Free Web NovelChapter 19: Wolf!!
I’ve noticed over the past few days, that the guys make space around me instinctively now. Jax hands me drinks before I realize I’m thirsty. River silently appears whenever my thoughts spiral too hard. Corrian watches me with this impossible warmth that makes my entire body soften without permission. Leo appears when I need help with anything heavier than a towel.
And Ezra...he looked at me yesterday like I belonged on my knees between his.
Jax lifts his head again, squinting at me suspiciously. "You’re thinking about Ezra eating your pussy again."
"No, no I am not, I’m meditating," I choke on air. "How could you know,"
Jax gasps loudly. "Oh my God, you ARE."
"Stop, STOP."
"You’ve got the look." He grins.
"What look?"
"The one where your panties are flooding and you’re concentrating on not showing it."
He sits up and nuzzles into my hair with a pleased little sound, his nose brushes slowly along my throat, inhaling deeply enough that my stomach flips.
I shove his face away while he laughs so hard he nearly rolls off the mat.
"I’m thirsty," I announce, unfolding my legs.
Jax gasps theatrically. "Excuse you. That’s my job."
"I can pour liquids myself."
"Unacceptable." He springs upright and points accusingly at me. "Sit there and look pretty. I’ll get it."
Then he bounds away toward the house like an overexcited Labrador in human form.
I stare after him. Honestly? Adorable.
Deeply concerning. But adorable.
The forest quiet settles around me again once he disappears inside.
I exhale slowly and sink back onto the yoga mat, crossing my legs again while sunlight warms my bare stomach. The new yoga pants are soft against my skin, high waisted enough to make me feel cute without sucking the life out of my organs. My sports bra matches, exposing the soft curve of my stomach that I spent years hiding under oversized hoodies.
The guys never look at me like I need to shrink. They absent-mindedly touch me all the time, my wide hips, tummy pouch, back rolls, stretch marks. It’s silent reverence that brings tears to my eyes.
They call me soft like it’s sacred, not a negative.
It’s confusing, having not one, but five of the hottest guys to exist accept you for exactly what you are.
I close my eyes again.
Breathe in.
Breathe out.
Then pause.
The wind shifts through the trees again carrying an unfamiliar scent toward me. Something smells very wrong.
My eyes open slowly. The hairs along my arms rise before I even fully register the presence nearby.
Two men stand at the edge of the tree line watching me. Huge men, the kind of huge that immediately activates female survival instincts.
One has dark hair shaved close on the sides, heavy scars cutting across his mouth and brow. The other is broader, older maybe, thick neck covered in tattoos disappearing beneath a black thermal shirt stretched tight over muscle.
Both stare at me openly and neither looks friendly.
My pulse kicks hard, adrenaline waiting to see if I choose fight or flight. freēwēbnovel.com
Fuck them.
Frankie Bell did not survive retail customers and shitty landlords by cowering.
I lift an eyebrow. "Take a picture, it’ll last longer, pervs."
The scarred one laughs, a low ugly sound.
"Fuck," he mutters to the other guy. "You smell that?"
The older one inhales deeply, a slimy grins spreading slowly, it makes my skin crawl.
"Oh yeah," he says slowly. "She reeks of them."
A black, ugly feeling twists in my stomach.
Their eyes drag over me openly now. My bare stomach. My chest. My legs folded beneath me on the mat.
The older one continues. "Another pack whore?"
His words hit hard enough that for one awful second I genuinely can’t breathe.
Pack whore.
The phrase cuts deep and sharp under my ribs because all the insecurity I’ve been carefully avoiding comes rushing straight to the surface.
Oh.
Oh God.
Is that what this is? Do they do this all the time? Bring girls here. Pass them around. Touch them until they’re dizzy and needy and confused.
The tears hit humiliatingly fast. The men laugh when they see my face crumble.
"Go fuck yourselves," I spit.
The older guy grabs his crotch through his jeans. "Bet you’d like that."
Rage explodes through me, white hot and out of control. Before I can think of a single consequence, I grab the heavy solar lantern beside me and launch it directly at his head.
The man jerks sideways with a snarl as it smashes against a tree behind him.
He growls. "Little bitch."
He starts toward me. Fast. My body finally decides, and locks in visceral panic.
The forest explodes.
A roar tears through the trees so violently it rattles the deck overhead.
The huge man barely has time to react before something massive slams into him from the side.
I scream, because my brain physically cannot process what I’m seeing.
Wolf.
Wolfwolfwolfwolf.
It’s enormous, monstrous.
Gray fur flashes between shattered branches while snarls rip through the clearing loud enough to vibrate in my chest. The creature barrels into the men with terrifying force, massive jaws snapping, flesh tearing, one of them screams in pain.
The older creep flies into a tree so hard it cracks straight up the middle.
The wolf roars again and I’m on my feet. I stumble backward blindly until my spine hits one of the deck supports hard enough to bruise.
It bursts from the trees, dragging one of the men by the shoulder before flinging him into the woods like he’s a paper bag.
Blood spatters across leaves as the creature turns to the second man.
Every inch of thick silver-gray fur stands raised along its spine. Its lips curl back from enormous teeth while low growls rumble continuously from deep in its chest.
The remaining man throws both hands up.
"Sorry," he says quickly, hands still raised. "Fuck, sorry man, we didn’t know she was off limits."
The wolf lunges forward with another deafening snarl.
The man stumbles backward. "We’re just here to see the boss."
It moves between me and the creep, huge body tense as blood drips slowly from its jaws onto the grass.
Protecting me.
Another growl, deeper this time.
The man bolts, disappears into the forest at full speed without another word.
Silence crashes down.
The monster remains between me and the trees for several long seconds while it tracks the men’s retreat.
Then slowly, it turns toward me. Golden, intelligent eyes lock onto mine. Familiar eyes.
Coldness slithers through my veins. I know those eyes.
The wolf’s ears lower slightly.
It whines.
I stare at it in complete horror.
Fucking impossible. ƒree𝑤ebnσvel.com
It takes one cautious step toward me and recognition punches through me stealing my breath.
No.
No no no.
It’s massive head dips in submission as it takes another step. I scramble back, limbs flying, and fall on my ass. The yelp I produce sounds terrified, even I hear it over my panting.
All movement stops, but it lets out another soft sound in its throat. With one final pleading look, it turns sharply and disappears into the trees in three massive silent bounds.
Leaving me alone beneath the deck, shaking so hard my teeth chatter.
