close, cupping my face with her hands. “Just keep your eyes on mine, and focus on listening to me,” she says in a soothing voice. “What about you, Rook, can you hear me?”
He’s breathing hard, his voice gravelly and deep, but still human. “Yes. I hear you.”
“There’s no more challenge. No one is commanding you. I’m onlyaskingyou to please walk away.”
“I hear you.” He’s panting with exertion that is equal parts mental and physical. “I can do that. For you.”
Surprisingly, Nora takes on an authoritative tone. “Then do it. Now. I’ll come to you shortly.”
“Yes,” is all he says before stalking into the hallway. The sound of him slamming a door is the cue for everyone to deflate rapidly and loudly.
I raise my hands in defense. “I swear, Nora, I have no idea what just happened! I wasn’t trying to make him mad. He just flipped, just like that! And it’s like I couldn’t help it, like I wasn’t even in control.”
Rubbing the back of my arm gently, she speaks in a soft, caring voice that is just soNora. “You don’t need to excuse yourself, Shayne. I totally get it. We all do.”
“You do?”
“Why don’t you have a seat? I think there’s somebody here who can help you understand.”
Wulf takes an aggressive step forward. “Oh, I’dloveto help her understand just how reckless that was.”
“Not you,” Nora snaps. “Sit down and cool off, or else get out. You’re inmyhouse.”
Dropping onto the couch with a huff, he folds his arms and grumbles under his breath.
My mind is still racing in circles, can’t think straight. Bordering on hysteria. “Look at this! Everybody’s scared or pissed off, because of me. Oh my gosh, you know what I am? I’m a home-wrecker.”
Nora eases me backward onto a stool. “No, Shayne.”
“I am! I totally am! Everything was fine until I got here, and now look!”
“You’re not a home-wrecker, Shayne.” She pins me with her big, soft eyes. “Honey, you’re an alpha.”
I feel like I must have heard her wrong, like she’s having some totally different conversation than the one I’m having. “What?”
“Isn’t that right, Nolan? What do you think?”
All heads turn to Nolan. He releases a long, weary sigh. “I think you’re right.”
Sitting behind the wheel ofmy Crap-pile, parked on the side of West Jefferson, just outside the protective ward of Terrance’s den. Traffic rumbles above us on the Ambassador Bridge.
“Dominance is a double-edged sword,” Nolan explains. He pulls the lever under the passenger seat, scooting it back to give himself more leg room. “The more you have, the more control you have over others, but also the more chance it will end up controlling you. Look at Rook just now. Soon as your dominance clashed with his, he barely had any choice in the matter. His instincts took over.”
“But why am I getting dominance now? I thought if it doesn’t come out as a toddler, it doesn’t come out at all.”
