Runt of the Litter (6 page)

For the summer he’d spent a great deal of time with
her in the forest, watching her get stronger, becoming one with her wolf. It
was hard for his own wolf, being close to his mate and not being with her.

There were two ways to claim a mate. The first way was
to swap blood with each other through biting. Some couples did this during sex.
Another way was through sex, to join each other in the most basic way and to
also share blood.

He wouldn’t do either, and he’d promised her father
she’d return to him a virgin.

“I can’t spend the next two years with summers or
holidays being the only time I get to see her. This is the only way. I may only
have two years with her, Dad. I’ve got to do this.” During the summer his
father, her uncle, and their alpha, hadn’t found any clues as to what to
expect.

“I’m so sorry that you’re going through this.”

“It’s not your fault, Dad. This is no one’s fault.” He
wished things could have been different, but the fates had decided to give him
a mate that was at risk all the time.

“I’ve spoken with Tori’s family.”

“I know they’re not happy with me being near her.”

“Just remember the rules, son. Protect and care for
her but don’t cross any lines.”

“I’m not going to hurt her. I’m going to help her uncle
train her.” He’d told his father the truth, knowing David would want the truth
of what was going on.

“I wish there was something I could do.”

“Keep looking for an answer. I’ll stay in touch all
the time.”

“I don’t like you going,” Diana said, coming to the
doorway. “This is so hard. I never thought I’d have to say goodbye to my boy.”

“I’m going to help my mate, Mom. I’m not going to
never be here again.”

The only thing he’d not told his parents about was the
agreement he’d made with Marshall. They didn’t need to know that he was going die
if Tori didn’t make it. He hoped to God that she did.

“We better get you over there before they send Tori
off without you.” His father gripped his arm tightly. “I’m going to miss you,
son.”

“And I’m going to miss you both.” He hugged his father
before pulling his mother into his arms. “Please, don’t stop looking.”

“We won’t. I promise you, we won’t,” Diana said.

Grabbing his bag, he made his way out of the bedroom
with his parents following behind him.

He made his way out of the house to find Marshall and
Scarlett waiting.

“Go and take care of her,” Marshall said.

Jack shook his friend’s hand. This would be the first
time he was away from the pack for any length of time. He knew it was going to
be hard, unbearably hard to start off with, but it would get better.

“I’ll keep in touch.” He slapped Marshall on the back.
“I better go.”

They all walked with him toward Tori’s house. She was
hugging her mother, standing beside the taxi.

“You know you don’t have to come with me,” she said.

“I’m coming whether you like it or not.” Jack threw
his bag into the trunk of the car.

Rachel pulled him aside. “She doesn’t know who you are
to her,” she said.

He glanced over at Tori to see her preoccupied with
her parents. “I know.”

“I teased her about it that first morning you came
back from those pancakes. Do you remember that?”

“Yes, the pancakes.”

“I told her you were her mate. She denied it. I’m
pleased you’re her mate, Jack.”

“Why?”

“If anyone was going to find an answer to her
transition, it’s you. You’ve always been there for her. The fates have been
cruel right now. None of us know what the future holds, but I’m pleased she has
you.”

“I’ll fight to the bitter end, Rachel. If it turns out
to be the end, I’ll be with her. We’ve got two years together.”

“Doesn’t it hurt that she doesn’t know?”

He glanced toward Tori who
was
writing something down for Scarlett. “At times it does, but I also think this is
easier.”

“How?”

“She’s only concentrating on getting strong and
preparing for the transition. If I was to spring on her what she means to me,
it would hurt her. I can’t have her attention divided right now.”

Rachel hugged him close. “Go and take care of her. We
all trust you even if our father is being a pain. It’s because he cares just as
much as us.”

“I know he loves her.”

He smiled at Rachel before turning back to the taxi.
“Are you ready?” Tori asked.

Nodding, he waved at his family and friends before
climbing into the car.

“We’re ready to go,” he told the driver as he sat
back. This was his very first time out of pack grounds.

Paul had promised him that there were areas where he
could run when the need arose.

“What were you and Rachel talking about?”

“She was warning me to be a gentleman.”

“I don’t know why my family is so concerned. I bet
you’ve got lots of women falling all over themselves for you.”

“Yeah, totally.
They’re all fighting for a chance to get with this.”

She slapped him on the arm. “I was being serious.”

Wrapping his arm around her shoulders, he pulled her
in close. “You’ve got to stop worrying about what your family thinks. Rachel
was being a concerned sister. Stop worrying.”

“Marshall just told me to take care of you. This is
your first time away from the, erm, home.” She locked her fingers with his.

Did she even realize what she was doing?

“It is.”

“Is it hard?”

“There’s a pull inside here.” He pressed a hand to his
chest. “I’m not going to lie. It will be hard, but I made a promise to you and
I’m going to see it through.”

“You’re too kind for your own good.”

“No, baby.
I’m really not.”

He let out a sigh, looking out the window. They had to
be careful with the cab driver listening in. Jack held her close, and his wolf
calmed within him. In the next couple of months his will was going to be tested
to the brink. He’d be close to Tori, but it wasn’t just that. His wolf was
going to miss home.

“What are you thinking about?” she asked.

“I’m curious what your uncle’s digs are like.”

“Digs?”

“I’m not that old.”

“I guess I’m just not used to you being so modern.”

He rolled his eyes. “Damn, you know how to burst a
guy’s bubble.” He kissed her temple, freezing after he’d done the action. “I’m
sorry.”

“For what?
Treating me like a sister? It was a kiss to the head, Jack. Don’t worry
about it. I’m not expecting a wedding ring.” She rolled her eyes again.

Jack went back to looking out of the window. He didn’t
want to think of a future without Tori.

When he was around her everything came naturally to
him. He couldn’t have stopped the kiss even if he wanted to.

“What are you thinking about?”

“I’m just looking forward to spending some time with
you.” It wasn’t a lie. The drive to the airport was a long one. At least it was
long to Jack. He’d never been away from home, never wanted to.

“Uncle Paul is going to meet us at the airport and
drive us out to his ranch.”

“Great.”

“Are you really sure about this?” Tori asked, climbing
out of the car. He grabbed his and Tori’s cases out of the trunk after paying
the driver. “If not he can take you back home.”

“I can do this, Tori. Stop worrying about me.” He
nodded at the driver as he closed the trunk. “You can go.”

He wasn’t going to leave her on her own.

I can do this.

Entering the airport, he followed Tori as she checked
them both in.

“We’ve got a few moments before our plane leaves,” she
said.

“Okay.” He took a seat
beside
her watching as several couples were saying their goodbyes. The scents coming
off them had him yearning for that kind of closeness. There
was
a couple several feet away, and they’d fucked in the bathroom moments ago. They
were recently married as he listened to them talk. She had to go away for a
business trip. In between kisses they were talking about the plans they would
make when they were back together. They’d go on that honeymoon they’d missed
out on.

“I envy them,” Tori said, leaning back.

“Who?”

“The couple you’re watching.”

“Why?”

“They know what it’s like to love and to be loved. It
has got to be one of the most amazing experiences in life, to love someone so
much that the very thought of leaving them behind tears you apart.”

Jack stared at her wanting to say that was exactly
what was wrong with him. Instead, he kept his thoughts to himself. It wouldn’t
do for her to know what was going on in his crazy-assed mind.

“You’ll find that with someone.”

“Only if I don’t
die first.”
She sighed, resting her head on his arm. “Do you ever
wonder what it would be like to be so consumed with another person?”

“No.” It took every ounce of strength he possessed to
not give in and tell her. Right now, she needed to be focused on the
transition, on getting stronger, not on the mate that would lose her if
everything went badly.

“I do. I watched the way Marshall was with Scarlett.
He loves her so much.”

“You’ll find it.”

“I doubt it.”

He turned to look at her fully, which made her pull
away from him. “Don’t do that. You’re going to get through everything. You’re
going to know what true love feels like.”

“Jack, you’re such a good person. When did I get so
lucky?”

Closing his eyes, he forced the emotion down. It was
already tearing him apart at knowing what was to come.

“Oh, that’s our call. Come on.” She took his hand, and
she took over showing him where to store their bags then taking him through to
their terminal. “Here we go.”

He didn’t say anything, showing his ticket as they
went.

When they were on the plane, he strapped in, and made
sure Tori did the same. He didn’t trust any planes after seeing one too many
disaster movies.

“You’re panicking for all the wrong reasons,” she
said, chuckling.

“No, I’m panicking for all the right ones. Haven’t you
seen movies where the plane breaks apart?”

She grabbed his hand. The beast inside him calmed.
“Look at me, Jack.”

Turning to look at her, she smiled, her blue eyes
capturing him as she stared back.

“Tori?”

“It’s going to be okay. We’re going to go up in the
sky and travel for a short time. I’m going to be here, holding your hand the
whole time. I won’t let you go.”

“Do you promise?”

“Yes. I promise.”

He held onto her hand throughout the plane ride. Her
very presence was calming the beast inside him.

Chapter Six

“You made it,” Uncle Paul said.

Tori laughed, hugging her uncle close. “We did make it,
but it was touch and go for Jack. He didn’t handle the plane ride well. I
thought he was going to kiss the ground.”

She looked behind her to see Jack rolling his eyes.
“It wasn’t that bad.”

“No, it was worse.” She shuddered, trying to make
light of his fear. The wolf in him was what caused the biggest problem. Jack
didn’t look afraid, but his wolf wasn’t used to being in such a confined space.
Add in the lack of the pack, and his wolf had been terrified.

“How are you doing?” Jack asked.

“Oh, Uncle Paul, this is Jack. Jack, this is Uncle
Paul.”

“I’m not calling you uncle. You’re Paul to me.”

“Tori got into the habit at a young age and never
really got out of it. She’s always called me that.” Paul looked around the
airport. “Let’s get out of here and get back to the ranch.”

The sun was bearing down on them the moment they
walked outside. She missed the air-conditioning in the building.

“I tell you this heat is a fucking nightmare,” Paul
said.

“Amen to that.” Jack threw the bags into the back of
Paul’s truck.

Tori climbed inside, moving over so that Jack had
enough room to climb in.

The moment he was inside and his leg was pressing
against hers, she couldn’t help but look down at where they were touched. She
wore some shorts, but that didn’t stop her from wanting the feel of his skin.

“Tell me what you’ve been doing all summer,” Paul
said.

“I’ve been taking her out into the forest to meditate
and to also open up her senses to get them to come alive.”

“Has it helped?”

“Yes. My senses are slowly waking up. It’s like I’ve
been asleep for so long, dormant almost.”

“It’s good. It means your wolf is not dead or not
there at all.”

“But it’s locked in a cage,” Jack said.

“We’re going to need to unleash her wolf at some
point.”

“How?
I’ve only ever heard of a wolf coming out when she’s at the height of
her transition.”

“We’ve got to find a way.”

She saw her uncle’s fingers were locked around the
steering wheel. They were all so worried and yet tried to hide it from her.

“We’ll find a way. What’s the plan?” Jack asked.

“Home, food, then a tour of the house, and after all
that’s done, I’ll show you what else I’ve set up.” Her uncle was excited, which
could only mean one thing. He had something special planned for her.

Jack took hold of her hand once again, locking their
fingers together. She stared down at his hand, which was much larger than hers.

“Are you okay?” she asked.

“I’m fine.”

“You’re away from the pack. It must be affecting you?”

“It is, but I don’t mind.”

She was touched by his determination to help her.
Reaching out, she touched his cheek. “I really appreciate you. You know that
right?”

Everything fell away as she stared into his eyes. She
forgot about Uncle Paul, the car, what they were all going to do.

“I know.” He took her hand, kissing her knuckles.

Mate.

Mate.

Mate.

Her wolf started to wake up once again. Why was her
wolf being like this? Why was she calling for Jack to be her mate? She really
didn’t have a clue what the mating was like. Her attraction to Jack was
overriding everything rational.

“Stop the truck,” Jack said.

“What?”

“Stop the truck.”

Tori was
pulled out of the trance as the truck came to a sudden jerky stop. She
gasped at the seatbelt tightening around her.

Jack climbed out of the truck, and he started to pace.

“What’s going on?” Paul asked.

“I don’t know.” She unbuckled her seatbelt and started
to climb out of the truck.

“Stay inside, Tori,” Jack said, holding his hand out
as if to ward her off.

“What’s wrong with him?”

“Give him a minute. He’s struggling to control his
wolf. It’s going to be harder for him. The pack is gone, the open forest, it’s
just going to take him a little longer to get control.”

“This keeps happening with me. Every time my wolf gets
close to the surface it seems to send him crazy.”

“I bet it does.”

She frowned. “What do you know?”

“Nothing,” he said, a little too quickly.

“Uncle Paul?”

“I don’t know anything, and you’ve got to stop trying
to get me to speak up. I’m not going to break his confidence.”

“Something has happened then?”

“Stop it, Tori. We’re concentrating on you for now.”

“Wait, Jack’s out there right now, and we’re dealing
with me?”

Paul turned toward her. “Do you care about him?”

“Yes. Of course I do.”

“Then wait until he’s ready to tell you something.”

Blowing out a breath, she shook her head. “Fine, I’ll
behave and be quiet about it.”

Watching Jack pace, she waited several minutes before
he climbed back in the truck.

“I’m ready. Let’s get this show on the road.”

“Are you okay?”

“I’m fine.”

“You’d tell me if anything was bothering you, right?”

“Tori, you’ve got nothing to worry about, okay? I’m
fine. I’m just getting settled into being away from the pack.”

He was shaking his leg up and down. She took his hand,
covering it with both of hers. “I’m here.”

His leg slowly started to slow down until it stopped
altogether.

“Thank you,” he said.

“It’s what I’m here for.” She smiled at him.

Uncle Paul didn’t say anything for the remainder of
the journey. He kept driving toward his ranch.

Jack looked out of the window, and she held his hand
the whole way to the ranch.

“Fuck me, man, this place is a dream,” Jack said when
the ranch came into view.

“It really is. I’ve got men who work the ranch, but
they’re always out of the way. It’s perfect for Tori, and it’ll be great for
you.”

“I believe you.”

The truck was parked near the house. Jack opened the
door, helping her out before he grabbed their bags.

“We’ll get rid of those bags first.”

“Do you want me to take my bag?” Tori asked.

“No. I’ve got it.” He lifted their bags with ease.

Slapping her thighs, she followed both men up to the
house. They were both much bigger than she was, making her feel really small.

Uncle Paul didn’t waste any time. He walked upstairs,
showing Jack where she slept. “I don’t have any of your senses, but I’m warning
you, Jack, leave her alone.”

Heat filled her cheeks. “Will everyone stop treating
us like horny teenagers?”

“Boys have needs,” Paul said.

“So do girls.” Slapping her forehead, she growled.
“Not that I’m saying that I have needs. God, will this nightmare ever end? Jack’s
my friend. I trust him, and he’d never make me do something I wouldn’t want
to.”

“Hey, I’m insulted. I won’t break any laws here. I’m a
decent guy.” Jack held his hands up in surrender. “Everyone’s treating me like
a
perv
.”

“You’re not a
perv
,” she
said.

“Damn right.”

She laughed while Uncle Paul glared between them.
“Meet me downstairs in ten minutes. Jack, your bedroom is across the hall.”

Tori watched him leave. “I’m so sorry about this.”

“Don’t be.”

He walked behind her into the bedroom, dropping her
bag onto her bed.

“I’ll unpack later. Let’s see your room.”

She took the lead opening up his room. The view was
perfect of the ranch from his bedroom.

“How are you coping?”

“I’m fine, Tori.”

“I didn’t think I’d care, but I’m really glad you’re
here.”

“I’m going to take that as a compliment.”

“You should. I mean it with all the love in the
world.”

He laughed. “Come on before he gets a shotgun to my
ass for being improper.”

Jack took her hand leading her back toward Uncle Paul.

She meant every word she spoke to him. Jack didn’t
have any idea how much she appreciated him. The very thought of going through
this alone scared her. Uncle Paul was amazing to her, but he wasn’t pack. Jack
had the link to the pack. He’d been through the transition and knew exactly
what she was going through.

The rest of the afternoon was spent showing Jack
around the place. She’d seen most of the ranch and didn’t really need a tour to
become acquainted. At the end, Uncle Paul guided them to the main barn around
the back of the house.

“I thought this was to house hay?”

“I had it changed while you were away,” Uncle Paul
said.

He took out a key and began unbolting all of the locks,
cracking open the door. Jack opened the door for her.

The light was switched on, and inside it had been
turned into something like a gym. There were no workout equipment, but the
floor was covered in padded mats.

“We’re going to be working on your senses. I figured
the more padding we had the better it would be for you,” Uncle Paul said.
“We’ve got no risk of accidents, and I’ve also got a fully stocked first aid
kit.”

“What are the chains for?” she asked, noticing the
chains in the center of the barn.

“We’re going to call on your wolf, try to bring her
closer, maybe even open up that cage in your mind that’s got her locked tight.
I’ve had a theory.”

She looked at Jack then toward Uncle Paul. “What’s the
theory?”

“You were born prematurely. Where a lot of us take the
usual nine months you were born too young. I figure that in a normal birth the
body has time to adjust to the wolf genes, almost as if it knows when to be
locked away and when to come out.”

“Tori’s prematurity kept her wolf locked tight?”

“It’s kept all of her development locked tight. Most
of the wolves before they transition are always a little bigger than humans,
their senses more alert whereas Tori
is
not. She’s
weaker, smaller, tiny, the complete opposite.”

“So calling her wolf is going to help?”

“Not calling her wolf but unlocking the door to the
cage in Tori’s mind. The wolf can’t get out, but she’s there. You’ve only just
recently started to sense her. Your wolf’s awake, but she can’t help you. She’s
in danger of staying in that cage during your transition.”

“You think that our wolves are not locked in cages?”
Jack asked.

“Your wolf is part of you. It’s not locked in a cage, and
it could also explain your adverse reaction to Tori. Your wolf senses his ma—a
fellow wolf—locked in a cage, and can’t get out. We crack open the door,
release her wolf, and it could work to bring her to her transition.”

“It’s going to be painful, Paul. It could hurt her or
kill her.”

Uncle Paul’s heart had started to race. “It’s why I
also installed this.”

He moved to the far wall. She recognized the machine
that was used on medical programs to shock a person back to life.

“I’ve prepared for the worst, but it’s up to you,
Tori. Are you prepared to accept the risks and try this?”

Tori looked at the machine then at the ceiling with
the chains before landing on Jack. The torment in his eyes was easy for her to
see.

“Yes, I’m ready to try anything.”

****

“How is everything going?” Marshall asked.

“The ranch is great. A lot of open spaces, but her
fucking uncle is crazy.
A possible genius but completely
crazy.”
Jack paced up and down around the back of the yard. The very
idea of what Tori had to go through terrified him.

“Do you think it’ll work?”

“I don’t know. We’re not going to try it straight
away. The idea is to make sure she’s strong enough to handle us opening that
door in her mind.”

“What about you? What are your thoughts?”

“Everything he has said makes sense to me. My wolf is
behaving crazy as if he wants to come out and save Tori. I thought it could be
because of the danger of her transition, but it could also be because he senses
her trapped.” Jack looked up toward the house. Her window was open a little,
and he moved away. Her senses were coming alive slowly, and he didn’t want her
to know what was troubling him. “How’s the pack?”