Curves for the Werewolf Cowboy (Paranormal BBW Erotic Romance, Alpha Wolf Mate) (5 page)

I run up to the next level and find a dark place between two huge SUVs. I look down through a grate in the concrete floor and see the wolves beneath me, tearing at each other’s throats. I can’t tell which one is Clay; they’re both massive, grey, terrifying creatures.

Then I see the fatal blow. One wolf hovers over another, clasping its teeth around the wolf’s throat. Then with a whip of its neck it hurls the other wolf into a concrete column, causing cracks to ripple up through the stone. The wolf slumps to the ground, its body still as blood begins to pool. The live wolf perks its head up.

Amber, where are you?

But I don’t know how to answer him. Do I yell? Can he read all my thoughts? How can I communicate to him?

Just tell me where you are.

One level up. Crouched between two SUVs
, I think to myself.

I close my eyes and keep cycling through that thought, hoping Clay can hear me. When I open them I see a dark shape walk by on all fours, heading down to the level below. Was it Clay? Then another shapes stealthily slink by, then two more.

Clay, there are more of them. At least four more wolves. Please get me out of here.

I look down through the grate. They’ve gathered below me, examining the body of their fallen member as I shake with nervousness.

Meet me on the roof. Go now. NOW.

And so I ran.

I knew there were others. I knew I didn’t have time to catch my breath. They’d be here any second, as I’d just killed a member of their pack. They could feel his spirit leaving this world, and they would come to mourn and seek their revenge. I changed back into my human form. While it made me weaker, it also gave me dexterity.

I grabbed everything I needed from my car; it would soon be going up in flames. Tearing a piece of fabric from my shirt, I crumpled it into a wad an stuffed it in the gas tank. I calmly lit it with my lighter and walked briskly toward the elevator.

Meet me on the roof. Go now. NOW.

It sounded like a bomb going off. I was two floors above, but I could still see the orange glow it caused, illuminating the entire garage. I cringed as I heard growls of pain and shock. Then a figure was walking towards me out of the elevator, a tall man, well-built. And even before I saw his face, I was positive it was Clay. Suddenly, I heard police sirens.

“Run!” he yelled. “We have to get the hell out of here immediately!”

I followed him down the stairs of the parking garage, much faster than the elevator. We were two blocks away, walking hand in hand, when we saw cop cars fly by one after the other, all headed toward the garage. I was still shaking.

A cab rolled by with its light on. Clay hailed it and it stopped a couple yards in front of us. He opened the door and practically pushed me in. He gave the driver the address of his hotel and asked him to drop us off at the back door.

We sat in silence. I couldn’t say a thing to Clay without the driver hearing, implicating us in the crime. Who knew what the papers would say tomorrow morning? Then I heard the voice again.

It’s going to be OK. Just trust me.

But Clay… I’m scared. Tell me what’s going on.

I will when we’re alone. Just breathe. Calm yourself down. Don’t raise any suspicion.

When I got her up to the room, I’d explain everything. She trusted me now. She trusted me because she knew she had to. I looked at her and my heart swelled. She was precious, but seeing her in such fear nearly killed me. It was far more damaging than any blow I’d taken in the fight that’d just occurred. I couldn’t live if I let anything happen to her.

For the time being though, the threat was receding. Three of the five were dead. The other gravely injured. But when they re-grouped, when they brought back the news of what I’d done to their Alpha, I knew there would be hell to pay. Would this turn into an all-out war? Who could tell at this point? There had been skirmishes in the past, but nothing that had boiled over to the point of a full-scale war. That hadn’t happened since my father’s day and age.

I didn’t know if we were prepared for a war. But for now my sole intention was to calm Amber down. I couldn’t let her know the proportions of the fight she’d just witnessed; that news could drive her over the edge of sanity.

After the cab dropped us off, Clay led me to the back door. It was locked, so he kicked it in and led me up a back stairway. At the third floor, we exited the stairwell and found an elevator that brought us up to 12. Clay didn’t want the front desk staff to see him disheveled. He knew that the incident in the parking garage could bring a lot of heat on him and he wanted to lay low. He didn’t tell me this, exactly. But I was starting to get some insight into his thoughts. Maybe this telepathy worked both ways. I was afraid of him, afraid of what he might do if I tried to leave. So I followed him in silence. But I also trusted him. Against all odds, I felt safe when I was near him. Somehow I knew he was the only one who could keep me safe right now.

I brought her up through the back of the hotel and led her into my room. She’s afraid of me. And why wouldn’t she be? She’s just found out what I truly am, she’s seen the dark side of me come to life. She just watched me kill. I’m almost surprised she’s not cowering in fear, crying, begging for me to let her go. But I can’t, her life would be in danger.

Any other girl would be crying right now, but she’s not. Her face is calm. Serious, but calm. Can I tell her the truth? I have to. She has to know she’s not in danger. I have to be honest with her. She needs to know I have her best at heart. She’s strong; she can handle it.

But I can’t deny that now that I have her here in this room with this bed, the impulse to ravage her is getting stronger, almost too much to resist. Does she want me to take her right now without a single word? I could. But no, I need to be sure that she wants me, too. And after what she’s just seen, I can’t blame her if she doesn’t.

“What you saw back there… do you want to talk about it?”

We were sitting on the bed and Clay was looking at me earnestly. I could tell he was sincere. His eyes almost looked hurt, like he was apologizing.

“I—I don’t know,” I said softly. Did I want to know more? Wasn’t it possible that the story behind that gruesome scene would only make matters worse?

“What you saw back there… it must have been hard on you,” said Clay, taking my hand in his and giving it a soft press.

“I’m scared, Clay.”

“I know, but we’re safe now. You’re safe with me.”

“Yeah? Well, what about when you’re gone? How do I know I’m safe then? I’m gonna have to see a freaking therapist. That scene will haunt my dreams forever.”

“I’m sorry.”

“What will I do when you leave?”

“Who says I’m leaving?”

“You’re going to leave some day.”

“So, come with me.”

I was laying it all on the line now. I wanted her. Not just a fling, but to spend my life with her. Once I had her, I knew I could never be without her. Did she want me too? I promised to protect her, to give her the life of her dreams, but it would mean leaving this city, leaving at a moment’s notice.