I stepped forward. “I’m not some little girl, you stupid freak.” To demonstrate just how furious his threats had made me, I targeted his mind with a barrage of humiliating thoughts aimed to castrate his masculinity.
Startled by my mental ambush, he grabbed his head and shook it crazily, attempting to disengage from the scorching visions.
The blade clattered on the paved pathway near his feet. I pressed harder, tightening my focus and shooting daggers of disgust in deeper. It was obvious by his tormented expression the daggers were hitting their intended targets. Bull’s-eye!
Seeing her opportunity, Misty sprang at the man. Her front paws plowed into his chest, knocking him backward. Arms flailed as he struggled to keep his balance. A second later, his throat was a bloody gash. I turned away as she finished the job. Zane’s arms were around me in the same instant.
“I’m sorry I didn’t get here sooner. Although it looks like you two make a pretty good team,” he said; his voice a mixture of worry and pride.
“I thought you might need this.” Logan handed over a hotel robe to his sister. She covered herself, after a brief glance at her tattered clothes.
“Thank you, Misty,” I whispered; fear had caught up with me and was squeezing the air from my lungs.
I was uncertain how we’d managed to defeat the huge man without any help from our male protectors. His massive bulk had been beyond threatening. The idea of meeting him in mutant form under a full moon sent shivers scurrying down my spine.
“You saved my life.” My respect for my lupine friend had increased ten-fold in the last ten minutes.
“No. Thank you,” she said grinning, brushing off my compliments. “Without your very effective mind games, we would’ve been doomed.”
Trying to ignore the splashes of crimson on her face, I turned back to Zane, accepting his offer of support. His arm around me was the one thing holding me together.
All I wanted now was to go home. The intrigue of Vegas had died right along with my mutant attacker.
The next chapter starts without telling the reader anything about the board meeting or letting us and Chloe in on what she is about to do for the pack.
Chapter 1810
Our return trip to Oregon was uneventful. I was able to unwind on the plane and enjoy the superb service.
Our current attendant was an energetic young man. Despite his enthusiasm, I was more pleased with the empty First Class section; giving us some much-needed privacy. Zane seemed relieved that no one was kicking at the back of his seat.
“Where do we go from here?” I asked, curious how we would present ourselves at work. I’d decided to stay focused on facts and push my erratic feelings aside.
Back at the hotel, Zane had insisted we make every effort to demonstrate our commitment to each other by being candid about our elopement. I still wasn’t convinced that everyone in Plum Beach needed to know about our marital status.
Wife. Mate. Neither title suited me. I doubted that I’d ever accept either label with good grace.
Zane gave me a pointed look. “I thought we already went through this. We couldn’t ignore the whole love-at-first-sight-thing, and we followed through on those loving feelings. It happens all the time.”
“Except there’s a slight problem — everyone knows my practical personality. They know I’m not a person prone to impulsive decisions.” At least I hadn’t been impulsive prior to meeting my alleged mate.
Instead of answering, he let his gaze wander over my face and down my neck, leaving a trail of scorching desire in its wake. I trembled, imagining what our first night together must have been like. I could only imagine the pleasure he’d inflicted on my body.
Just contemplating our wedding night provoked a renewed storm of anger, slamming the door on any amorous feelings.
“You love the fact that I’m putty in your presence. It’s the power over me that excites you,” I taunted.
His lustful expression evaporated into a mask of consternation. If I wasn’t aware of his misshapen motives, I might have believed my words had wounded him. More likely, they’d stung his pride.
He shook his head and looked away.
I didn’t understand why, but I felt an overwhelming need to apologize. My emotions were more uncontrollable around Zane than they’d ever been. Taking Alcuin’s prior advice to chill out wasn’t possible, not now, maybe never.
Hoping I sounded more contrite than I felt, I forced an apology, “I’m sorry. I just can’t get