Page 29 of Sigma
“No!” I hear from the phone in my pocket. “Absofuckinglutely not, Sis. You hear me?” That’s Linc.
Jared’s wolf sits, like he’s waiting, like he understands.
Oh my gosh.
I put my forehead to the bars and say, “He sat. I think he understands me. I just want to see. He can’t get out.”
I set the weapons down on either side of me and can hear them cussing me out through the phone in my pocket. It’s all three of them, not just Linc.
I whip my clothes off while Jared’s wolf waits, looking like a statue. A statue of a hellhound, mind you, but he’s not growling, he’s just watching me.
After shifting, I stand and wait.
He’s sniffing the air. Does he recognize my wolf?
Suddenly, he goes ballistic, growling, pulling on those restraints. He wants at me and not to nuzzle me, nor to sniff me before mounting me. He wants my blood. And I don’t just know it from his stance, something inside me knows it. Is it part of the mate connection?
An image flashes in my mind of his wolf ripping my wolf’s throat to shreds.
My heart stutters and I back up and quickly shift back.
“Jared, are you in there?” I ask, my voice shaky.
More growling. I stare straight into his eyes. “I’m not your enemy. I’m your mate. Don’t you recognize my scent?”
More growling, his eyes are devoid of emotion. He’s not my mate; he’s nothing but a predator that wants to rip everything to shreds. I don’t just see it; I’m sure Ifeelit.
“Okay then. Understood,” I say softly to him before I speak into the phone. “I’m on my way back, boys.”
I quickly put my clothes on and listlessly lift the weapons and walk away from the angry snarling and snapping as well as the noisy clanking of the restraints being tugged on until I get to Linc’s Bronco.
Linc’s expression has softened. “Babe…” he says, gruffly. He pities me.
“I’m going to catch a couple hours of sleep,” I say, sadness oozing from my words while I hand Mase his phone.
“It was worth a try,” Mase says with kindness.
“Veronica Young is coming,” Tyson assures. “She’ll lay hands on him. See what she can see from that.”
“Amie has your cell. I’ll run it back, leave it on the step. Call us if you need anything,” Mase says.
I nod, feeling bone tired.
“Give him space,” Linc instructs and I don’t bother to argue or say anything in response. He goes on, “When Mase comes back with your phone he’ll have a trail cam and install it over the door. The surveillance team will be watching it to make sure he doesn’t escape. We’ll have an alpha and beta duo parked up on the trail with weapons so they can be here in under two minutes if they get a call or see anything on surveillance that merits rushing in.”
I’m not surprised they’ve set this up. But I say nothing.
“Cicely?” he calls.
I can’t have a conversation, I can’t listen to another word right now, so I wave and wordlessly go back to the camper and climb inside.
I wait until they’ve pulled away before I let the tears fall. They flow and flow as I undress to get into the shower and let the hot water pelt my skin for a good minute before it suddenly halts. The water tank must be empty.
12
JARED
This pain is a sort of hurt I haven’t felt before. And I’ve felt pain. Fuck, have I…
