Just as I’m about to give up and turn around, I hear a deep, angry voice rising from the parking lot. I walk to the end of the breezeway to glance over the railing, and to my surprise, I see Patrick standing next to Jamie’s truck, arms flailing as he animatedly accuses Jamie of trespassing.
“Just great,” I mutter to myself. The two of them have not had the best interactions, and it’s usually my job to diffuse the situation.
I race carefully back down the stairs and intercept Patrick before he lands a fist on the hood of Jamie’s truck. At the sight of me so close to a swing, Jamie leaps out of the driver’s seat and slams the door.
“Back the fuck up,” he tells Patrick, his voice low and controlled. I can hear the fury in his tone, something I’ve neverwitnessed from him before, but his demeanor is somehow calm, alarmingly calm. He holds his posture steady, eyes fixed on the threat ahead of him—the threat against me. The only hint Jamie’s close to losing it is the way he’s clenching his fists at his sides.
“Here we go,” Patrick chides, throwing his arms wide. “Haven’t I told you before, bud? This doesn’t concern you.” He steps right into Jamie’s face and I cringe as he taps a pointer finger on Jamie’s toned chest. “I’m the boyfriend. You’re the friend. Get it straight.”
Patrick has muscles, but he’s bulky and unevenly proportioned. Jamie’s physique is toned and lean. At first glance, it doesn’t look as if he’s that strong, but he was lying earlier when he mentioned his lack of upper body strength. I know for a fact he bench presses over three hundred pounds at the gym.
I see the veins in Jamie’s neck strain at how hard he’s clenching his jaw. But then he smirks, and my stomach drops.
“Correction,” he says, and I swear I hear him snarl, “I’m thebestfriend. And you’re the ex.Bud.”
Patrick’s eyes go wide for half a second as he realizes why I’m here, unused to being taken by surprise. Did he truly not expect me to break up with him? Is he that oblivious to his own behavior? Then those baffled eyes shift to me, and I take a step back. Jamie takes my hand and moves me to his side, out of reach in case Patrick chooses to take another swing and aim it at me.
I watch as Patrick’s face goes from surprise to anger to smug acceptance. He looks straight into Jamie’s scowl but directs his statement at me. “I knew you’d end up fucking him eventually.”
Before I can register what’s happening, Jamie has Patrick by the throat, and is spinning him around to slam against theside of the truck. Patrick winces, eyes already watering from the pressure Jamie has on his jugular.
“First of all, donotspeak to her that way,” Jamie tells him, no hint of a waver in his tone. “Second, she’s done with you. That means from now on, who she fucks is none of your business.” He loosens his grip but doesn’t release his hold. “And if I hear from anyone you’ve tried to contact her in any way,” he pauses for effect, “you and I are gonna have some one on one time.”
Finally, Jamie steps away, and I’m left staring in shock at what I’ve just witnessed. I have never seen him reach his boiling point before. He has the tendency to be a bit confrontational, but he’s never completely lost his temper. Something about what Patrick said must have really set him off.
He was probably just being protective. Jamie has always seen me as a little sister—someone to keep his eye on and stick up for—but something about this was different. More primal. And I'm not sure how to feel about it.
Jamie glances at me but doesn’t make eye contact. “Raegan, get in the truck.”
I snap out of my shock and make my way around the hood to scurry into the passenger seat. When I’ve closed the door, Jamie slowly gets inside and buckles his seatbelt, all the while keeping his eye on Patrick.
Feeling salty, I give the asshole a sarcastic shrug of my shoulders as if to say ‘what can I do?’ as we back out of the parking lot.
As we turn back on to the main road, I look over to Jamie to make sure he’s okay. I can tell his anger hasn’t had enough time to simmer yet, because his hand is gripping the wheel a little too tight, so I place mine over top. “Thank you.”
At the sound of my voice, he relaxes. But his tone is still sharp when he says, “You’re coming home with me.”
Chapter Four
JAMIE
By the time we make it back to my condo, most of my anger has dissipated and my muscles are no longer contracting. The entire time I was in Patrick’s presence, I had to fight the urge to punch him square in his yappy jaw. The guy is a douchebag, and I knew that going into the situation, so why did I let his stupid comment get to me?
Hearing Raegan’s name coming out of his mouth was just one straw too far. Hearing him speak about her in such a crude way made my predator instincts want to pounce. I would not, and will never, tolerate anyone disrespecting her. Because she’s my friend. Having such a visceral reaction is completely normal. Totally understandable.
Raegan is sitting quietly in her seat when I turn off the engine. I know I’ve probably made her uncomfortable with the way I acted, but I don’t want her to feel that way around me. I’m supposed to be her safe place. She told me so the first time she ever cried in front of me. Knowing this made me feel worthy, like I had a purpose: to always protect her at any cost.
I just never thought I’d be willing to rip someone’s throat out for her.
I guess I can classify my lack of control as another symptom. One more thing to blame on my inner monster.
Every lunar cycle I dread the days leading up to the next full moon, when my self-control is forfeited. As the Waxing Gibbous slowly takes its shape, my patience gets thinner, my lustful thoughts become overpowering, and the Jamie that Raegan knows disappears beneath the surface. It’s why I try to stay away from her as much as possible during that unpredictable time. I typically stay at the werewolf camp in the woods where I’m able to shift fully when the moon is full in the night sky. I hate every second I’m not myself, but for those few hours under the moonlight, I have to surrender and let nature take the wheel. In that other body, I am no longer Jamie.
I’m just the wolf.
I don’t think Raegan realizes I disappear once a month, but sooner or later she’s going to put it together. Especially if she’s not gone by next Wednesday. I want her to be here—safe and away from Patrick—but I only have four more days until I’ll have no choice but to shift.
I take a deep breath and clear my thoughts before turning to look at her. She’s pulled her left leg up to rest beneath her on the seat while her right leg is perched on the dash. I’ve told her before how dangerous the position is, thinking of what could happen if the airbags go off, and when she sees me looking at her, she immediately moves both feet to the floorboard, giving me a sheepish expression like she’s in trouble.
