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Chapter 2

Lana

As I lie in this ditch; my entire body aches, and I try to shift but can't. My wolf refuses to let me. He beat me and left me here to die. Lorenzo wasn't always like this.

At first, he was sweet and charming like a perfect gentleman. Then after being with him for a month something in him changed. He became possessive and that's when the accusations of cheating on him began. He became furious when I told him I was completely faithful to him. That was the night I received a fist to the face and a kick to the ribs.

I tried so hard to get away from him, but he’s always found me. My breaths become more labored. I try to fight the urge to close my eyes. Right before I take a breath; I see a dark figure looming over me as I quit fighting, and close my eyes.

I open my eyes to see a young blonde woman rushing to my side, “Oh God, you're alive!”

I look around the room, and realize I'm no longer lying in the ditch he threw me in. She must have brought me here. Taking a cloth, she cleans the blood off of my face. “Who did this?

I swallow and look away from her, ashamed of myself. “My ex. He can't find me! Please, you have to help me!”

“What’s your name?”

“Lana.”

I chew on my lips nervously as she smiles softly.

“My brother is an Alpha. He won't hurt you, but I do have to let him meet you if you are going to stay in the Crimson Peak territory.”

It's been one month since Natalia found me, and we have become the best of friends. My body has had time to heal, but I still can't shift. She’s been more persistent for me to have dinner with her family, so I told her I would just to shut her up. I love her, but she does have her annoying qualities.

She told me about how her brother lost his wife last year. She’s been trying like hell to get me to be her brother's nanny to his son. I don't know if I can trust him because he just might know Lorenzo and hand me back to that monster.

Natalia leans down and whispers, “Relax, you can trust him.”

I look up and see a man with dark hair and the most piercing brown eyes. His body radiates with power, and I can sense he doesn't trust me either.

That's okay.

I don't trust you either, Alpha.

Natalia ushers me to the dining room, and I sit in silence as she begins to introduce me. “Jaxson, this is my best friend. Lana Delacruz.”

He narrows his eyes at me as if he's trying to figure out if I'm a threat or not. The dinner goes by painfully slow and I look to my best friend and whisper to her. “Nat, can we go home. I'm exhausted. It was nice to meet you, Alpha.”

His body seems to tense when I call him that, but all I get from him is a nod. When we get home, I let out a shaky breath. “Your brother hates me, and I don't even know what I did.”

The first time in a month I let my tears fall as she hugs me, “He doesn't hate you. I could hear his thoughts, and he doesn't hate you. Trust me on this.”


I've never stepped into that house since that night. Jaxson is always on my mind… forever embedded in my head.

I wonder what was going through your head, Alpha Jaxson.

Natalia never told me his exact thoughts, but assured me he didn't hate me.

She told me he's been struggling to keep up with his Alpha duties, and taking care of his son, but is failing miserably. He asked her to find him someone to take care of his son while he is busy with pack business. For the past week, she's been trying to talk me into being that person.

I glance away from my laptop to glance at her, and sigh, “Fine, I'll do it if it will shut you up. You win.”

She hugs me squealing in excitement, pulling out her phone. “I'll go talk to him right now.”

Oh, Lana, what have you got yourself into?

I hope I can continue staying here hidden away from Lorenzo, but I know it's only a matter of time until he finds me again, and kills me next time. I hope I'm not making a mistake staying in the same house with her brother, knowing he's just as powerful as the very monster I'm hiding from.

The ride to his house doesn't seem like it's nearly long enough. A man answers the door and power radiates off him like Jaxson, but not as powerful as him. He must be the beta. He leads me to his office, and walks me inside. He's trying to organize the papers scattered all over his desk.

Holding my hand out for him to shake, I introduce myself. “I'm Lana Delacruz. Natalia told me to come to your office to introduce myself.”

He seems like he's lost focus for some reason, but composes himself. “Could you repeat that?”

Keeping my hand out for him to shake, I repeat what I said. “I said I'm Lana Delacruz. Natalia told me to come to your office to introduce myself.”

When he takes my hand in his, he lets his hand linger longer than was intended, not wanting to let go.

I've been here for a total of three weeks, and he seems to be trying to avoid me for some odd reason. Maybe Nat was wrong, I have a feeling he does hate me and I don't even know why or what I did.

I know the unmated wolves are looking at my body, licking their lips with lust. Every time one of them talks to me; Jaxson is quick to pull them away from me. I guess he doesn't trust me enough to talk to anybody yet. I don't care because I don't trust anyone here, but Natalia. Lorenzo made sure to break me enough to ruin trusting any other man.

I can remember that night he ripped Lucas away from me, but then did the same thing he was doing. Jaxson is so confusing, like a puzzle I’m trying to unravel. I'm just trying to stay out of his way in case he does hurt me. The unmated female wolves are the opposite. They glare at me when I walk in the kitchen to feed Gabriel. They’re jealous. They want the Alpha for themselves. Well, they can fucking have him if they want him.

Natalia's mother is also someone I've grown to trust. She's always so nice, saying how good I am with her grandson. She and Natalia are constantly trying to get me to take lunch to Jaxson, but I always refuse. I’m afraid of him. Alphas are so unpredictable when they get angry.

Gabriel is so adorable, and such a sweet kid. I've always wanted to have a family of my own, but I am just afraid once I do have one… Lorenzo will find me and kill everyone. I hate him so much for the damage he has done to me.

My wolf still isn't talking to me, and I don't blame her. I was too weak to fight back when Lorenzo attempted to kill me. I'm shocked when I hear my wolf speak out to me.

“Lana. Go try to shift.”

I whine back. “You know I can't.”

She pushes me to try, “You can, you're strong enough now. Just try, please.”

Standing in the woods late at night, I let my dress drop to the ground and focus. I hear my bones cracking and I fall to the ground, shifting into my wolf landing on all fours.

I shifted?

I run through the forest with the wind blowing in my fur. For the first time in a long time, I feel free. No longer feeling pain. I run and run. Until I nearly give out. I decide to head back to shift. I'm almost there when I get tackled to the ground by another wolf.

I try to push him off, but I’m powerless. He shifts and growls. “Change back!”

My body weakens, shifting back to my human form when I look up I see those familiar brown eyes. I wiggle uncomfortably when I hear him growl out, “Dammit, stop moving, Lana!”

Jaxson stands up and doesn't even bother to put clothes on, or even turn around so I can put my dress back on. I try to cover my body the best I can, but he pushes me against a tree. “I thought you couldn't shift.”

I try to push him off of me so I can get dressed, but he's too strong for me.

“This is the first time since your sister found me I've been able to.” I whispered.

He traces his finger down my neck, a shiver passing through me. His finger lingers for a moment, then he takes a step back. “You better get dressed, and get inside.”

He looks up and down my body and shifts into his wolf, sprinting away. I grab my dress and quickly slip it over my head, running back inside. The way he gazed in my eyes made me think maybe he doesn't hate me. I guess that's a good sign. It seemed like he was trying to hold himself back when I was struggling under his hard body. The erection he was sporting was proof enough that he thought I was attractive, but he was fighting it. I know he's still mourning his wife, and struggling with being a single-dad, plus keeping up with his duties.

The way his fingers felt on my skin made my body tingle, wanting him to touch me more. The need for him to take me on the ground became more intense. I wanted more. Needed his touch.

Why does his body feel so good against mine?

Stop thinking those things, Lana.

He’s your damn employer.

I feel so hot right now, and the only thing I can do about that is to take a cold shower to cool myself down. I step out of the bathroom to see Natalia standing at the window.

“Where did you go earlier?” She smirks as she glances to the forest, “I saw what happened.”

My cheeks flame in embarrassment when I think of how his perfectly toned naked body was pressed against my hot skin. “I finally shifted. I guess I needed to heal properly.”

I think she senses something happened out there, between her brother and me.

“You're forgetting I can hear his thoughts. He wanted you so bad… that’s why he ran away.”

She leaves me with my mouth gaping open. I know he was hard, but that didn't mean he wanted me. Or did it? That night, all I dream of is those brown eyes.

The next morning; I picked up Gabriel from Jaxson's room, taking him downstairs to feed him his breakfast.

“Stay the hell away from him. He's mine!”

A blonde glares with her arms crossed over her chest. She's wearing a dress that barely covers her ass and chest, with heels on a mile high.

“I don't care. I'm simply here to take care of his son.” I reply.

I push past her but she blocks my way.

Jaxson’s voice makes her cower down, and whimper, “I'm not yours. You're just the pack slut, and that's all you'll ever be!”

I go to get Gabriel's breakfast, but a hand clamps down on my shoulder. I don't need to turn around to know it's Jaxson. I can smell his musky scent, and feel his breath on my neck.

He asks, “Are you okay?”

Don’t look, Lana.

“Yes,” I say under my breath as he puts two fingers under my chin making me meet his gaze. My breath hitches, as his does as well.

“I have to feed your son.” I try to push past him, but he doesn't budge.

He sighs as I'm trying to break away, “Have dinner with me.”

I struggle accidentally, rubbing against his erection. “I-I have dinner with you every night.”

His face is stern as he repeats his words with authority. “Have dinner with me. Just as friends. Tonight, I'm not your boss… I'm a friend. Please.”

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