Scared of Spiders

the kitchen and eyed them suspiciously.

“I’m afraid to ask what’s so funny.”

“Listen, after breakfast, Clint and I need to take care of some business. We’ll leave guards, though, so you’ll be safe here while you bathe and stuff. Although I’d recommend a nap for what we have planned for tonight.”

Josie blushed, a trait he hoped she never lost because he found it so damned cute. “I don’t need a nap. And besides, I’ve got to get to work. I’m late as it is already.”

“No work,” Clint said with a frown. “The warehouse isn’t secure enough.”

“Do you really think I’m in that much danger?” Josie lost her smile, and her features looked pale.

Brandon cursed. “Just a precaution, little mouse. If you feel a need to be productive, then you can work off Clint’s computer in his office. I’m sure if you feel a need to bark some order, you can always call and ask them to put you on speaker phone.”

“I don’t bark,” she muttered. “I ensure efficiency.”

“Call it what you want, baby. Please, just stay here, where it’s safe for our peace of mind.” Clint’s eyes pleaded with hers.

“You won’t be doing anything dangerous?” she asked, chewing her lower lip with worry.

“Us?” said Brandon with wide-eyed innocence.

Josie snorted, and Brandon continued to tease her until she’d lost her wan look and was giggling.

When they went to depart, the bleak expression was back in her eyes. Clint kissed her first, a fierce embrace that left her flushed and panting. Brandon spun her from his friend’s arms into his. He also kissed her breathless, his nose twitching at the scent of her arousal, the sweetest perfume he’d ever enjoyed.

Don’t worry, little mouse. Once we take care of the menace after you, we’ll take care of all your needs. Forever.

* * * *

Josie tried working and managed to lose herself in it for a few hours, but by late afternoon, she was pacing. Why aren’t they back yet? I know they’re not at the office, and since the guards they left just shrug when I ask, I can guess whatever it is they’re up to, it’s dangerous. It probably has to do with the note I got and the attack on my place.

She still couldn’t understand why anyone would want to hurt her. She was a no one. The only thing she could think of was she’d gotten caught into some kind of pack struggle and the perpetrators thought that by hurting her, they’d hurt Clint and Brandon. Silly, of course. Just because they’d slept with her didn’t mean they cared any further even if they kept hinting.

And what if it’s not a joke? Can I handle being in a committed relationship with two men, two men that turn furry, that is? Just fantasizing about staying with them, loving them, for despite herself, her heart was caught up in it all, made her think of something chilling. What if I get pregnant? Oh, my God. We didn’t use any protection. What if I already am?

The thought didn’t terrify her. Actually, a warm glow suffused her at the thought of two babies, one with a dark mop and the other with a golden one. But was that what the guys wanted or was she projecting her own fantasies on things they’d implied? I need to remember that just because they want to bite me and make me their mate because of some instinct doesn’t mean they love me. I guess it boils down to knowing that I love them, can I handle it if they don’t.

A knock on the door snapped her out of her endless circling of the question, and she went to answer. A disheveled guard named Bryant stood in the doorway.

His ball cap hung low over his face, and with the sun setting at his back, his features were indistinct, but his eyes shone bright, and Josie flinched back.

“Sorry to startle you, ma’am,” he said in a soothing tone. “But it would seem your cat somehow got out of the house and is stuck up a tree.”

“Snickers escaped?” Immediately concerned for her cat, Josie stuck her feet into her shoes to follow Bryant out of the house and off the porch. “Where is she?”

“If you’ll follow me, I’ll take you to her.” Bryant took off at a brisk walk, and Josie followed, glancing back at the house and wondering if she should have left a note. That’s silly. I’ll be back in a minute, and besides, I’m safe with Clint’s guard.

They walked farther than she expected, right to the edge of the woods bordering the cleared area for the house. Twilight lengthened the shadows, which in turn tightened her nerves, and dread coiled in her stomach. She was just about to ask Bryant if he was sure about where they were going when she heard the meow from up ahead.

“Snickers!” she called. “I’m here, kitty. Come see your mama.” Josie passed Bryant and headed toward the brush that bordered the treeline.

Meow. Meow. The plaintive sound echoed from the woods, and Josie, feeling that Bryant was following a few paces back, swallowed her fear even as her knees knocked. I can do this. It’s just some trees. They can’t hurt me. And Snickers won’t come to a werewolf.

Thoughts of her poor kitty moved her feet forward even as fear chilled her skin.

Meow.

The sound came from just in front of her. Josie stepped forward. “Snickers. Where are you, kitty?”

But, instead of finding her cat, she came face to face with a stranger. She whirled, meaning to hide behind Bryant, but he stood right behind her, a twisted smile on his face.

“Bryant?” she questioned tentatively.

A low chuckle emerged, a slimy sound that made her skin pimple. “Bryant’s no longer home. But soon you will be in my home, where you belong.”

“No.” Josie shouted, and she dodged to run around Bryant who was no longer Bryant. Like an idiot, she’d forgotten the stranger behind her. She made it one step before she was tackled to the ground. She found the courage to kick and bite, but when she managed a scream, a sound quickly cut off, she felt a prick in her arm.

The world spun and through bleary eyes, she watched the ground moving as one of them slung her over a shoulder and traipsed through the woods to car parked on the verge.

Dumped in the trunk, the last thing that ran through her mind before she lost consciousness was, Help me, please.

Chapter Eight

Clint cursed as yet another promising lead-an interesting scent for his wolf-led to a dead end. Whoever controlled the rogues and threatened Josie had hidden their tracks well. He had wolves spread throughout the city; they listened to rumors and followed their noses as they checked for new smells.

But a whole day of searching ended up in a pile of squat. Well, not entirely, one of their ranks had accidentally come across his mate and was now off celebrating, naked in bed, which was where Clint wished he was now, Josie at his side.

Clint clambered back into his SUV, Brandon seating himself on the passenger side.

“So, now what, boss?” Brandon asked, his tone just as weary.

“I don’t know. I think it’s time to call it a day,” said Clint, frustration evident in his tone. “We’re not getting anywhere searching blindly. Maybe we need to change tactics.”

“What do you mean?” asked Brandon, leaning back in his seat and closing his eyes.

“Right now we’re looking for a needle in a haystack. What we need is a magnet.”

Brandon shot up in his seat. “No way. You can’t seriously be thinking of using Josie as bait. She could get hurt!”

Clint slapped the steering wheel. “I’m aware of the danger, but what other choice do we have? Whoever is fucking with us is laughing right now as we run around in circles chasing our own tails. Not to mention, we’re spreading ourselves thin and tiring the pack.”