Running through the forest without a shirt wasn’t a good idea. If he was in wolf form, it wouldn’t be a big deal, but bare skin, sticks and thorns didn’t mix well. If he changed, he wouldn’t be able to carry Janine, and there was that small fact that Janine didn’t have a clue what he was.
He took her hand in his again and strolled a little further away from the pack along the lake’s edge. When Raze was confident no one was paying attention to them, he slipped into the dark woods and started in the direction of the rest stop. They moved along at a good clip, and he was proud of her for keeping up with him.
“You doing okay?” He glanced over his shoulder and noticed she was a little frazzled and sweaty.
“Yeah.” She huffed out. “I’m just not used to trotting through the woods in the dark.”
“You’re doing good. Another fifteen minutes and we should be there.”
He would like to be moving faster, but he didn’t want to alarm her.
“Don’t worry about me. I’ll make it. I just wish I could run. We’d probably be there already.”
He squeezed her hand in reassurance. “Don’t put yourself down for something you can’t help.”
He hadn’t allowed himself to think about any kind of future with her up to this point, but now that it looked as if they might actually escape, he thought of how, when he changed her, her leg would be healed after she shifted for the first time. A shot of fear slithered through him. What if she wouldn’t let him change her? What if she didn’t fall in love with him? What if she didn’t want a relationship with him at all?
36
Lycan It
S. K. Yule
She’d wanted him as badly as he had her. Her passion for him, he had been in no doubt of. But things had been complicated, and he had to at least entertain the idea that a part of her attraction to him might have been because she’d needed comfort. Suddenly, a howl broke through his thoughts and pierced the still, night air. Their escape had been noticed.
Janine froze. “What was that?”
“That is our cue to run.”
She squeaked when he scooped her up and took off at a dead run with her in his arms. She clung to him, and he was aware that his jarring movements must be making her uncomfortable, but there was no helping that now. The howls grew louder and he could hear rustling and sticks broken under trampling paws in pursuit behind them.
Just when he thought they’d never make it, he shot through the clearing and spotted a black Jeep. It had to be Janine’s because it was the only vehicle in the lot.
“Black Jeep right?”
“Ye-e-ess,” She said through being bounced.
They made it to the car, and he sat her down by the passenger side and opened the door. She let out a shrill scream that made him spin around.
Three wolves broke through the trees and ran at them full out.
“Get in! Now!” He pushed at her.
He slammed the door after she scrambled in the car, and raced around to the driver’s side. He jumped in, turned the ignition, and engaged the locks.
He’d just put the car in drive after backing out when one of the lycans hit the side and rocked the Jeep. Janine cried out again, and Raze gnashed his teeth together. He stomped on the gas, and headed for the highway. Another wolf stood in the road, staring at them, and he didn’t let up on the pedal for a second. The familiar gray coat shined in the headlights. Damon.
“You want to die you son-of-a-bitch, then so be it.” Raze raced toward the wolf, and right before impact Damon shifted and rolled out of the way.
“What the hell just happened?” Janine craned her neck to look out the window at Damon’s retreating figure.
37
Lycan It
S. K. Yule
This was so not the way Raze wanted her to find out about him. They made it to the highway, and had put several miles between them and the rest stop before Janine spoke again.
“I said what the hell happened back there? Am I crazy or did that wolf turn into a man?” She shook her head. “I’m not crazy. I know what I saw. It was Damon wasn’t it?”
He nodded. “Yes. He’s a lycan, and so am I.”
“A lycan? Do you mean a freaking werewolf?”
He nodded again.
She laughed. “Are you kidding me?”
“I was going to tell you later, after we were safe. If I had told you before we escaped, it would have scared the hell out of you, and you were already dealing with enough. If I had told you, you would have been so crazy with fear and confusion, you wouldn’t have listened to anything I said. It would have been so much worse for you. I was trying to protect you.”
“You think? And you don’t think I’m confused and scared now? I saw him change in front of me, and I still don’t believe it.”
“It’s true, Janine.”
“If it is, why would they grab someone like me, and why weren’t there any other women there besides me? I mean, don’t get me wrong, but werewolves, or lycans, or whatever you all are—I didn’t see a bad-looking man amongst you. I can’t imagine that it would be hard to find some better looking women who wouldn’t need kidnapping. Oh, wait. That’s why you referred to them as a pack.” She stared at him.
“Stop belittling yourself. I told you that you are beautiful and sexy.
You’re right. They don’t have problems luring women to them. It’s keeping them that’s the problem. The pack is rogue and believe that women are only good for one thing.”
“And you don’t,
