~ CARA ~
“Cara—”
His voice twanged in my stomach like a guitar string. I shoved the feeling down deep, denying it. “You are holding me hostage at my job, Rig. That’s not fair. It’s completely fucked.”
He was quiet for a second. “I… I didn’t mean to do that.”
“Leave. Now. Or I’m calling security.”
The statement had echoes of that first time we met. I meant it even more now than I had then, and for some reason, that thought wanted to break my heart.
There was a heavy sigh on the other side of the door, another light thump like he’d flattened a hand against the door.
~ RIG ~ The days following the party were some of the hardest, and most frustrating of my life. And the nights were some of the simplest pleasures I’d ever experienced. Whatever was happening to Cara, she was giving over to the change. She’d clearly stopped resisting—or maybe the urges had just become too strong for her. I wasn’t sure. All I knew was, every night I waited in the woods as Ralf, and every night she came out and we spent hours searching the woods. I kept the guys on call and nearby, ready to shift, in case we crossed paths with the Night Walker—because it became clear very early on that that was who she searched for so diligently. And that worked for me. It was a relief to hunt and watch over Cara at the same time. And it gave me a chance to watch her blossom.
~ RIG ~ I was in the kitchen staring into the fridge and considering a beer—maybe that would ease this relentless tugging in my chest—when the doorbell rang. Jack opened the door, and the wind that blew inside sent the hair on the back of my neck to attention again. Natalie. She’d been a lot more quiet since all of this began. A lot more like the old Natalie who could be authentic, and sweet, and funny as hell. But my neck still itched every time she was near. I knew we needed to keep up appearances—I’d told her to make sure we didn’t go more than a day without seeing each other. But it still rankled. This wasn’t the female I yearned for, and that was becoming harder and harder to hide. I grabbed a coke instead of the be
~ RIG ~After Natalie left I found myself just standing there for a while, trying to tease apart all the threads of danger that were currently trying to choke me and Cara. But I was distracted by a scuttling behind me.Beans, body low and parallel to the ground, with head stooped and ears flat was darting along the wall, every inch of his body fluid and quivering at the same time. He was shaking.“Whassup, Beans?” I asked him quietly, but he only tucked his butt and hurried to the carrier, poking his nose at the little gated door like he wanted to get in.“Hey, hey, let’s relax—” I took a step towards him, but he spat and whipped himself around the carrier, hunching behind it. But when I moved closer he gave a strange yeowl, then strea
~ CARA ~I’d barely followed any of the discussion. My mind kept replaying that phone call and the tension in Rig’s voice, the edge of desperation.Was he really that good of an actor? And what did it mean if he wasn’t?Charlie’s words in the car came back to me. That little speech about Rig being different with me—and my conviction about that same thing. I’d seen the shift in him. Noticed it.I could feel myself wavering, and that scared the hell out of me.Natalie, I reminded myself. The sparks that flew between them whenever they were close—the way he touched her without even thinking about it. The way she was fearless around him and completely undisturbed by his touch. As if it we
~ CARA ~ A few days later, I walked out of the library after an evening shift, grateful that I didn’t need to close up. As soon as I stepped outside, the hair on my arms stood up and that tingling started in my stomach. It was surreal. The whole week had been surreal. The weather was growing colder and night fell earlier and earlier. And yet, when I walked into the woods to hunt, I never needed my jacket, or my shoes. I only wore my hoodie inside because it covered my body and made me feel safer. As if in response to the thought, a memory of that day in the bathroom with Rig flashed in my head and my entire body lit up. …Rig had shuddered against me. His hand on my stomach s
~ CARA ~ Natalie stood on the sidewalk behind me dressed in an elegant sweatsuit, her hair tied back and arms folded. My chest heaved with the rush of adrenalin from not knowing she was there. I should have scented her… shouldn’t I? “How did you—” “The wind was blowing the wrong way,” she said bluntly, then looked down at Ralf. “Who’s your friend?” “He’s just…” I trailed off, frowning. “None of your business,” I said quickly. “What are you doing here?” “I was looking for you.” “Oh? Why?” I let go of Ralf’s head and folded my arms to mirror her. “Because I need to talk to you.” She wasn’t smiling, but her tone wasn’t sharp. She l
~ CARA ~My entire body reacted to the sight and smell of him, looming over me there in the glare of the parking lot lights. My skin prickled, my breath got shallow, my belly tingled. And the hair on my arms stood up.Rig stared his face twisted and tense. He cleared his throat.“I heard Natalie calling, are you okay?” he asked quietly, his voice that low, husky hum that simmered in my belly.“I’m fine. I’m leaving. You guys have a good time,” I said quickly, then tried to step around him.But his hand shot out to curl around my stomach. “Cara, please—”“Don’t.”&l
~ RIG ~I'd realized Cara was close before the others. I'd been slow closing my side of the noose around this Night Walker because I was watching for her. But the wind was running in the wrong direction, and I got distracted by the creature. We finally cornered him.I could feel Cara was close, but after the guys called me to join the hunt, I wasn't paying enough attention. It wasn't until Charlie shifted and I heard Cara’s sharp intake of breath nearby that adrenaline flooded my system. I whirled, intending to get to her side, to calm her... Ralf always calmed her. But she was already running. And I could feel the jittering terror driving her forward.It was instinct. My mate was in need. I didn't even think.As my brothers shifted and raced afte