B00S79KYL6 EBOK Read online

  It was dark out, the sky was clear and the stars were shining. Micah sat on her bike with her head tilted back just staring up at it. She always loved the stars and sky, especially at night. She loved it enough to make astrology one of her studies. It usually calmed her to sit on her roof and stare upward, but not today. Today it did nothing for her. It only mad her wish there was a shooting star so she could wish she was anywhere but here. Sitting in front of the house she used to own with Cal. The one they had built together.

  She released a heavy breath.

  Alicia told her that Cal had wanted to speak with her about how their relationship ended, but she refused to listen, and when she was leaving he told her about the house and that they moved out the same day and he hadn’t been back since. So there she was in her old driveway staring up at the stars working up the courage to enter the place and figure out what to do with it. He didn’t want anything from it, he wanted her to have it all. As if that erased his indiscretion.

  Alicia pulled in next to her in the driveway and got out of her Jetta. “Ready?” she asked.

  “No, I’m not going in. You can have it,” Micah stated.

  “What? Are you mental?”

  “Nope, in fact I have a very high IQ.”

  “Micah...”

  “I’m serious Ali, I don’t want anything to do with him or that place and everything it possesses. I’m done. I left it all behind without a second thought, I’m not going to second guess myself now. It’s yours, all of it. Do what you want with it. I’ll have my lawyer get the paperwork ready on Monday.”

  “I can’t afford a house like this,” Alicia complained.

  “What’s to afford? There’s no mortgage, we built the house ourselves. Utilities are affordable. I know you’ve been wanting a place of your own. And I thought you liked this place.”

  “Like, I love it. You built it yourself?”

  “Yup, drew up the plans and everything.”

  “Wow,” Alicia was awe struck. Though she’d known Micah for years, she’d only joined the pack twelve years ago so she wasn’t around when the house was being built. And it never came up in conversation. “Are you sure?”

  “More than sure. It would make me happy to know that you owned it and loved it.”

  “What about your clothes, jewelry, the entertainment room?”

  “Yours, yours, and yours. Honestly do what you want with it. Diamonds, electronics and all. I have no attachment to anything in there anymore.”

  It took a few moments but then Alicia was crushing Micah’s back in a hug that could rival a bears. “Thank you, thank you, thank you. I love it.”

  “Good, that makes me happy. So when do you think you’ll move in?”

  “Well, all I have to pack is my clothes; so Monday. Tonight I think we should go out and celebrate my new home and,” she paused, “well that’s all I got actually.”

  “It’s good enough for me,” Micah said and Alicia beamed at her. She really was her best friend and she missed her tremendously. Micah never had friends growing up so she never experienced going out with anyone and was actually feeling excited about it. “What should we do?”

  “Dancing of course.”

  Chapter 3

  Micah sifted through the mass of gyrating bodies looking for Alicia. She’d gone to the hotel to get ready so they arrived separately. Someone bumped into her back and she was going to ignore it when that someone said, “Oh my god, I love your hair, how long did it take to get it dyed?”

  Micah laughed a bit but was glad she didn’t touch her hair like most people did. “Four hours,” she said; which was a lie. She was born with it. Slate blue hair with 3/4 inch charcoal grey tips. It didn’t matter if you cut a piece or it grew naturally, any time her hair became ends, 3/4’s of the tips became the color of charcoal grey. Her hair color was unique to say the least, another reason she was called freak. Funny how the humans accepted her but her own kind didn’t. She turned her back on the drunk girl until she heard another gasp behind her.

  “Cool tats too,” she said. Now Micah wasn’t sure if she was just really amazed at her hair and her tattoos or if she was going to hit on her next. She had a tattoo on her right shoulder blade of a wolf roaring diagonally toward the left side of her lower back where a white tiger was roaring up toward the wolf. That was the heart of the reason she was a freak, she was a dual-shifter wolf and tiger, canine and feline; only the second of her kind. The first recorded over two thousand years ago, executed at a young age, she didn’t even make it into puberty. Maybe she was lucky that she was abandoned at a young age that she was older when her dual nature was discovered. Thankfully they didn’t hold the same depth of biasness as in the past and she was not executed, but instead recruited and treated as a valuable team member. But that was business not personal, and outside of business she didn’t see anyone from her work life, leaving her alone and in her own little world. Micah felt more alone now then she had before she and Cal Mated.

  During that time she not only had a Mate, but a best friend. When she met Alicia they hit it off from the word go and at that time Micah thought her life was good. But now she was back on her own and even though they saw each other as often as possible, and they spoke every day, there was still a void there. One that touched her and both her beasts’ consciousness causing the pain to triple.

  She smiled at the girl and was thankful when there were no other reactions that she had to contend with. Micah wanted to start having fun with her friend as she’d be leaving soon and returning to her uneventful personal life. She found her talking to a couple supernatural’s near the bar and strolled over to her. Alicia beamed as she saw Micah approaching and the tall male with light brown hair and his back to Micah, turned to see what got Alicia excited. Then it seemed as if he got excited as his eyes roamed over Micah’s body from head to toe.

  Micah was wearing a silver and black bustier that clung to her and revealed her more than generous cleavage, black leather pants that were basically painted on, and high heel black leather boots. The outfit did nothing more than show off her sensual curves--the ones that Ian complained about, the ones that made her feel extremely insecure--but she had decided to flaunt because if she ever got into another relationship or even wanted a one night stand, Micah wanted them to know what she was working with in order to avoid any unflattering criticism. Maybe if they saw what she had, they would be able to decide beforehand if they wanted it.

  And from what she saw in his piercing green eyes, he wanted it. She smiled at Alicia bypassing the stranger to hug her. Alicia reciprocated then introduced the two males she was chatting with. “You look hot,” Alicia said once again admiring her curves. Micah rolled her eyes but thanked her anyway. “Micah, this is Jason,” she looked at the green eyed male, “and this is Trey.” She introduced the male she’d mentioned that she was dating for a few weeks.

  Micah smiled at both but it was Jason who reached out to claim her hand. She watched as he greeted her with a kiss to her knuckles. Micah scented the air. Panther. She smiled up at him even as his eyes roamed over her body stopping at her breasts, her small waist, then remaining on her wide hips. She could see the appreciation in his appraisal and her body warmed from the sensual smile he gave her. “Enchanting,” his voice was smooth silk to her ears. “Can I give you anything?” he asked her.

  “Don’t you mean get?” Alicia asked; always so innocent.

  “No, definitely give.”

  Micah chuckled, though her body was anything but laughing with her. It was heating up. “You can start with a drink, then we’ll see how it goes,” she responded letting him know she was open to his advances.

  His smile went from sensuous to downright sexy, and she felt her core warm up and unconsciously clenched her inner muscles. She thanked the shifter world for the lack of judgment when it came to sex. Shifters by nature were sexual creatures, but she had to admit, neither of her beasts perked up when meeting him, however, she was also a female with needs and
her body did what they hadn’t--awakened. If she was human she’d probably feel awkward or perhaps ashamed at wanting him within a minute of being introduced, but as a shifter she was able to bypass those feelings.

  “Anything,” he said suggestively, his voice caressing her insides.

  “A shot of tequila, and whatever caramel whiskey they have,” she said.

  “Straight for the hard stuff, my kind of female.”

  Micah roamed her eyes over his toned body until she found the significant bulge in his tight, worn jeans and smiled seductively. “Maybe later,” she said. And when he purred she almost crawled up his body and ran her sex on his. Instead she purred in return and his eyes widened. Micah stepped back a bit feeling as if the rejection was coming. She was sure that Alicia had mentioned that she was part of her Pack in the past, so if any sound came from her it should’ve been a growl.

  He went to the bar to order her drinks and she went to stand by Alicia, who sensed her trepidation and took a hand in hers to try and calm her fears. “Maybe this was a bad idea,” Micah said. She didn’t bother with whispering, Jason would be able to hear her anyway.

  “Don’t,” Alicia said missing the use of the Pack-link. She tried using her facial expression and her Omega empathic abilities to soothe her.

  But after seeing Cal today and then the house, Micah wasn’t sure she could take any rejection. She felt Alicia using her vibes on her and did her best to keep her shields down, she had to stay in character even if she didn’t want to. She gave her a slight smile and said, “I’ll be back, I’m going to the ladies room.”

  “I’ll come with you,” Alicia said and moved out of the comfort of Trey’s arm.

  “Not necessary, I’ll be back.” She turned on her high heels and felt eyes on her back. Micah searched for the bathroom and didn’t mind that it took her a few minutes to locate it. She needed a reprieve for a moment. She didn’t want to let Alicia down, she wanted this time with her, but she didn’t want another rejection even from a complete stranger. She ignored the females and went straight to the sink after grabbing a hand towel. She turned on the cold water and wet the napkin and put it to her cheeks and forehead trying to cool her skin from the heat that came from her fear of rejection and embarrassment.

  She threw out the napkin and turned to take one last look in the mirror to make sure she looked alright when her eyes met a pair of light brown ones, ones that she’d seen only once before a year-and-a-half ago looking at her in shock and embarrassment.

  There was Cora.

  She was leaving a stall when she stopped in her tracks at the sight of Micah. Her face immediately went red, and her head went down and to the side. This wasn’t an act of submission in the classic sense of a wolf acknowledging an Alpha. No. This was Cora showing an act of remorse, an apology. In that moment Micah knew that Cora had no idea that Cal was Mated when she slept with him, she was somewhat of a victim too. But it was Micah who had been hurt, and it was Micah who had lost something so as far as she was concerned, her feelings trumped Cora’s. And in order to keep her face and emotions in check she made a beeline for the door and left Cora with her eyes on the ground and her neck exposed.

  Great... if she’s here then Cal is too. Seriously, what did I do to piss you off? She wondered to the Fates.

  She was going to head back to Alicia but then decided she didn’t want to test the waters with Jason just yet. Instead she made her way to the middle of the dance floor and allowed her body to release some tension as it moved to the rhythm of the music. Her arms fluidly rose above her, her hips sinuously moved along with her legs as she flowed sensually to the music. She had her eyes closed, keeping every unpleasant thought and sight out of her mind, ignoring those around her, ignoring everything but the music, the feel of her muscles as she smoothly moved in sync to it.

  Warm fingers caressed the back of her neck and slowly skimmed their way down her exposed spine to her lower back. She didn’t stop moving as the hand then traveled around her taut waist to her lower abdomen and pulled her into the hot body that was as firm as a wall behind her. He began moving with her, he glided his fingertips up her left arm from her shoulder until he reached hers, then intertwined their fingers as he kept her in place with his other hand on her stomach. She felt her body warming up at his touch and she didn’t even know who was behind her. When he pressed his hips to her and she felt his impressive erection against her lower back and between her cheeks, she turned around and opened her eyes to find olive green ones staring down at her.

  “You didn’t wait for your drinks.” Jason told her. “Did I do something?”

  “Um, I thought you may have changed your mind because I’m...”

  “Dual natured?” Micah nodded. “Surely not,” he said.

  “It’s happened before. Actually it usually happens,” she shrugged.

  He leaned down, his mouth next to her ear. “Not with me,” he said, nuzzling into her neck, a very shifter gesture. Her eyes fluttered closed at the sensation and her body began to tingle with anticipation. “Come on they’re watching your drinks, and I want to see where it goes from there,” he purred. And when he heard her purr, his mouth came down in the crook of her neck and he placed an open mouth kiss there. “Sexy,” he whispered.

  Chapter 4

  After a few more shots, and hours on the dance floor, Micah went for the second time to the ladies room. Alicia had helped calm her nerves about Cal being somewhere around--it was after all a huge club--and Jason made her feel at ease in his presence as well as aroused. She needed a break from him and his constant innuendos and the soft, slight touches that Jason made sure to make every so often, so she pulled Alicia onto the dance floor for a little girl time.

  It was then that for the first time in her life, both of Micah’s beasts roared to life, clawing to get out, urging her to move toward the chocolate brown eyes that had locked onto her smoky blues a moment before. She felt bursts of electric shocks throughout her skin, the soft hairs on the back of her neck stood at attention, her entire body heated well beyond hot, and liquid pooled between her legs. It’s Cal. Her beasts berated her. No it’s not-Cal. The wolf shifter was six five at least, had honey blond hair, his eyes so gorgeously brown and not blue, and his physique. She purred and growled simultaneously. His broad shoulders looked as if they wouldn’t fit in a doorway, his torso was hidden behind a silk button down shirt, but she could still make out each and every peak and divot of his muscles on his chest, arms, and abs. Are his nipples pierced? His legs were long and thick, and she imagined that the quickly growing bulge between them was long and thicker and just for her.

  Simultaneously they began moving toward each other, magnets drawn. Then a tall, leggy, wafe-of-a-blond stepped out from behind him and put her arm over his chest and ran her hand down his stomach. Micah’s conscious took back over as she pushed her raging beasts to the background and her common sense kicked back in. The image of Cal with Cora burst forth as raw as when she found them. Of course he’s with her. She shook her head at herself and forced herself to look away missing not-Cal annoyingly push the blond away and continue toward her. Jason swooped her in his arms and she squealed out of shock, then her body responded to his tongue swiping over her neck, and she forced herself to push anything Cal related out of her mind and enjoy the feel of the moment. And right now, Jason ran his thumbs over her nipples and she was feeling--wanted. Alicia laughed as Trey leaned in and said something in her ear.

  “Ready for something harder?” Jason asked. He took her purring moan as a ‘yes’ and carried her out of the club, only making it a few feet when an angry, threatening roar pierced the air.

  Jason put her on her feet and turned around making sure to keep her behind him as he assessed the danger. The blond canine with four inches on Jason had his eyes intent on him, fangs bared, snarls heard clearly over the club noise. But he didn’t move, seemed to be stuck in his current position. Stuck as in by some invisible force. Jason’s eyebrows met but when Mica
h’s hand ran down his pecs to his lower abs, Jason’s attention returned to her and he guided her through the crowd and out the door.

  Another roar pierced the air as they made it outside but when Micah pushed Jason into the brick wall and took his lips between her teeth, he lost all thought except for the curvy beauty who was now grinding her hips against his. “Fuck me,” he mumbled when her teeth grazed his chin.

  “That’s the plan,” she said as she inhaled his scent. Those words pushed his uncomfortable erection into painful, and it took everything he had in him not to reverse positions, yank down her leather pants and thrust balls deep within her. Instead he pushed off the wall, grabbed her upper arm and practically dragged her to the parking lot. His beast purring the entire way.

  With a fierce roar Shane stumbled forward. It was a bit too late... About three minutes too late. She would certainly be gone by now. That didn’t stop him from pushing through the crowd towards the door, daring anyone to try and stop him, daring anyone to give him a reason. He shoved through the body guards that were five inches shorter than he was, and using his supernatural speed made it to the parking lot. Fuck! As he suspected. She was gone. He pulled out his cell, unlocked the screen and hit send to the last person he’d spoken to. A moment later he said, “I found her,” then hit end.

  Without hesitation he returned to the club and scented the air allowing it to lead him to each area and person the curvy beauty had lingered. Shortly after it brought him to a slim Latina with dark spiral curls. She had his females scent all over her. He paused. After sixty-nine years Shane finally found his Mate only to lose her to a black panther. And WTF had happened four minutes ago? Why hadn’t he been able to move his limbs? He had literally been stuck in one spot as Sheila--his now ex-fuck friend--kept trying to get his attention, while he was struggling to claim what was his.

  The Latina’s male was staring at him with a mixture of curiosity and threat in his eyes. And why not? After all, Shane was just staring at his female while he was clearing pondering something.