Embracing the Wolf - Book #2 (Anna Avery) Read online

  “All right,” I heard myself saying. Anthony smiled and walked around the front of the truck. I watched him in what seemed like slow motion. Had I really just agreed to be alone with him? I was already regretting it, and we hadn’t even left yet.

  He hopped into the cab of the truck and said, “Thank you. I know being around me isn’t easy. That’s part of the reason why I wanted to come. I want to apologize for my behavior.”

  I stuck the key into the ignition and turned it. I couldn’t respond, not yet. As I pulled out of the drive, Adam came bounding out of the house. I had one of two options: stop the truck so Adam could haul his brother out, or gun it and ignore the blast of fury radiating into my body through our bond. My eyes volleyed between Adam and Anthony until the decision made itself. I continued to drive, needing to hear what Anthony had to say. I gave Adam my best apologetic look and hoped like hell he would forgive me. I better not have just signed our death certificates.

  “Anna!” Adam screamed.

  I looked in the rearview mirror to find him standing at the end of the drive. I quickly tilted the mirror down and away from the look of hurt on his face.

  “He’s a little protective of you, huh?” Anthony joked.

  “For good reason,” I snapped. “You and Eve tried killing me just weeks ago.” Hearing myself say it aloud was like a smack in the face. Realization overwhelmed me. My heartbeat echoed in my eardrums. The truck slowed until we were just idling in the middle of the road.

  “What am I doing?” I said to myself, looking over at Anthony. I hated—absolutely hated—that he looked so much like Adam.

  “Get out,” I said through clenched teeth.

  “Anna,” Anthony said, turning in his seat to face me. “I know what I did was horrendous. I’m not asking you to forget about it, but I want you to know that I am sorry, whether you believe it or not.”

  “I don’t,” I said. “If you had any morals at all you wouldn’t have kidnapped me and watched while Eve beat the shit out of me.” I took a shaky breath. “You just … stood there. What kind of person does that?” I never thought I’d rejoice in someone’s death, but I was elated that Eve was gone. If she were buried on the mountain, I would have made a daily visit to spit on her grave. I know how horrible that sounds, and that we’re supposed to respect the dead, but Eve didn’t deserve my, or anyone else’s, respect. Countless families were affected by the murder of their loved ones, all because Eve had more than a few screws loose. And Anthony was right there by her side watching—maybe even joining in—while the humans were ripped apart by sharp teeth and claws. I’d felt the sheer pleasure of her kills through our bond. She not only enjoyed it, she craved it. It was unspeakable and made me sick to my stomach.

  “Love makes you do crazy things,” Anthony said, now looking ahead. “I don’t know what it was about her, but whenever I was around her, I lost myself.” He looked over at me, his hazel eyes apologetic. “I came here to make amends, Anna. I don’t want to be that person anymore.”

  I watched him warily. “A normal person—with a sane mind—couldn’t just stand by and allow those things to happen, Anthony. You may have loved her, but don’t for one second think I believe you didn’t enjoy killing as much as she did.”

  Anthony was quiet for a long time. So much so that the muscles in my body were beginning to grow sore from readying myself in case he attacked. When he looked over at me again, his face had changed from pained to a stoic calm. He tilted his head to the side just an inch and studied me before he spoke.

  “It wasn’t Adam who saved you.”

  My mouth hung agape as I struggled for a response. “Yes, it was.” I remembered him rescuing me like it was yesterday. I’d been so depressed and hopeless that, when he bust down the door to my prison, I thought he was an angel. I still remembered burying my head against his chest while he carried me away from that hell and the chaos that was breaking out around us. He walked right out, never losing his grip on me.

  “Not from Eve’s lair,” Anthony said. “From Eve finishing you off. It wasn’t Adam on the mountain that day; it was I. Eve would have killed you had I not stopped her.”

  The day I was attacked and turned into a werewolf was something I would never forget. The pieces slowly came back to me a couple weeks ago. That’s how I learned Eve was the one responsible for my hairy transformation every full moon. It was also the reason why I was able to see her kills through dreams. Whatever my gift, it was the strongest with her because she changed me. Her feelings washed through me and caused my wolf to hate humans just as much. So much so that the Leaders suspected I was the murderer.

  “You may not have let her finish me off, but you didn’t save me. You left me for dead on the mountain. If Adam wouldn’t have found me, I would have bled out and died.” That he was trying to claim a gold star for something Adam did pissed me off. I remember thinking Anthony was beautiful while I lay dying at his feet. Now that I knew what kind of person he was, there was nothing beautiful about him.

  Anthony let out a humorless laugh. “Everyone thinks Adam’s the golden boy.” He opened the truck door and got out, slamming it behind him. He stood beside the truck for a moment, looking off in the distance. “Ask him,” he said, bringing his gaze back to me. “Ask him how he happened to miraculously be at the right place and time to save your life.” He gave me one last look before he turned and headed back toward the house. I turned in my seat to watch him and gasped when I saw Adam’s truck kicking up dust.

  I hopped out of the truck when Adam stopped in the middle of the street. He raced toward Anthony so fast; they went down in a ball of muscles and blond hair. Adam pinned Anthony to the ground, his fist striking his brother’s face so hard, a sickening crack sounded.

  “Adam, stop!” I rushed forward, pulling on his shoulders. Anthony had a cut above his right eye. A small trickle of blood ran down his face. Adam jumped up off him.

  “Stay the fuck away from her,” Adam yelled, pointing a finger toward his brother. “If you want to take me down, do it face to face, you coward.”

  I took a step back, speechless and a little afraid. I’d seen Adam riled up, but he was downright pissed off. His entire body radiated anger and washed into my own body. I felt just how tightly wound he was. I was afraid that if Anthony so much as spoke, Adam would make sure they were his last words.

  “Adam,” I said, coming to stand in front of him. I reached up and cupped his face, forcing him to look at me. “Adam, I’m okay. He just wanted to talk.”

  Anthony began to get up behind me, and Adam’s eyes shifted over my shoulder. He started forward, but I shoved against him. “Look at me,” I ordered. Adam’s eyes slowly found mine. The edges were tinged in gold, and his body was rock hard beneath my hands. His face softened a hint while he stared at me, but I could feel the volcano simmering beneath the surface.

  “I don’t want to fight with you, Brother,” Anthony said.

  Adam stared over me at his twin. “If you mess with her,” he nodded down to me, “then there’s going to be a fight. If you so much as talk to her again, it’ll be the last thing you ever do, Brother.”

  Anthony snorted. “And I thought I was hard up for Eve.”

  Adam shoved forward, and I did my best to keep him in place. Had I not been standing between the two brothers, Anthony would be a smudge on the road right now. Adam wouldn’t tolerate me blocking his path for too much longer. The fury racing through his body bombarded my mind and left me on edge. I had to calm him down before he did something he would regret—and I helped him. So, I did the first thing that popped into my head. I wrapped my arms around his neck and reached up to kiss him. I didn’t bother with taking my time. My tongue slipped into his mouth as my lips worked feverishly to occupy his mind. His mouth moved against mine, but not with its usual vigor. I opened my eyes to find him staring at his brother. Annoyed, I fisted handfuls of his hair and tugged his head. When he looked down at me, I quirked a threatening eyebrow. He smiled against my mo
uth and snaked an arm around my waist. He bent slightly as he lifted me up so that my feet dangled inches off the ground. When he began kissing me, I could feel his anger ebbing.

  “Better?” I said against his lips.

  He took a deep breath and sat me back down. He cupped my face and placed a kiss on my forehead. “Very clever using my affections for you against me.”

  I smiled. “What can I say? I’m all about keeping the peace.”

  Adam wrapped an arm around my shoulders and held me against his side. Anthony stood just eight feet from us. The cut on his face had already stopped bleeding. I watched him as he watched me.

  “I don’t care what Dad says,” Adam said. “You and I will never be okay.”

  Anthony nodded and glanced at the ground before looking back at us. “I could have killed her, Adam. It would have been so easy—”

  Adam started forward again, and I groaned, annoyed that Anthony was riling him up after I just got him calmed down. Anthony held out a hand to hold back his brother.

  “I’m trying to make a point. I had enough time to kill her, and I didn’t. I didn’t even touch her. You may have taken the woman I loved from me, but I’m not here for retribution, Adam.”

  Adam snorted. “Right, you’re here to make amends.”

  “I’ll tell you what I’m not here for—convincing your stubborn ass about my motives. Believe what you want. I’ll be gone after the summit.” Anthony began to walk away.

  I stepped forward and called his name. When he turned around I said, “We’re even now. You saved my life. I just saved yours.”

  The side of his mouth quirked up. “I suppose we are.” He turned back around and started walking again.

  “What was that about?” Adam asked, coming to my side.

  I watched Anthony’s back. “He told me to ask you how you found me on the mountain, and that he was the one that saved me.” I looked up at Adam. “Is that true?”

  “You wouldn’t have needed saving if he didn’t let Eve attack you.”

  “But she did, and I would have died had you not found me,” I said. “Did he have something to do with you finding me?”

  Adam blew a heavy breath through his nose. “I don’t know. I doubt it.”

  “What does that even mean?” When I couldn’t remember who attacked me, Adam had said he suspected it was Eve. Up until that time, he pretended not to know anything about it.

  “Why would you lie to me about that when you knew I wanted to know?”

  “You do know now,” Adam said. “Eve was the one who changed you, and she’s dead now. What does it matter who’s responsible for saving you?”

  He had a point. The most important thing was that I was found, and I survived. So why did I feel like the pretty picture inside my head was fading? As a girl who never believed in destiny or any of the mushy shit, I wanted to believe it with Adam. I knew we were supposed to be together—the brands on our hands proved that—but something inside of me thought it was that bond that drew him into the mountains to find me, like fate was directing us to each other. I snorted at the absurdity of it all.

  “How did you find me, Adam?”

  He released a heavy breath, his shoulders sagging. “I got a phone call. Someone said they had seen a woman being attacked and that you were close to death.”

  My mouth opened slightly, and I turned to look at Anthony’s fading body. “Was it Anthony?” Knowing that he would go through the trouble of calling someone called everything I thought about him into question. While he’d done some very questionable things, maybe we all misjudged him.

  “No.”

  “You’re sure?”

  Adam placed his hands on my shoulders and stared into my eyes. “I’d recognize my brother’s voice, Anna. It wasn’t him. Don’t let him play head games with you. He’s not some prince charming riding in to rescue you—”

  “No, that’s you,” I said. “Only, your horse is a Silverado.”

  Adam laughed. “It’s good to know you’ve got your facts straight.”

  “The facts you choose to tell me, that is.”

  Adam frowned and pulled me into the cocoon of his chest, wrapping his arms around my back. “I wasn’t trying to keep it from you, Chante. I just didn’t think it was that important. I figured it was a rogue or wolf from another pack giving me a courtesy call.”

  I nodded against him. “You’re right,” I said. “If it had been me, I wouldn’t have thought anything about it either. I guess I was just surprised.”

  Adam leaned back so that he could see my face. I looked up at him and smiled. How could I ever think he and Anthony looked alike? Their features were the same, being twins and all, but there was an inner beauty in Adam—a passionate confidence—his brother didn’t have.

  “I’ll never keep anything from you, Chante.” He kissed my forehead and clasped our left hands together so the scars met. “We’re one—a team. If you can believe in anything, believe in that—in us.”

  “I do,” I said a little confused. His speech seemed a little deep for a casual conversation. Sure I had accused him of lying about how he found me, but I knew Adam would never do anything to betray me.

  “You promised me you’d stay away from Anthony,” Adam said, and I frowned. I had promised him, and it took exactly one day to break that promise. “I’m only asking you to be just as honest with me as I am with you.”

  If he was trying to make me feel like shit, it was working. Adam had always been open about things with me. The least I could do was show him the same respect.

  “I had a good reason for breaking that promise,” I told him. He did something I hadn’t expected—he smiled.

  “I can’t wait to hear it.”

  I proceeded to tell him about Wade’s plan, and that we were doing it to help him. When I was done, Adam turned slightly and looked off into the distance. He shook his head back and forth and his right hand curled into a fist. When he spun to face me, his eyes were as hard as steel.

  “I’m going to kill Wade,” he said through clenched teeth. “He put you in harm’s way for his own selfish reasons.”

  “Um … no, he didn’t,” I said. “We did it to find out what Anthony was planning, and I didn’t even get a chance to see anything from him.” I was still annoyed with myself that I hadn’t tried to touch his hand or something to see if could summon a vision.”

  “Of course he’s planning something,” Adam said. “You think he’s okay with me killing Eve? He’s not going to let that go. That’s why I don’t want you anywhere near him.”

  We were at an impasse, but I was not going to tell Adam that. I understood why he wanted me to stay away from him. It wouldn’t go against Anthony’s character to kill me to get back at Adam. Still I could not shake my curiosity at finding out if we were right or not. I knew Anthony had his bad moments, but why hadn’t he tried to hurt me in the truck? Did he know Adam was on our tail, and he wouldn’t have enough time? Maybe he was trying to gain my trust in order to fool me later. Not knowing was driving me crazy. I couldn’t continue to walk around with him in our midst and not do anything about it. If he was planning an attack, and I could get a glimpse into his mind, then that’s what I had to do.

  “If you want to be mad at someone, be mad at me. I’m the one who broke the promise,” I told him. I slid my arms around his waist, clasping my hands behind his back. “Wade really was just trying to help.”

  “Unfortunately, my adorably frustrating mate, I find it hard to stay mad at you. One look into your eyes and my resolve crumbles, so I have to direct it at the other person involved.”

  I smiled up at him. “Well, then, please forgive us for scheming behind your back. It was done innocuously.”

  Adam cupped my face and brought his lips down to mine for a soft kiss. He leaned his forehead against mine and exhaled a heavy breath.

  “What in the world am I going to do with you?”

  “You have the rest of your life to figure it out.” I smiled.
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  After the drama with Anthony and Adam, I made it into town. It was my job to pick up enough paper plates, napkins, and plastic cups to supply the arriving crowd. I piled packages of each into my cart, pushing it down the aisle in an uninterested daze. Tonight was my alpha ceremony. Tonight, I would be the first made-wolf to rise to elite status, and all of the surrounding packs would stand witness to it. I felt like vomiting. While my pack had shown me nothing but respect, I wasn’t so sure the visiting wolves would. And now that I knew my Chante was from olde blood, it only made our pairing that much more difficult. Not to mention his mother wanted me gone. Would she interrupt the alpha ceremony tonight, embarrass me in front of everyone? Would Chloe or Cadie challenge me to claim my spot?

  Relationships never used to be this difficult. Why couldn’t Adam be a regular guy with regular parents and regular problems? I’d gone twenty-three years without succumbing to the mushiness of relationships. Most of my dates had consisted of some guy trying to sweet-talk me while I silently prayed for an asteroid to crash into whatever diner we were at. It all made sense now, the reason why none of my beaus worked out before. I’d been waiting for Adam all along. It was like my soul knew he was out there, somewhere, waiting for me, too.

  Two weeks ago we’d been blissfully happy, too engrossed in each other to face the bigger issues. And to be honest, Adam was still in that state. I saw it every time he looked at me. Touched me. Kissed me. The issues were sitting solely on my shoulders. He was the prince in this story and I the waif he’d fallen for. God, it sounded like some bad Lifetime movie—only with a lot more hair and teeth. Maggie’s words haunted me. I wanted to shrug it off as nothing more than a snooty woman not thinking I was good enough for her baby boy. If only it were that easy. I could deal with bitchy in-laws and their upturned noses. What I couldn’t handle, what tortured my mind, was the fact that I was worse than a poor girl who’d captured the prince’s heart; I was a liability.

  I closed my eyes for a moment and sucked in a deep breath through my nose. When I exhaled, I imagined all of my problems floating out of me. I couldn’t worry about this shit right now … not when Anthony was in our midst. When Adam rescued me from Eve’s torture chamber, Anthony had promised it wasn’t over between the two of them. For some reason, I wanted to believe we’d all misjudged Anthony. Maybe it was my mind’s way of hoping everything would be okay. I could pretend for only a second, though. I knew Anthony had a motive. I also knew how much he loved Eve, though I couldn’t understand why. I’d never met anyone so disturbed in my life. I still thought of the humans she’d killed. Their screams echoed in my head when I remembered the dreams. With Eve out of the picture, I couldn’t fathom Anthony not wanting retribution for her death. Like he’d said before—“love makes you do crazy things.”