Page 13 of Sigma
I frown.
He glares at me, pointing, “A fucking miracle you’re still alive and breathing. You saw what I am.”
He paces, not taking his eyes off me, and it feels like they’re piercing my very soul.
Jared Stone. Cicely Stone. I’d love the sound of that if this wasn’t stinging so hard. An image flashes in my mind. Me, him. Three little boys hanging from his limbs, laughing. Two look like him. One looks like me. And Jared is smiling. He’s happy. He’s looking at me with love shining in his eyes. My heart is in my throat now. Have I just had a premonition?
He’s even more angrily shouting, “You saw it! I have no control over it, black out when it shows up. It’s a killing machine that’s a complete stranger to me. Be smart and get as far away from me as you can. Now!”
I saw it. I was sure his wolf would kill me. I thought I was a goner. Curiosity killed the daft female wolf shifter.
But no. Then he shifted and despite the fact that I couldn’t smell him, my body readied itself. As soon as I felt the switch from cold to hot. Even more when his tongue touched my neck, because every inch of me knew it was right. This was him. My fated mate. Whether it was raw instinct, my wolf and me piecing together the facts, or something in his touch, I felt somethingright.Real.
I wasn’t made for my mother and father, not for my siblings, and not for this pack. I was created for Jared Stone. And when he was created, something in him was designed to know this, to act on it.
Riding out the single most soul-shattering sexual experience of my existence was not on my bingo card for today, especiallynot on the heels of the terror I felt at seeing his wolf, at being almost certain his wolf would kill me. A strange male breaching me between the legs without me fighting for my life and dignity? Beyond bizarre. But oddly, my body knew, and now I know. This is right.
“It didn’t kill me,” I remind him.
“By some miracle.” He throws his hands up in frustration. “Tell me, was it wagging a tail? Happy to meet you? Licking your face?”
I sigh.
“You don’t get it,” he adds, even though I haven’t said anything.
He frustratedly drives his hand through his dark blond slightly-longer-on-top fade buzzcut, a pained grimace marring his face.
I growl in frustration. “Nope, I don’t understand any of this. I only know I finally know someone was meant for me. I was meant for them. You’ve always known your female was out there somewhere.”
He says nothing.
“You purposely stayed away, probably told one of my best friends not to tell me, therefore making him be someone he’s not. I’m guessing you knew where I was, who I am to you, and chose to have nothing to do with me, but–”
“Then you do understand. Perfectly. You need to go. I’m hanging on by a thread here.”
Is this really happening to me? I stare, gobsmacked.
My nose twitches. I smell multiple council alphas. I don’t look over my shoulder but hear at least one of them running and close.
Jared’s nostrils flare and he demands, “Get dressed, Cicely, and go home! Now!”
I jerk back in angry shock. “What?”
His lip curls, then his expression goes pained.
“Run!” he demands, jerking painfully before dropping to his knees and planting his palms on the ground, blowing out a hard exhale before his face contorts painfully, like he’s hurt. It’s like he’s fighting pain. Fighting… something.
I think he’s trying to fight a shift.
Tyson arrives first, as wolf, skidding to a stop beside me.
I watch Jared’s body shift to the massive gray wolf with the amber eyes, those slit-shaped pupils, all jagged teeth and menace. His fur stands on end as his snout points in our direction. He’s growling. No, snarling. His is the most vicious-looking wolf I’ve ever set eyes on.
Tyson barks out a deep, loud bark, his stance suddenly seeming bigger, even more alpha.
Jared’s wolf bares his massive teeth, growling louder.
Oh shit.
