Heart of the Wolf (The Heart Chronicles Book 1) Page 4

  “I’m here to defend those that need defending and to do the missions no one else can do.” The words flew out of my mouth.

  “That’s more like it.” He held out his hand. “I’m Asher. Your partner.”

  “Carter.” So he was my partner? I studied him closer. He looked strong, but he was here for more than his brute strength. He was some sort of shifter, but I couldn’t tell which kind.

  “You coming from The Society or overseas?”

  “Society,” I answered automatically. Didn’t my slight southern accent tip him off?

  “Don’t tell me anything else. I don’t need to know.”

  “Most of you come out of Society ranks?” I gazed around the room.

  “Some of us.”

  The girl walked over. “I’m Daniella.” She held out her hand.

  “Hey, I’m Carter.”

  “Just so you know, she’s tougher than you are. Don’t screw with her.” Asher nudged her shoulder.

  I looked her up and down. She looked like she was in shape, but I wasn’t sure she was stronger. Still, until I knew what kind of creature anyone was, I would keep my mouth shut. I was the new one. I had to earn my place.

  “I’m sure Alastair told you, but everything here is confidential. Names, ranks, missions. Got it?” Danielle wiped some sweat from her forehead.

  “Yes. So there are ranks in the Rangers?” I wanted to make sure I knew who my superiors were—although technically all these people were my superiors. I was back at the bottom of the totem pole.

  “Yes, but everyone in here is your equal.” Asher eyed the guys by the computers. “Even if they don’t want you to know that.”

  “Who do I report to? Alastair?”

  “Yes.” A guy with a full sleeve of tattoos walked over. “But he often has us brief each other. He runs us differently than other Society divisions because technically we aren’t Society. You got it?”

  “Yes. And the name, The Rangers? Is that some sort of code or something?”

  “It’s a generic name. The perfect way to describe a team that doesn’t technically exist.”

  “You won’t get paid.” The guy with all the tats added.

  “Uh, what?” I hadn’t been told that part.

  Daniella leaned in. “What Parker means is we can’t get paid with a paper trail. It’s all cash. Don’t worry you’ll be taken care of.”

  “Oh, and no seeing a mate or partner during missions. You try to get around that and you’re out. No questions asked.” A vein popped out in his neck.

  “That’s not going to be a problem.” I’d been single for years.

  “Well then, how about we talk about your mission?” Asher asked.

  “You know about it?”

  “Yes. And I wish you luck. You aren’t starting with an easy one.”

  “I thought we worked as partners.” Had I imagined that part?

  “See you guys.” He nodded at Daniella and Parker before heading toward another set of doors on the far side of the room.

  “We do. I’m on this one with you, but you’re the one who has to get on the island. Alastair’s rules, not mine.”

  “What island?”

  “Let’s discuss this further away.” He glanced over his shoulder at where everyone watched.

  “You don’t discuss missions with each other?”

  “Too risky. It’s on a need to know basis.”

  “Ok, where to?”

  “Follow me.” He pushed open one of the double doors, and we walked into another dark hallway. “Our bunks are that way.” He pointed to the right.

  I nodded. “Gotcha.”

  “I’ll show you your space later. I thought you’d like to get a jump on planning.”

  “You thought right.”

  He turned left, then right again, and pointed to a finger print reader. “You should already be in the system.”

  I shook my head. “We didn’t do that yet.”

  “Try it.”

  “Ok.” I put my finger down, there was a loud click.

  “Told you.” Asher reached from behind me and pushed opened the door.

  We walked into a domed room with benches surrounding a large tree in the center of the room. There was a huge screen on the far side.

  “What is this place?”

  “It’s the viewing room,” Asher said nonchalantly, “But we’re going upstairs.”

  He opened a door, scanning in with his finger this time. Once through the doorway we went up a steep set of spiral stairs that wrapped around the tree and led into what could only be described as an indoor treehouse.

  “Nice, huh?”

  I took in the hanging hammocks and rustic wood tables. “It is. Simple.”

  “Simple is often best.” He sat down at the table.

  “What’s this island?” I was ready to begin.

  Five

  Hope

  Mirabella wouldn’t stop pushing me on her brothers. “Come on, explain why one can be so attractive and the other repulsive when they look nearly identical.”

  “It’s not all about looks. Your brothers have different personalities, but like I said, I’m not into either of them. I’m quitting my job when we get back anyway.” Mirabella was acting too weird. I was done. No more changing my mind.

  “Why?” She pulled her legs up to sit cross-legged.

  “I just am.” I felt defensive in a way I’d never felt with Mirabella before. There was an unspoken change between us, and I had no interest in hanging out with her here. “Are you ready to go?”

  “What’s the hurry?” She leaned back.

  “The hurry is this place is weird.” I glanced over my shoulder, half expecting to see Justin there.

  “It’s paradise.” She gazed out at the water.

  “It’s not what I was picturing.” I stirred my drink with a straw.

  “What were you picturing?”

  “A bunch of hot guys running around. That sounds more like your kind of paradise.”

  “It is paradise when you’re with the right person. That’s the whole point of this place.”

  “The point of it? Then why’d you ask me to come? And where’s your right person?”

  “He’s not here. That’s why I’m ready to go.”

  “Ok, so let’s go.” Was she completely losing her mind? I’d just asked her to go two seconds before.

  “You’re going to forgive me eventually, right? Things will go back to normal? Do you promise? I really don’t want to lose our friendship.”

  “Forgive you for what? Wasting my time?” It wouldn’t have been the first time, and if even after I quit her dad still paid me, well then I hadn’t really wasted my time after all.

  “No.” she sighed. “I hate that you know nothing about any of this. You’re so human.”

  “Uh, last time I checked you were human too.” I eyed my drink skeptically before setting it down beside my phone. Was there something in it? Was that why she was acting so funny?

  “I’m not. I wanted you to pick up on it earlier, but you didn’t. You never did.”

  “I’m lost.” I rubbed my temple. I hoped I didn’t start acting loopy too. I’d had more than a few sips of the drink.

  “Do you like Justin at all?”

  “No, but it doesn’t matter.” Was she really going to bring up her brothers again? I was over that conversation.

  “It does matter. A lot. Why don’t you like him?”

  “You know why. He lives to make me uncomfortable.”

  “That’s not true. He likes you.”

  “He likes to make me feel like prey or something.” Just thinking about his recent actions made me tense.

  “I think he likes that. I obviously don’t know my brother’s sexual fantasies, but my guess is he’s into games.”

  “Um, let’s stop talking about this.” I wrapped my arms over my chest.

  “It wouldn’t have come to this if you’d liked him. It’s my fault for not pushing it harder. but I di
dn’t want to ruin our friendship. And that’s why I left. I thought if I was out of the picture I would miss the mess and you wouldn’t blame me, but then my dad called, and well, here we are. I really thought he’d have given you more than two weeks at the office before turning to this.” She spread her arms wide, spilling some of her drink on her tan skin.

  “I have no idea what you’re talking about. When did your dad call?”

  “Two days ago.”

  My whole body froze. “He said he hadn’t talked to you.”

  “Yeah well, he also told you he was worried about me too, right?”

  “Yes.”

  “I’m sorry, Hope. But in the end you’ll be happy. The sooner you accept things, the sooner you’ll be back home, and things can go back to normal. Well kind of normal. You know what I mean.”

  “I don’t know what you mean.” I sat up. “Can we go home now?”

  “Not yet. Like I said, the sooner you accept things, the sooner you’ll be home.”

  “Accept what?” I groaned. “You’re the reason I’m here. Can’t we have this discussion on the plane?”

  “No.” She sat up. “You are the reason we’re here. Your inability to do what you’re supposed to do.”

  “What I’m supposed to do?” Anger boiled inside me. “What the hell are you talking about?”

  “All you had to do was give in to Justin. Every other girl throws themselves at his feet, but you? No. You ignore each and every one of his advances.” Her eyes darkened until they were nearly black. “I get it. You liked Clayton more, but get over it. He’s not the one. Justin is. If it makes you feel better, pretend it’s Clayton when Justin’s on top of you.”

  “What the hell is wrong with you!”

  “Nothing.” She knocked my drink over, spilling it all over my phone.

  I reached for it, but she took it and threw it into the water.

  “Are you insane?” I gaped at her. “That’s my phone.”

  “You said it yourself; it doesn’t work. But the sim card might. Can’t take the chance.”

  “The chance of what?” Fear spread through me.

  “Someone finding you. I promise Justin will buy you a new phone when you get back. He’ll buy you whatever model you want.”

  “I don’t want Justin buying me anything. I don’t want anything to do with your family other than getting a ride home.”

  “You’ll get a ride home when it’s time.”

  “It’s time.” Anger and fear warred inside of me.

  Mirabella pulled on a cover up over her bathing suit. “The stupid part of all of this is how easily you could have avoided it. All you had to do was stop falling all over Clayton. But no, you couldn’t handle that.”

  “Your dad could have just fired me. I didn’t realize it was a problem.”

  “It was only a problem because Justin noticed. He always noticed, and he was tired of waiting. You’re twenty-two, and technically he doesn’t have to wait. Dad thought this was the best way.”

  “The best way of what?”

  “Let me ask you something.” She returned her sunglasses to her eyes. “Why do you think my dad started fussing over you so much?”

  “He didn’t fuss over me.” Was that what this was all about? Was she mad that her dad liked me?

  “No? So it was normal for your friend’s dad to help you pick college classes, get you internships, introduce you to all the right people? You’ve been on all my family vacations for four years. Does that seem weird to you?”

  “We’re best friends…” Or we were. We weren’t now.

  “We are. And that’s not going to change. At least I don’t want it to.”

  It had changed, but I wouldn’t tell her that until we were back home.“Please, explain.”

  “My dad liked you on move in day, but that’s not when it became an unquestionable outcome that you’d one day join my family. That happened when you got me out of that mess with the Sigma guys. Remember? I had way too much to drink, and you got me out of there, back to the dorms, and to class the same day?”

  “I remember.”

  “Well, you impressed him. Justin was already gaga over you. He was ready to propose the first night he met you. It was embarrassing, but luckily he graduated and couldn’t make it so obvious anymore.”

  “Justin and I aren’t going to get married. I have no idea why anyone would get that impression. I’ve never led him on in any way.” In fact she’d just been giving me an attitude about not returning his flirtations.

  “No, you haven’t. You’ve been cold and standoffish.”

  My jaw dropped. “This again? You’re the one who told me to ignore him.”

  “I did. But that’s when twenty-two seemed far away. Now it’s time to focus on his good traits. I know you think he’s cute. You admitted he was sexy once when you were drunk. You said he was sexy, but too bad his personality got in the way.”

  “I never said that.”

  “You did.” She grinned. “Best friends know this stuff.”

  “Let’s go home. I promise I’ll stay far away from both your brothers.”

  The sound of a car had me hurrying around the deck to the back side of the bungalow.

  Justin parked a silver sports car. “You’ve had enough time.”

  “For once I agree with you.” I was so ready to get the heck out of there.

  He gave me a funny look. And then caught his sister’s eye. “Didn’t you talk to her?”

  “Yes, but she didn’t get it.”

  “How could she not get it?” He got out of the car but left the engine running. “It’s simple.”

  “Justin, please take me back to the plane. Your sister has lost her mind. She was talking crazy, about not being human, about me not leaving. I’m not sure what was in that drink.”

  Justin looked at his sister, “Get in the car, Mirabella.”

  I breathed a sigh of relief and moved toward the back seat. Justin blocked me.

  I watched as Mirabella got into the driver’s side.

  “I love you, Hope. Forgive me.” She jumped into the driver’s seat and drove away.

  “Justin! Stop her!” I screamed. “You’re going to just let her drive away?”

  “Yes,” he replied calmly. “She’s got a plane to catch.”

  “So do we!” I tried to walk around him, but he blocked me.

  “Hope, calm down.”

  “Justin, why aren’t we in that car? Why did you let her drive away like that?”

  “Because we’re staying.”

  “Staying? Here? On this island?” Was he crazy too? Was the whole family out of their minds? I was starting to really believe that.

  “Yes.” He nodded.

  “No. No, we’re not.” I pushed him and tried to move around him; he caught my arms and pulled me back.

  “You will never catch up with her. The plane will take off in a few minutes, and it isn’t coming back until I call for it.”

  “Let go of me.”

  “I will, once the plane takes off.”

  I stepped on his foot as hard as I could.

  He laughed. I kicked backward, hoping I got him in the balls, but by his laugher I knew I missed.

  He pulled me back against him in a crazy strong grip. “I love the enthusiasm, but you can’t hurt me. Save your energy. We’ve had a long day.”

  Silent tears streamed down my face. “Justin, please. Whatever it is you want, I’ll give it to you once we get back.”

  “No, you won’t.” He ran his lips over my neck. “You won’t. And this isn’t something I can take. You have to want to give it to me. After enough time here you’ll want to. I promise.”

  I heard the sound of a plane engine roaring to life. “Let go of me!” I tried to kick him, but he had my legs locked. He had super human strength. It was insane.

  “You’re only going to hurt yourself. Please. Relax,” Justin pleaded as if he actually cared about my well being.

  I maneuvered my elbow,
trying to stick him in the ribs.

  He grunted, and I dug it in harder, ready to take any chance I could get.

  He spun me around in his arms so I was looking at him. “Stop!”

  “No!”

  “It’s too late. The plane is leaving.”

  I looked up in time to watch the plane take off into the sky. It was carrying my best friend, rather my ex-best friend, and leaving me on an island with a psycho.

  But maybe I wasn’t totally alone. I remembered the porter. Surely there were other people here too. “Are we alone here?”

  “No.” He shook his head. “We have the island to ourselves. No other couples here, but there is some staff.”

  “Other couples?” I glared at him. “We are not a couple.”

  “We will be.”

  “You are absolutely insane.” And I was absolutely screwed. I was an idiot. A complete and utter idiot. Why had I gotten on the plane to begin with?

  When the plane disappeared above I fell to my knees.

  Justin knelt down beside me. “My sister was supposed to prepare you.”

  “Prepare me for what? For my death? Is that what this is? You get a high off hurting people?”

  “Seriously?” He narrowed his eyes. “You think you’re here so I can kill you?”

  “There’s no other reason for me to be here.”

  “You’re here so that you become my mate. It’s why we are here.”

  “Your mate?” He sounded even crazier.

  “Yes. My mate.” He reached out for me, and I crawled away backwards.

  “People don’t have mates. Animals do.”

  “I’m kind of an animal.” He followed me, still on his knees.

  “No, you’re not.” I shook my head. “You’re a human. What is it with you people?”

  “I’m not human, Hope. I’d rather not show you yet. I don’t want to freak you out.”

  I reached for my phone, but my pocket was empty. I remembered Mirabella had thrown it in the ocean. I was stuck with Justin. I was going to have to find someone else on the island with cell reception and beg them to let me use their phone.

  “Give it up. It’s not happening.” He grabbed my around the waist and pulled me to standing.

  “Stay away from me.” I tried to shrug him off.