Page 10 of Broken Moon

“You never cared to know,” Isnarled, then forced myself to get a grip. I couldn’t stand the thought of himhaving so much control over me or my emotions. I wouldn’t let him see so muchas anotherspeckof my pain.

I forced myself still andcalmed the emotions raging inside me. I blanked my face and froze my heart andput my walls into place, and then I faced him. “I’ll take the job—with onecondition. At the end of it, I don’t care if I fail. I don’t care if yourwolves die and your pack is destroyed and you are forced out of Jakeston.” Ifingered my demon blade and walked toward him. I stood practically against himand stared up into his hateful, cold eyes. “You willfreeme.”

He didn’t move away from me. Asa matter of fact, he moved closer. He pressed his awful, beautiful alpha bodyagainst mine and he smiled. “Deal, little wolf.”

It wasn’t a kind smile, or acaring smile, or a sweet smile. Still, it affected me as though it were. I grewwarm and a little of my tension melted away even as my body reacted to his. Ohyes, my wolf definitely was aware of him, and she was licking her chops inanticipation of…

Yikes.

There will be no sex withthe alpha, wolf, so settle your horny ass down.

“Awesome,” I said, my voicecold enough to freeze his eyeballs. “Now get out.”

“I will expect you tonight,” hesaid. “Nine o’clock. We’ll be waiting for you. I will have a check waiting foryou when you arrive.”

“I haven’t told you my fee.”

“I know the high end of whatyou usually charge. I offered to triple it.”

That was going to be a bigfucking check. And I would earn every cent of it.

“Just tell your pack not tobehave like assholes,” I called, as he strode for the door. “I’m not a littlegirl any longer, and this time, I’ll fight back.”

Then I paused and frowned whenI thought I saw the blur of a dark shadow at his back. I blinked, and it wasgone. Something I’d imagined because of my stress-soaked brain, undoubtably. Itwouldn’t be the first time.

Jared opened the door but turnedto face me before he slipped through. “Don’t worry about my wolves, Kaitlyn.They will not touch you.” He dropped his stare to my blade before bringing itback up—slowly—to my face. “Goodnight.”

I stood for five minutes afterhe left, trembling, attempting to come to terms with everything that hadhappened this night. My mind was spinning.

The biggest thing, of course,was that there was a chance that for the first time in my life, I, a wolfshifter, might be able to shift.

I could only imagine. I’ddreamed of it for so very long, and the fear of the potential freedom was asbig as the joy and hope. I was scared. Terrified.

I was an adult woman who’dnever shifted. At fifteen, I’d have been surrounded with adults who would havetaken me through my first few shifts with encouragement, guidance, andsecurity.

If Jared freed me, would myshift explode? Would I be able to control it at all? Would I run through thecity or the woods eating whatever got in my starving and half mad wolf’s path?

I didn’t know.

But after I slept, I was goingto visit my mother. She was the only person I could talk to about this, and shewould help me. We’d figure it out.

After my shower, I fell into animmediate, deep sleep, my dread and excitement covering me like a warm, fuzzy,terrifying blanket.

Chapter Five

The scent of breakfast—bacon,specifically—wafted to my nose and teased my brain and at first, I thought Iwas back home with my mother, who would never let me wake up without a bigbreakfast waiting. A wolf had to eat, after all, and we could really pack itaway.

Since I’d left home, I optedfor cold cereal or more often than not, I’d run down to the corner bakery—thevery bakery in which Lucille worked—and have breakfast there. They servedbreakfast all day, and sometimes I’d stumble in for some delicious greasy fuelat 6:45 a.m. before I’d even been to bed.

I wasn’t a cook, not even a badone, and I missed the hell out of homecooked meals. So when I awakened full ofenergy and with a ravenous appetite, I didn’t delay things by changing out ofmy pjs or brushing my teeth before I hurried to the kitchen to see why therewas such amazing smells coming from it.

I pulled on a robe as I joggedfrom my bedroom, salivating as the scents only got stronger.

“Good morning,” Lucille called,waving a spatula. “I hope you’re hungry.”

The little table was laden withfood. Pancakes, a platter of scrambled eggs, what looked like three pounds ofbacon, and a pitcher of orange juice. There was butter, a bottle of pancakesyrup, and jars of strawberry and peach jams next to a small bowl of actual biscuits.

Biscuits.