Wicked Cravings (The Phoenix Pack Series - By Suzanne Wright Page 0,64
and then Tao sighed heavily, almost as if in resignation. “It’s Jaime.”
Dante’s wolf went still. “What about her?”
Another pause. “She left.”
“She what?”
“About fifteen minutes ago,” he answered reluctantly. “She left in her Chevy carrying a bulging backpack.”
“Why are you only telling me now?” A growl trickled out of Dante as realization dawned on him. “You weren’t going to, were you? Christ, Tao!”
“You don’t need to yell at me! I feel bad enough, all right! Just go and get her and bring her back. She’s pack, and she shouldn’t be out there alone.”
“I’ll deal with you later,” Dante promised him before ending the call, only interested in finding Jaime and carting her back over his shoulder.
CHAPTER NINE
Three times Jaime kicked the tire. Not that she thought it would make the car suddenly roar to life or anything, but it sure felt good. So Dante had been right. Her Chevy was on its way out. And now here she was in the middle of a dirt road with no choice but to take her bag and carry it the rest of the way to Ivy’s house. Huffing and cursing, she threw her backpack over her shoulder, slammed the door shut, and began walking.
As she’d left pack territory, she’d seen only Tao, who was beginning gate duty. He’d seen her bag, known she was leaving for good. For a second she’d thought she spotted guilt on his face…Nah.
What she knew for sure was that he’d keep Dante occupied long enough that the big giant wouldn’t realize she was gone until she’d had enough time to get away. She suspected that he might want to come after her. Dante was the most determined person she knew, and he took his job seriously; it wouldn’t sit well with him to think that he’d failed one of his wolves. But Trey wouldn’t let him come after her, he’d talk sense into him, would disconnect her from the pack link with utmost relief.
At that point a countdown would start. She wasn’t sure how long it would be before her wolf finally took over, though she was certain she’d have at least a couple of days. She figured that she’d spend that time with her two BFFs and then…well, Ivy wasn’t going to like what Jaime was about to ask of her. But she was a practical enough person to admit that Jaime was right.
Not saying good-bye to Gabe had been hard, but she’d call him later and explain. He’d be in a homicidal mood for sure, but he’d understand. She’d have to make him swear to take care of Hunk too, she mused.
Hearing the sound of a vehicle in the distance, she turned. Hitchhiking wasn’t the most attractive idea, but it was a lot better than walking all the way to Ivy’s house. It was only as the vehicle approached that she realized what she was looking at. The pack’s Toyota Highlander. Oh.
Great.
Sighing, she waited until the SUV came close. Dante was out almost at the same time that the engine cut off. He stalked predatorily toward her. Her wolf paused in her pacing, unsure whether to regard him as a threat. He stopped in front of her, his face unreadable and blank, giving away nothing of the rage that was practically seeping out of his pores.
“You tried to leave me.”
Jaime blinked rapidly, surprised by his gruff words. She was sort of expecting a lecture for sneaking off. “I couldn’t stay there.”
“Why?” His tone was harsh.
“You know why.”
He arched a brow tauntingly. “Giving up so soon, Jaime?”
She barely managed to keep her anger in check. “I have no choice but to leave, even if it does make things worse.”
“No choice?”
“I’m not wanted there.”
“If you weren’t wanted there, you’d have been banished.”
“That’s certainly what most of the pack want. I heard that much for myself.” His entire body stilled. It was then he noticed the flickers of pain in her eyes. He wanted to comfort her, but he didn’t trust himself to touch her right now. Fury was thrumming through him, and his wolf was urging him to bite her, to remind her that she was his. “Who upset you?”
“They only said what I already knew. Then they started questioning your competency as Beta, all because you want me to stay. I couldn’t have that.”
Although that touched him, he couldn’t soften his voice. He was still so damn angry with her for leaving. “So you thought you’d scuttle away without a word?”