I told Mira about the Ophiuchus pack, about Kaden and Stella, about the wolf cubs, and about how gay mate bonds were possible. I told her stories of how I’d been trained to fight, about practicing my moon powers, and learning about the stars on Kaden’s rooftop.
Mira in turn shared stories about the Pisces pack. How they were similar to the Cancer pack, living up on the coast of Alaska in a fishing village, and how Aiden seemed dead set on providing everything he could for her. I still ached when she talked about how perfect of a match they were, but I managed to smile and actually feel happiness from her. She deserved it, after all. She’d always been so kind to me, so accepting and willing to back me up. Of course she deserved to have a perfect mate.
But didn't I?
As I spent time in the house, I began to feel more like a real person again instead of a prisoner and found a sort of clarity I’d been missing ever since waking up in the Leo pack’s cells. It was August now, which meant Leo season was still in full swing, and the full moon was approaching too.
I began to form a plan, but I didn't have much to go on. We still weren't allowed outside, but I stared out of every window on the second story and tried to memorize the layout of the town. Beyond that, I didn’t know where exactly we were, just that we were somewhere near Phoenix. But how near? Close enough for me to run to, or did I need to steal a vehicle? I cursed myself for not learning more about the other packs from my father, though he'd never been very forthcoming with info either.
Mira seemed dead set on helping me escape, which I was grateful for, but now I had two of us to worry about. I'd never used my Moon Touched gift on someone else, and I wasn't sure if it was possible, but I had to try. It was the only way we'd make it. We were surrounded by the enemy, and they never let me forget it. Everyone I’d seen gave me suspicious, hostile looks. Not exactly the kind of welcome wagon I’d have hoped for, but I was used to it. I’d spent most of my life growing up in a pack that had treated me a lot like this.
Being here in the Leo pack made me ache for the Ophiuchus pack even more. Even when I hadn’t been trusted and Kaden had made sure that I had two guards at all times, I was still treated with basic respect. No one glared at me or whispered about me behind their hands to their friends as I passed, vicious words they knew I could pick up with my wolf hearing. They were my home, my family, and I hoped that soon I could return to them with Mira in tow.
Every night, Jordan had dinner with me in the small backyard of the house under the stars and the waxing moon. I tried to soak up the moon's energy, but it only seemed to taunt me as it grew larger and rounded every night. The worst part was that every night spent with him put me more in danger of losing myself. The mating bond grew harder and harder to resist, and some nights I wondered if I was making a mistake by continuing to fight it. And after Jordan left, I'd return to my room and collapse in bed, twitching with desire, unable to fully satisfy myself, knowing he was probably doing the same thing.
I was frankly astonished by the fact that Jordan hadn’t tried to kiss me again. I could see his lingering gazes on my lips, my neck, the curve of my breasts. I felt the possessive heat in his eyes as he watched me, but he hadn’t done anything more than brush his lips over my cheek, not since that time in the garden. Thank the gods.
“You’re distracted tonight, Ayla,” Jordan said, and I yanked my gaze away from staring at my plate. I hardly had an appetite. It was the night before the full moon, and I was getting antsy. If I was going to escape, it would have to be tonight. I should have eaten everything on my plate to keep my strength up, but my stomach revolted against every single bite.
“Tired,” I said, giving him a placid smile. "Mira and I stayed up way too late watching that Korean show on Netflix you recommended. We couldn't stop."
"I knew you'd like it." Jordan smiled back at me and took a sip of wine. "Is your food okay? You've barely touched it."
I looked down at the gourmet salmon dish in front of me, trying to come up with a good excuse. I’d been given such good food here, even when he’d had me locked in prison, better than anything I’d ever had at my house in the Cancer pack. I hated it, and I hated Jordan even more for thinking that he could woo me over with nice food, new clothes, and pretty words. I hated even more how the part of me that answered to the mating bond liked his gifts and wanted to stay.
Good mate, it whispered to me. Will take care of you.
Right, until the moment he decides he doesn't need me anymore, I thought sardonically.
"I guess I'm just not that hungry tonight. Actually, would you mind if I went inside? I want to make sure I get lots of sleep before tomorrow." I stood before I heard an answer.
"Of course." Jordan stood as well, setting his glass down. He stepped forward, two long strides to get to me, and reached out to touch my cheek. Goosebumps followed in his wake as his hand trailed down my neck, light enough to tickle. I couldn’t help the delirious shiver that went through me at his touch, nor could I stop myself from leaning into it.
Jordan seemed encouraged, and slid his hand down my arm, to take my hand I thought. But instead, his fingers traced down to my hip, which he held possessively. When he gave a slight squeeze, I gasped, trying to hold myself still so I wouldn’t push him away—or pull him forward. I wasn’t sure which would be worse at this point.
“It’s okay to be nervous,” Jordan whispered, and his breath ghosted along my skin. “But everything will be better after tomorrow night. You'll see."
“Right,” I choked out, instead of let go of me. I shivered again and closed my eyes, willing myself to feel anything but this mix of pleasure and wrongness.
Apparently, that was the answer Jordan wanted because he let me go, and when I turned to look at him again, he had a satisfied smirk on his face. “Go rest up, Ayla. You have a big night ahead of you tomorrow. We both do.”
It sounded like a promise, but it felt like a threat. I managed a shaky smile, thrown completely off by how much I wanted him, and how hard it was to resist staying with him. For days, he'd kept his distance from me, being a perfect gentleman and giving me my space, but now my body hummed with the need to close the gap between us. I couldn’t stand another moment of it.
Tonight I would run—or die trying.
Chapter Seven
I turned away a little too quickly and then slowed my steps so it wouldn’t look like I was running away from Jordan. No doubt he could hear the way my heart pounded and smell the desire between my thighs. At this point, I think he was enjoying the anticipation, knowing tomorrow we'd be mated once and for all.
I opened the back door, not sparing a glance for the multitude of guards surrounding the house, and when it was firmly shut behind me, I sagged against it. I banged my head against the door, as hard as I dared, and Mira appeared in the doorway of the kitchen.