Jolie’s sex swelled and flooded with heat. She wanted it inside her. The idea of sex had always bothered her, mostly because she’d suspected over the years that Dempsey would be the one to take her first time, but this was different.

This was Liam. Her best friend and her mate. She wanted him inside her and wanted it like yesterday.

Jolie pushed against his hands. She needed to move her arms. She wanted to wrap them around the back of his neck and hold on tight. She wanted to touch him.

Liam once again got the hint. He released her wrists, keeping himself propped up on his elbows as she dug her fingers into his hair. In that moment, she wished she hadn’t cut his hair because, if she hadn’t, there would be so much more of it to grab onto, and that would have been wonderful.

The hard groan Liam released when she fisted his hair vibrated into her mouth, making her body buzz, come alive.

And the pool of heat that surrounded her showed absolutely no signs of slowing down, of vanishing. It just got worse with every second, with every stroke of Liam’s tongue.

Liam’s large, powerful hand finally cupped her breast through her shirt, and she felt as if the heat of his palm was on her bare skin.

Maybe she shouldn’t describe the sensation, the pleasure and heat, as getting worse. As it stood right now, this felt like it was just getting better and better.

And a wild, instinctual side of herself that Jolie never knew she had came to life. She lifted the leg that was still free, curling it around Liam’s waist, just above the swell of his ass. She almost wished she could see what they looked like, especially as Liam groaned when she adjusted her other thigh, gently, trying to stroke the firm bulge she felt between Liam’s legs with her knee.

He tensed at first, and then there was another powerful rumble through his body as he moaned against her mouth.

She soaked it in, pleased with herself that she could make him feel so good, the pleasure still building within her as she thrust against him, searching for a friction of her own.

And it was perfect. It was just the two of them, the way it was supposed to be.

Jolie managed to yank her hands out of Liam’s hair. Her fingers scrambled down to the waist of his jeans.

She could have kicked herself for pressuring him into wearing pants while indoors. He would have already been naked if he’d just ignored her…

She reached down too far, her hand cupping over the bulge in his pants, and he jumped back suddenly.

Jolie blinked, surprised. “I’m sorry.”

Though she would have thought touching him there would have been fine, especially right now.

All traces of the lust she’d seen in his eyes were gone. They were no longer golden. They were a bright shade of angry red.

“They’re coming. Get your things.”

END CHAP 13

Chapter Fourteen

Jolie scrambled off the bed. She didn't have much to grab, just the bag of small things she'd managed to collect over the short period of time they'd been on the road. Food, some medical supplies they'd picked up after she'd hit her head, some toiletries, and an extra change of jeans and underwear—for her since Liam didn't wear too many clothes.

All things they could live without if they absolutely had to leave them behind, but she wanted to keep them with her. The pepper spray would also be helpful, considering how bad she was at defending herself.

Liam didn't grab his shoes, so Jolie did, stuffing them into the bag and slinging it over her shoulder just as Liam yanked the door open, his eyes still blazing red, his claws out and his teeth looking more like they belonged to a saber-toothed tiger than a wolf.

“You remember the plan?” he asked, not looking back at her.

“Yeah,” she said, her heart still pounding. “I'll meet you down the road at the first gas station.”

The map in her bag would lead her there. Liam had already memorized the locations of the next five gas stations. They'd planned this out for the possibility of being separated, but Jolie still thought she was going to have a heart attack.

“Good, now run. I'll meet you down the road.”

“Wait!”

Liam stopped himself before he could rush out the door and into a fight.

He looked back at her just as Jolie grabbed onto his shoulders, pushing herself to her toes and kissing him on the mouth.

God, she wished they hadn't been interrupted. “Stay safe.”

Liam blinked, his eyes still red, but there was something wide-eyed and innocent about his expression. The thin tint of red that colored his cheeks as he cleared his throat and turned from her let Jolie know all she needed to know. “You, too,” he said, and then flew out of her arms and towards...whoever it was that was out there.

If anyone had seen him running out of her motel room, no shoes on and his chest bare, they might have thought he was running away from the scene of a murder.

Instead of towards a possible future murder.

Jolie didn't want anyone killed, but if that had to happen, she sent a selfish prayer to anyone listening that it wouldn't be him.

Jolie heard the howl in the distance as Liam crossed the two lane highway and vanished into the trees. God, he must have an excellent sense of hearing. It was a small miracle Red had managed to sneak up on them at all.

She grabbed her shoes, quickly stuffed her feet into them, and closed the door behind herself as she exited the motel room.

She felt guilty about leaving without paying—and the broken television and door—just not guilty enough to stick around and let herself get caught.

There were only two vehicles parked in front of the motel, but it was enough to make Jolie glance around nervously for any sign someone might see her leaving.

She walked at first, trying to stay calm, trying not to draw any attention to herself. When she was a fair distance down the highway, but still within sight of the motel, that was when she started to run, needing to get as far away from the scene as she possibly could.

The running made her head hurt again. God, she should have taken one of her headache pills before leaving. Now that Liam wasn't on top of her and kissing her, the pain came back and throbbed behind her eyes and sinuses. It forced her to stop running sooner than she knew she was capable of running, if only to stop her brain from bouncing around like that inside her head.

She pulled the backpack off her shoulder, digging through it and yanking out the map. She ripped it a little, cursed at herself, angry as well as in pain.

What she wouldn't give to have a fully charged cell phone back in her possession.

This would have to do.

Another howl sounded in the distance.

Jolie clenched her jaw, opening the map as she walked, forcing herself not to look back.

He was going to be fine. Liam was an exceptional wolf, even for an alpha. He was strong. There was no way in hell Dempsey was going to get the better of him.

And if by some miracle he did, and Jolie found out about it, she was going to claw his eyes out.

She power walked for another two minutes before a red and gray wolf skidded in front of her, kicking up rocks on the side of the road.

Jolie stopped, took one look at them, then turned and walked in the other direction.

“Jolie, you can't just ignore us,” Red called.

“Yes I can,” she snapped back. Maybe if she was lucky, she could make it back to the motel. She could make up some kind of story and get the manager to call the police.

Well, actually, she wouldn't have to make up much of anything. She was alone on the side of the road and two men were following her. The cops would probably come for that.

“Jolie, come on, please just stop,” Red called.

“Fuck off!” Jolie snapped.

It was Carl who had been with him, apparently. He rushed in front of Jolie, getting in her way. Jolie stopped, sighing. Red was definitely behind her, and now the two of them were boxing her in.

And she was fucking furious as she shoved her hand into her backpack.

“What are you reaching for?” Carl asked, his eyes turning gold.

“None of your damned business. Are you serious, Red? You came to scope us out and now you're here to pick me up while Liam is away?”

Red didn't sound happy about it, but she wasn't in the mood to feel any sympathy for him.

“It's not like that. We're just doing as we're told.”

“Right, distracting Liam so you guys can pick me off.” She glared over her shoulder at Red, and in that moment, she hated him. She really did.

“It could be worse,” Red said, his shoulders hunched, his hands stuffed into the pockets of his jeans. “Dempsey was going to meet you down the road if you'd gone that way.” He actually pointed down the road, as if she needed directions for the opposite end of the highway.

Still, she looked. “Are you serious?”

It didn’t really shock her. She was more annoyed than shocked. And she swore that she was going to get back at Dempsey for this.

They’d known. Maybe they’d known if they made enough noise it would summon Liam to them. Even now she could hear the sounds of a wolf’s howl.

“That’s Dustin,” said Red. “We’re supposed to howl when we have you.”

“And what happens to Liam?”

“Please get your hand out of the bag, Jolie,” Carl said.

Jolie glared at him. He approached her. She didn’t care.

“Carl, just give me a minute,” Red said.

“She could have a gun in there for all you know.” Carl reached out for Jolie’s bag. “Let me see your hands! Arghhhh!”

Carl fell back, his hands flying to his eyes when she sprayed him. Bright red stained his cheeks and mouth when she over sprayed him, but she’d definitely gotten him in the eyes.

“Jesus! Jolie!” Red snapped.

Jolie didn’t stop glaring down at Carl, and she was so furious that they would obey Renzo’s and Dempsey’s orders to bring her back that she kicked Carl in the gut when he was down and didn’t feel an ounce of shame for it.

Carl seemed to barely feel the pressure from her foot as he squashed the heels of his palms into his eyes, as if that would take the pain away from him.

“You bitch! Oh fuck! Oh God, that hurts.”

“Jolie,” Red said. His hands grabbed hers before she could kick him again.

“It’s supposed to hurt, you stupid asshole!”

She wanted to spray him again, to make sure he would be feeling the heat of the pepper spray for the next several days, but Red yanked the little bottle out of her hand, backing away from her with her weapon just as she swiped her small claws at his face.

He ducked back easily, looked at the bottle, and then at her.

And she glared at him. “Stop looking at me like that! You’re the dickless asshole who wants me to mate with Dempsey!”

“I don’t want you to mate with Dempsey,” Red said. “It’s Renzo’s rule, and Dempsey will be my alpha one day.”

“The way he commands you all now you’d think you were already his pack of bitches.”

“Please don’t be like that.”

“Then swear your allegiance to Liam!”

Red tensed, his eyes flying wide as he stared down at where Carl was still on the ground, rolling and groaning in pain.

Jolie caught that look, and she glared at him. “What? Afraid someone will find out? How do you know I won’t tell Renzo what you did if you take me in?”

“I’ll tell him you lied, and you can’t prove anything. When I bring you in, he’ll believe me over you.”

Jolie sneered at him. “You’re pathetic.”

The insult was weak, really, so she was stunned that it seemed to have an effect on him. As if she’d stabbed him through the ribs with a thin, rusty knife.

And that pained expression left his face quickly, replaced with an angry rage Jolie couldn’t remember ever seeing on him before.

“I’m pathetic? Really? You know it’s all well and good for you to run away and spite Renzo and Dempsey. You don’t have anyone back at the pack waiting for you that they can hurt. I’ve got my mom and my sister.”

“So you’re going to sell me out?”

“For them? You’re damn right,” Red spat. “Are you out of your fucking mind? Do you really think I would risk my family for you? That I would turn my back so you can go off and have your happily ever after with Liam while the rest of us were left to rot? How Goddamned selfish can you be?”

Jolie clenched her hands into fists. She hated him. So much. She hated Red for doing this to her and shaming her for wanting a better life for herself. And she hated him even more because it was working. She had forgotten about the people she was leaving behind. For the most part, anyway.

She’d thought it would be so easy if Liam made a play to take over the pack, that all he needed was for enough of the betas to swear their loyalty to him and Renzo would have no choice but to accept any challenge that came his way.

Right. Why would any of the betas switch sides when they all had families to take care of? Wives and children, siblings and parents.

Basically, anyone Renzo could use against them.

And in that moment, she knew she wouldn’t rat Red out for so much as thinking of changing sides. Not when the risk was so high.

Red didn’t stop glaring at her. He did snap his hand out, grabbing her around the wrist tight enough that the grip actually hurt.

Carl still groaned and hissed, the palms of his hands pressed hard into his eyes. “Oh God, you fucking bitch. Fuck! Jolie!”

“Shut up,” Red snapped. “I have her. Let’s just get out of here.”

“I can barely see!”

“Which means you can see a little. Hurry up. The sooner we get out of here, the sooner we can wash your eyes out with some water.” Red looked pointedly at Jolie. “You’re not going to try anything again, are you?”

Jolie briefly bit her lips together. She shook her head.

Red nodded. “Good.”

“Liam is going to come for me, you know that, right?”

In fact, it was such an obvious move from her mate that she had yet to feel any fear about being taken away, and ultimately, being forced to stand in front of Renzo again.

Red kept walking. He didn’t look back at her, or question her, the way Jolie hoped he would. He just pulled her into the trees. Carl eventually followed behind, still cursing and calling Jolie all kinds of names as he hobbled along behind them.

As Red pulled her into the trees, presumably where he had a shortcut to the vehicle he’d driven here since she couldn’t imagine anyone thinking she would willingly walk back to the pack, Jolie had to speak up again, just to make absolutely sure he could hear her.

“Liam will figure out pretty fast what you did, and when he does, he’s going to be majorly pissed off at you.”

So this chapter ALSO went above the character limit -_- Wish those weren't there, but I will be scheduling the next couple of chapters right now to make sure I don't miss uploading them again like before. Sorry about that! Schedules and I don't mix

But if you wanted to read more of this story, and my other Patreon books right now instead of waiting for a post, check out Patreon.com/mandyrosko and pick up some rewards while you're at it :)

Special thank you to everyone who is reading this, liking it, commenting, all that fun stuff, you guys are absolutely amazing

Hugs!

Mandy