Luke's Dream (5 page)

Clouded with anger, it took a moment for her
words to sink in.

“This life?” That made no sense. And why did
she think I was going to hurt her? I’d been polite and even left
her money. Granted, I had snuck into her room, but only with the
most honorable intentions. Sleep deprivation did odd things to
humans. Perhaps further conversation should wait until after she’d
rested.

She narrowed her eyes. “Why are you toying
with me? We both know what you want.”

I disagreed. I wanted her to sleep. I had no
idea what she wanted and guessed asking wouldn’t provide me with
any straight answers. Staring at her, I quietly removed the phone
from my pocket. In less than a second, I had Gabby’s number
ready.

“Press call. I have a...friend, Gabby. She
sent me to look for you. Thought you might be like her.”

Her breath caught, and her faced flushed the
prettiest pink. I thought she was angry until she smiled slightly
and looked up at the grey sky above.

Her sudden shift in mood threw me off.

“No, thanks,” she said finally. Then, she
picked up her hoodie and bag and started up the slope. I followed
her, wondering what she would do next. If not for her thundering
heart, I would have tried offering her a ride on the bike. But, I
didn’t think she was ready for that yet. She really needed to call
Gabby. Gabby would vouch for me. Maybe. My first meeting with Gabby
hadn’t gone so well either. Regardless, Gabby was my best bet at
convincing Bethony to let me help her.

We reached the top, and she started walking
the gravel shoulder back to town just as a car turned onto our
road. Giving her some space, I trailed behind several yards. The
light breeze kept me surrounded in her scent, until the car drove
closer. Then, it was Bethony’s spiced beauty mixed with
exhaust.

Distracted by inhaling her, I wasn’t ready
when she bolted in front of the car, waving her hands in the
air.

Instinct almost had me jumping after her.
Instead, I held my ground and, with a racing heart, watched the car
brake. Using my speed in front of humans, would compel me to
contact an Elder and report the incident. Involving Elders would
mean explanations about Bethony. Elders kept the wellbeing of our
race as their first priority, and with so few females, they would
be obligated to share the news that a new compatible human had been
found. I didn’t want that. I wanted an Elder to meet her face to
face first to see how fragile she was and start talking to her
about what had happened to her. I wanted the Elders to understand
she needed time. That I needed time. I hoped they would recognize
the pull we shared and delay Introductions until she was more
mature. And, I wanted her to get to know me before she met others.
I held a slim hope that she’d like me enough to convince the Elders
she wanted to wait for me.

The car came to a stop, and she quickly
climbed into the backseat and slammed the door. The driver, a youth
who barely looked old enough to sit behind the wheel, and his
friend both glanced at Bethony then at me. By their expressions,
they hadn’t expected someone to get into their car, and they were
now trying to size up the situation.

Playing it cool, I slipped my hands into my
pockets and moved to the back door. I studied Bethony instead of
trying to get in. She’d made it clear she wanted to get away from
me. Apparently human strangers were better than werewolf
strangers.

Bethony kept her gaze averted for a few
seconds before finally looking up at me. Her cheeks paled as our
gazes met. I didn’t want her to fear me. I wanted her to love me.
Was it so much to ask? A true Mate?

I glanced at the two males in the front seat.
They were watching me. Both wore expressions of uncertainty. How
could she possibly think they were a better option than me? I
looked at her again and arched a brow.

“Is your friend getting in, too?” the driver
asked, his voice carrying through the closed windows.

She held my gaze and shook her head. My
fragile girl had guts. No doubt about it.

“A’right.”

As the kid put the car in drive and slowly
pulled away, Bethony turned in her seat to watch me. Her brilliant,
wary gaze never left mine. The scent of her fear lingered in the
air. I couldn’t stop wondering what had happened to her and why she
already knew of our existence when we technically didn’t know about
hers. My kind was supposed to report to an Elder if we ever came
across a potential Mate. Only the loop hole in my thinking—that
Gabby, the unofficial adopted daughter of Sam, an Elder, already
knew—enabled me to keep quiet.

Once the car drove from sight, I jogged back
to the bike, determined to keep following my runaway.

Within fifteen minutes, I was torn between
heart attack and murderous rage. I’d spotted tire tracks on the
shoulder of the road and pulled over. Although the car was gone,
Bethony’s scent lingered in the area, as did the sexually
frustrated scents of two males. My mind turned dark as I thought of
one reason they had pulled over.

“Not again. Not to her,” I said desperately
as I got off the bike and walked the nearby area.

Their scents didn’t move away from the road,
nor did they grow any stronger or musky. No sexual frustration was
appeased here. I looked off down the road, a snarl pulling my lips.
They had better keep their hands off her.

Quickly mounting the bike, I gunned the
engine and left a path of rubber on the pavement.

I needed to find her.

The
quiet road intersected with a county road that led into a large
town. I’d managed to catch up and was a block behind the car when
it suddenly braked and pulled to a stop in front of a department
store. I slowed the bike, keeping my distance as I watched Bethony
emerged from the back. My gaze swept over her greedily. She looked
tired, but otherwise unharmed.

Before she could finish closing the door, the
car started to pull away. Bethony shook her head then shouldered
her bag and started off down the sidewalk. Normal. Unhurt.

Exhaling a shaky, relieved breath, I lifted
my feet and eased the bike into the department store’s parking lot.
As soon as I killed the engine, I pocketed the key and took off at
a jog. Tracking her scent, I followed her to a sub shop. She’d
already ordered food and was sitting at a booth. Through the
windows, I watched her take a large bite out of her sandwich. The
way she barely chewed before taking another bite brought back
memories of days I’d gone hungry. She needed to eat more often. She
needed a bloody keeper. She didn’t sleep, didn’t eat, got into cars
with strangers… I closed my eyes and exhaled slowly. She needed
me.

Since the place was busy but not overly
crowded, I went inside.

“I’ll have whatever that dark haired girl
ordered,” I said, nodding toward Bethony.

The girl at the cash register quickly rang up
the sub and handed me a receipt with a number. As soon as the sub
was finished and my number called, I took the food to Bethony’s
table.

She was so focused on eating the last bits
that had fallen to the sub paper, she jumped when I slid into the
booth opposite of her. I pushed the new sub across the table and
studied her for any signs of abuse. She looked just like she had
under the bridge. Though I was relieved they hadn’t done anything
to her, I was still wondering why they’d pull over and made her get
out in the first place.

“Did they take your money?” I asked. I
couldn’t think of anything else.

She glanced around the seating area then met
my gaze again. Suspicion and the overhead lights had her eyes
looking violet again. They were the most mesmerizing eyes I’d ever
seen.

“What are you talking about?”

“The car pulled over halfway here, and you
all stood on the side of the road. Why?” I leaned forward. “Did
they hurt you?”

Her face flushed red.

“Why are you doing this?”

I knew what she meant but didn’t understand
why she had to ask. Why else would I be following her?

“Because I want to help you.” I reached for
her hand, but she jerked back.

Her eyes narrowed, and her mouth puckered as
if she’d just eaten something unpleasant.

“If you want to help me, die.”

Okay…I withdrew my hand. “You are very
hostile for someone your age.”

She snorted. “Just how many teenagers do you
know?”

The reminder of her age just made me angry
about everything she’d endured since seeing her, the things that
happened to her before we’d met, and the future she’d likely face
once my kind knew she existed. No, not just angry. I felt powerless
too. And, I would remain powerless unless I won her over. The
Elders would leave her alone if she showed a preference. Since they
were letting Clay and Gabby have an extended courtship, I wasn’t
worried the Elders would try to rush things. I’d look out for her
and wait for her.

“Perhaps we started off poorly. I’m Luke
Taylor. My friend, Gabby, sent me to find you. She thinks you may
have something in common with her.”

Bethony’s gaze dropped to the table as the
scent of her pity drifted around us.

“How is she?” she asked softly.

Probably well Mated and blissfully happy by
now. But I didn’t want to scare Bethony with those thoughts.

“Last time I saw her, she was weak but
recovering.” I nudged the sub toward her again. “Eat. You’re too
thin, and you’ll need your strength.” The Compound was a healthy
distance away yet.

Something I’d said cause Bethony to curl her
hands into claws on the table top. Her mouth opened in a silent
growl, something humans usually didn’t do. The sight and smell of
her rage had me turning slightly in my seat. I didn’t know where
her feet were under the table.

“You son of a—”

I quickly reached over and clapped a hand
over her mouth. We weren’t in the woods or under a bridge anymore.
And, just over her shoulder, a tiny innocent female watched us.

“Hush,” I said when I felt her inhale to
speak. “The decisions you make and the words you speak influence
the people around you. Be aware of your influence.” It was
something my mother had drilled into me. That and bathing.

Bethony scowled, clearly clueless what I
meant.

“There is an adorable little girl just behind
you. She can’t be more than two.”

Bethony pulled her head back, freeing her
mouth, and turned to look behind her at the tot who was standing on
her chair to watch us. Since my presence did nothing but upset my
unwilling ward, I set my phone on the table and quietly left while
Bethony was distracted.

Through the window, I watched her turn and
find me gone. The angry scowl lifted until she spotted the phone
with Gabby’s number on the display. She didn’t move to take it. She
did, however, take the food and stowed it in her bag, before she
got up and left.

Moving back from the door, I watched her step
onto the sidewalk and head downtown. At least she was on foot and
would be easier to track.

Sighing, I went inside to retrieve the phone
then went after her. She was quick to anger and even quicker to
run. It would take an excessive amount of patience to win her over.
Was it worth it? I inhaled slowly. Her scent filled my lungs,
tugging at my gut. It was very worth it.

Following her slow walk through the city
center, I wondered what life would be like with a Mate. Sure, I’d
thought about it before in an abstract sense and had even saved
funds for such a time. But the funds were nearly gone, and the girl
that instinct told me was mine could barely look at me without
wanting to kick my personables. Our interactions were far from the
ideal romance I’d assumed we’d have. But, that didn’t bother me. At
her age, anger and aggression along with other emotional mood
swings were very normal. Or, at least, that was what I’d heard. As
she aged, things would change. I hoped.

She abruptly stopped walking and seemed to
notice the people around her. I stopped too and looked around. The
crowded city center bustled with professionals out for a quick bite
at artsy delis lining the streets. Nothing out of the ordinary for
the size of the city. I turned back to watch Bethony just in time.
She smiled. A true smile that stole my breath and made me wish it
were directed at me.

Just as quickly as it appeared, it
disappeared, and she started walking again, this time her stride
purposeful. Keeping my distance, I trailed her to the train station
and listened to her talk to the ticketing agent.

“If I bought a ticket to the west coast, are
there stops on the way where I can get off?”

“There are stops to pick up passengers, but
the train won’t stay long enough for you to depart and
sightsee.”

“I understand. But I could get off at any of
the stops along the way, right?”

“If you don’t plan on reboarding, yes.”

“Great. Then, I guess I do have time for a
train.”

The lyric quote wasn’t lost on me. Neither
were her questions. She was buying a ticket to the west coast but
was considering leaving the train before her final destination. Was
that why she’d smiled? She planned on trying to lose me again?

“Here you go. Train forty-seven departs in
three hours and forty-five minutes.”

“Thanks.”

Before Bethony accepted the tickets, I moved
away, blending with the people who milled around. The tickets
disappeared into her bag, and I watched her walk to a bench. Her
expression seemed entirely too confident as she sat. Why did she
keep thinking running from me was a safer option than accepting my
help?

I waited several minutes to see what she
would do. She didn’t talk to anyone or move more than her knee,
which she bounced too energetically given her periodic yawns.

My lack of sleep had me yawning in return
while I wondered what to do. If I ditched the bike to board the
train, I’d be in a fair amount of trouble. Borrowing would be
forgiven. Stealing would not. Also, staying inconspicuous on a
train would be an issue. Without a doubt, she would see me
eventually, and given her reactions up to this point, I didn’t want
to try another public discussion so soon after the last failed
attempt. The other option was to follow the train’s route with the
bike and check every stop. I worried she wouldn’t be safe enough on
a train by herself, though. And if she did leave the train before
her ticketed destination, how long would she be on her own before I
caught up to her?