Staring Into the Eyes of Chance (11 page)

“A Lycan only has one primal-mate, one perfect match, and they can search an entire life time looking for her or him without success. I believe humans call it a soul-mate. People meant to be together…forever,” Dir explained.

“So, what’s a Lycan, some sort of secret guy society?” Lindsey asked, glaring at Trevor.

“Well, it is a secret society, but not made up of just guys, and not the sort of people you think. We are Lycan, as in werewolves. We can shift from human into a wolf,” Trevor said. “We age differently than humans and have acute abilities.”

Lindsey’s mouth dropped open, eyes glaring. “So, when is someone going to speak the truth around here and stop the bullshit?”

Olivia grabbed a tissue off the end table and handed it to Lindsey. “Sop up your mess. He’s leaking all over your shirt.”

Trevor’s nose had stopped bleeding, but the blood remained streamlined on his face. Lindsey dabbed at her shirt, ignoring Trevor’s face.

“So, until you’re ready to tell me the truth and not some far-out paranormal tale, we’re done. Put me down.”

Trevor held her even closer. Lindsey’s gaze darted around the room and stopped on Olivia.

“Olivia, for God’s sake, what’s really going on? We’ve been friends too long for something like this to come between us. Trevor…yes, but you and me, we have history.”

Olivia took a deep breath, clearing her head, stalling for time, collecting the best words of explanation she could think of that made sense, but she didn’t have any.

“I’m stunned myself over what I’ve just witnessed…the guys all went through a body shift, wolf to human. I watched them. I know it sounds like some kind of bad joke, and honestly Lindsey, it’s shaken me to the core. It’s supernatural, most definitely, but it happened, I saw it. And, I know nothing about it, just like you. Only, they are all shifters, whatever that means, besides turning from human to wolf and back again.”

“What does that mean?” Lindsey looked at Trevor. “You called me your primal-mate. What the hell is that?”

“It means you’re meant for me and I’m meant for you. We have a unique chemistry, yours and mine, and once it’s united, as in intercourse, our body chemistry or sex fluids jump into reconstruction mode. When our fluids bind as one, so will we, our hearts and souls tied forever.” Trevor sat on the couch with Lindsey on his lap.

“You’d feel lost and alone without each other, an enhanced grieving state,” Dir spoke softly, but the weight of his words packed a punch. “Something I’m feeling right now for Jasmine.”

Olivia’s psyche read his pain of abandonment. She’d already experienced similar feelings about Chance, and they hadn’t even had sex in that way.

“Trevor, just exactly when did you plan on telling me your little secret? After we fucked? Do you know how close we came before you left me tonight?” Lindsey pushed away from Trevor, but his arms pulled her closer, sealing her against his chest. She kicked out, flailing her legs, and slapped at his face.

“Stop fighting me.” Trevor heaved out a sigh, looking exasperated. “Okay, you’re right. I couldn’t help myself, not when I realized we belonged together. You must feel the same way about me.”

“What if I do?” Lindsey huffed. “You almost didn’t allow me the choice.”

Olivia thought about it, thought about Chance leaving her in a high state of arousal earlier. How close she’d come, opening herself, pressing him. How she wanted him completely. He hadn’t told her anything about being Lycan, or about being his primal-mate. She didn’t know if she should be angry at his coward-way of dealing with it, or flattered he respected her enough not to take advantage of her unaware state.

The whole Lycan thing took more comprehension than she was equipped to handle at the moment. It overwhelmed her brain and something even deeper. If she wouldn’t have watched the shift, she would be as skeptical as Lindsey.

“I deserve some time. Let me think about this. Don’t deny me that, Trevor.” Lindsey stiffened. “Let me go, now.”

Olivia decided a change of subject might settle Lindsey’s mood and her own. “What brought you out here tonight anyway?”

Lindsey looked at Olivia. “You didn’t answer your phone. I thought something happened. But instead, I interrupted—”

“Trevor, I need some time with Lindsey,” Olivia broke in before Lindsey finished. “Explain about tonight. Can we have a moment?”

Dir spoke up, “We’ll survey the area. I don’t feel comfortable losing that rogue, knowing he’s still out there.”

“Yeah, you’re right.” Trevor released Lindsey, and she promptly stood, walking across the room. “We’ll be back later. I suggest you all stay in the house, and maybe you should load up that tranq rifle of yours, Olivia. Have it ready just in case, but don’t go shooting the wrong guy this time.”

“You can’t imagine how I feel about hitting the wrong wolf.”

“Yeah, I think I can,” Trevor said. “Snap decisions are sometimes a bitch.” He glanced one last time at Lindsey and walked out.

After the men left, Olivia turned toward Lindsey. “We had a run-in with the aggressive wolf that obliterated my goats. I heard its howl and shot a tranquilizer at the first wolf out of the tree line. I shot Chance. That’s why he’s still unconscious.”

“So, Chance was a wolf? Was he the same wolf you met the other night?”

“Yes.” Olivia took Lindsey’s hand and led her back to the couch. “Chance went outside, checking the perimeter. He told me he’d be gone for a short time. And then I heard that eerie howl, sensed the anger and aggression, its attack intention, so I ran outside with a couple of potent tranquilizer cartridges. I prepared them just like Chance suggested.”

“I still find it hard believing anybody is a wolf. Just so you know. If you hadn’t seen it yourself, I’m not sure I’d be sitting here.” Lindsey sighed.

“You’re not the only one questioning the whole Lycan thing…and I saw it all.”

“How big of a dose did Chance get?”

“Like twenty times the amount I’d use on a bear.” The thought of Chance never coming up for air again blasted an icy chill through her.

“God. No wonder he’s out cold.” Lindsey’s face softened. “I’m sorry I blew off. Trevor left me. He got me all hot and bothered, so close, and right at that crucial moment he jumped out of bed like his cock was on fire. Left me high and dry.”

“I know that feeling myself.”

“So, why were they all naked?” Lindsey shivered, folding her knees into her chest. Olivia grabbed a blanket from the end of the couch and covered Lindsey.

“They got here just in time, all in wolf-form, and saved Chance from the milky-eyed wolf. After I shot Chance, he transformed from wolf into human. They aren’t wearing clothes in wolf-form. After chasing the beastly wolf away, they all transformed and came out of it naked.”

“God, I feel like such a bitch. You must hate me.” Lindsey looked out of the corner of her eyes at Olivia.

“I still love you. No hard feelings. I think these men can get under our skin and in certain ways can pull the worst from us.” Olivia squeezed Lindsey’s shoulder. “Don’t worry about me anymore. It sounds like you have things on your own plate with Trevor.”

“Yeah.” Lindsey turned and met Olivia’s gaze. “Olivia, I have been a bitch. I won’t go into sordid details now, but I need something off my chest. Since these men have been here, I’ve been running in a state of confusion over my own sexuality.” She sighed. “I love you.”

Olivia smiled. “I love you too, sweetie. So, what’s your confusion about?”

“You.”

“Me?” Heat flashed over Olivia’s face, and she collected herself, knowing she’d misunderstood Lindsey’s meaning.

“I’ve been in love with you for a long time, even before I swore off men,” Lindsey continued. “I don’t know exactly when it turned from friendship into something else, but it did. You never knew how deep my feelings ran for you, and I hope there isn’t any discomfort between us now because of this admission. I know you’re a straight woman.”

Olivia now understood and recognized Lindsey’s crazy behavior of late, particularly her possessiveness and rudeness. It made sense. “I’m not sure what I can say about this, other than I’ll always have a deep friendship with you.” She didn’t want Lindsey hurt, didn’t want to lose their friendship over…what exactly? “I’m not sexually attracted to women, although I’ve never tried, but I’ve never been tempted.”

“I know. You’ll think this next bit sounds strange, especially after I just confessed my feelings for you, but…I love Trevor.”

“I’m confused. You don’t actually love me in that way because you love Trevor, right?” Olivia waited, hoping this whole confession thing with Lindsey wasn’t happening. The whole day had run like a nightmare.

“Honestly, I see me always being attracted to you. My God, you’re beautiful inside and out. But, I have fallen deeply and helplessly in love with Trevor in a matter of twenty-four hours. How is that possible? I’ve asked myself that question all night long.” Lindsey reached for Olivia’s hand, and Olivia accepted her gesture. “Trevor gets me, like no one else ever has, only maybe you. I feel like I am what they say, his primal-mate, because it just wears right on my heart. And he
is
my soul-mate. No one has ever made me feel protected and cherished the way he does.” She smiled with a faraway look. “The energy racing through my body whenever we touch, it’s addictive.”

Olivia got exactly what Lindsey described regarding Trevor, more than she would admit to Lindsey. Olivia held the same feeling for Chance, wrong or right, it simply was.
Strange, wild and not sensible in the real world, but now I’m in the supernatural world, where things shift.
She squeezed Lindsey’s hand before letting go.

“Damn, you dropped a bombshell on me and then swiped it back. My head is still reeling. So, we’re friends, right?” She stood.

“Friends.”

“I appreciate your honesty, Lindsey.”

“Thanks for allowing me to get it all out. I’m not sure I would have been as patient and understanding as you’ve been.”

“I need to check on Chance and then reload my tranq gun. Stay over and sleep on the couch if you’d like.” Olivia headed toward the bedroom and stopped when Lindsey spoke.

“I’ll go load the gun for you. I can mix up the dosage for the tranquilizer cartridges. Go ahead and check on your man-wolf.” Lindsey set the blanket aside and stood. “I got this.”

“Thanks. I’ll be down in a minute.” Olivia had a feeling Lindsey and Trevor would enjoy a blazing relationship. Both of them carried a lot of charisma.

Olivia sat on the edge of her bed, whisking curls away from Chance’s face. Warmth trickled through her fingertips and up her arms, spreading like wildfire into every cell. She snuggled the blanket over his broad shoulders and kissed his forehead, his skin hot on her lips, sizzling and sensual. Olivia dropped her head, ear against his chest, hearing his strong rhythmic heart beat. She stretched out beside him on the bed.

“Don’t you dare die on me, Mister. You’ve got a lot of explaining you owe me if you expect to claim your door prize,” she whispered beside his ear and closed her eyes.

* * * *

Crackling and hissing woke Olivia. Something glowed bright through her curtains and the scent of burning wood streamed into her bedroom. She jumped out of bed and ran across the room, whisking the curtains wide. Blazing flames billowed from her open barn door.

Her animals—the hawk and the groundhog.
Chance still lay in the same position he was in when Trevor laid him on the bed. He’d be no help.

Olivia still wore the flannel shirt and jeans she’d thrown on after her shower. She ran through the house looking for Lindsey and spied a note she left on the table—she’d gone home.

Olivia charged out the back door, running toward the water spigot outside the barn. She turned the water on full bore, pulling the garden hose and spraying her way toward the building. Flames and heat kept roaring out at her, forcing her back rather than forward. Tears rolled down her face, smoke filled her lungs, heat burned her skin, but saving her animals pushed her forward. She crouched and pushed on her heel for leverage to get through the billowing smoke at the entrance, and then someone yanked her backward.

Chapter Twelve

Chance snapped awake with a gasp, head raging with pain from the inside out. His last memory smashed into the forefront.

Olivia shot me.

His fingers pushed at his eyelids in an effort at clearing away the spikes piercing his brain and maybe figure out whose bed he lay in. Smoke permeated the air. A sudden realization hit him hard like a fallen oak tree, his last premonition. Olivia must not enter the barn.

He sprang out of bed at a dead run, racing through the house, and out toward the barn. She stood outside the doorway spraying her garden hose, fighting the flames, heat, and smoke. Olivia stepped closer, covered her mouth with one hand. Chance saw her body at the ready and the hesitation before she made a jump through the entrance.

His powerful legs churned into super speed, and he picked her off the ground from behind just as she sprang. He swept her into his arms, his naked skin soaking in the heat from the blaze and from Olivia.

“The animals, I must save them,” Olivia screamed above the thundering fire and cracking wood. Chance knew from his vision the barn would collapse and send hot embers and wood splinters through the air like missiles. He ran with her, away from the barn and instead of into the woods, he turned back toward the house, a different direction than his vision.

“Trevor, where are you?”
Chance threw out a pack call.

“Hey, you’re back with us. Are you with Olivia?”

“Her barn is on fire. I need you and the boys at her house.”

“So, that’s where the fire is coming from. We found a couple bodies on Olivia’s property and we put a call out for the clean up crew. I gave them the logistics, so I guess we won’t need to hang out.”

“Damn! He’s here.”
Chance stopped ten feet from Olivia’s back door, where the alpha rogue, Smoke, stood on two feet. His face, hard angles and shadow, just as Chance envisioned it. Smoke’s milky eye and glowing amber eye glared at him and then down at Olivia, sobbing in Chance’s arms. The fire illuminated his svelte body, more slender and shorter than most Lycan, but lean corded muscles defined his bare chest and arms. His jeans were torn at the knees and ragged around his bare feet. Olivia looked up. A different kind of shiver ran through her, vibrating into Chance’s body.