A Wolf Awakens (Black Hills Wolves Book 18) Read online

  Ange left him standing there and went to sit behind a large table piled high with brochures, publicity photos, and endorsements. For a moment, she glanced around the tent. God, she was sick of the lifestyle. It wasn’t until this moment she realized exactly how sick of it.

  Duty called, and she forced herself into work mode. Only one more week which she could handle easily. People had lined up outside the tent, waiting for readings. Some left laughing after she recounted stories from loved ones who had passed over, others in tears. Each walked away appreciating her time. However, it left her feeling more drained the longer the day went on.

  At the sound of a scuffle, she stood, trying to look through the crowd. She felt his presence before she saw him. When he stalked to her, slamming his hands onto the table, leaning toward her, her excitement changed to surprise.

  “You’re a goddamn con artist?” he growled, his face an angry mask. “This is the job you had to get to in such a fuckin’ hurry this morning?”

  “Excuse me? I am not a con artist. This is what I do, my job. I can see things, know things. I’ve had the gift since I was a child.” Her emotions ran the gauntlet of surprise to hurt, to anger.

  “Oh really? A gift? Tell me, what do you get from me?” He reached out, took her by both arms, and pulled her toward him. His eyes bored into hers. “Tell me what you see.”

  The dark spirit assaulted her with such a force she almost dropped to the ground. Her father stood behind her and held her in place. She wanted to let go of the vision that invaded her mind but failed. It had locked into her. She couldn’t stop the words, “A dark spirit, so much anger, violence. The forest. He wants to come back; trying to find a way.”

  “You’re right, sweetheart, I am pissed off. Anyone in this room can see it. I don’t know what fuckin’ game you’re playing, don’t care. But whatever it is, it’s over. Stay the fuck away from me.”

  Searching Jax’s eyes, the darkness swirled, twisted, and faded until only one thing remained. A face—the same one keeping her up at night or waking her in a cold sweat. Ange collapsed into the chair just in time to watch as Jax swung around and stormed from the tent, the name a whisper from her lips.

  “Magnum.”

  ***

  Jax left the tent and walked down the street to the nearest bar, ordering a double shot and a beer chaser. His Wolf was pissed, demanding he turn around and go back to Ange. The man had no intention of going near the female again. How the hell had she managed to trick him? Only a few hours ago, he’d been on cloud fuckin’ nine and thought he’d found his soul mate. Now, he was back to reality. No matter what his Wolf thought, there were no soul mates.

  There were only pain-in-the-ass females. Give ’em a chance to get under your skin and they ruin your life. Did she honestly expect him to believe she could see the past or the future? It would be the same to expect him to believe there was a God or a divine entity ruling over the world. Those things didn’t exist. If they had, he wouldn’t have been witness to his pack’s suffering over the years. He wouldn’t have watched Magnum singlehandedly decimate the pack, his family. Jax had been one of the few to stay in Los Lobos while Magnum was Alpha. The bastard had raped females, killed males with little or no provocation, and Jax hadn’t been able to do a damn thing about it.

  A self-proclaimed psychic at his side fed Magnum’s madness. The female had been psychotic, not psychic. Anything she wanted she concocted a story to keep Magnum busy. The day he discovered she had been playing him was the day she died. A death by Magnum’s own hand was never pretty. The bastard had called together what remained of the pack to witness her punishment. All who gathered knew it for exactly what it would be, her execution. Her wrists had been bound by heavy ropes which hung from a tree. More ropes wrapped around her ankles, spreading her wide and anchoring her feet to the ground. He stripped her bare before he started on her. Jax could still hear her tortured screams when Magnum first took a blade to her. Her death took hours before Magnum finally shifted and ripped out her throat. Her body, left to hang and rot in the tree, remained. A gruesome reminder of what happened to those that crossed him. If it hadn’t been for Drew returning and taking Magnum out, Jax would have been dead or gone by now.

  A hand slapped him on the shoulder, “Hey, buddy, enjoying the rally?”

  In a swift move, he bolted out of his chair, had the wrist of the dude in his hand, and twisted it behind the man’s back. “I’m not your buddy, not your friend. I suggest you move on.”

  His control was borderline at best. If he stayed here in town, he knew what would happen. He’d track her down again—his Wolf would insist. The man would refuse, and he would end up in a fight and locked up in a cell, forced to call Drew or Ryker to come bail his ass out. Something he couldn’t allow happen again.

  He shoved the man away then turned to down the rest of his beer. He had to get back to the hotel, pack up his shit, and head home. The peace and quiet of the forest, of home had never called to him so loudly.

  Chapter Seven

  Ange walked in the darkness. In the distance, jagged-rock mountain range lined the horizon, which caused an ominous feeling deep into her soul. Despite the feeling, she kept her feet moving forward. She was soon under the canopy of large pines, which blocked out most of the sunlight. She wanted to stop…not happening…she couldn’t, drawn in by a force so strong she couldn’t resist. It pulled her onward. Pine needles stuck into her bare feet, her hands sore and raw from the climb up and down the rocks. A voice urged her on. “Awaken, now. I require you.”

  Ange opened her eyes and looked around the room. How did I get back to the hotel? As she thought back, she sat straight up in bed. The last thing she remembered was the argument with Jax, the face of her nightmares, and the name to go with it.

  “Glad to see you awake,” her father said. “I was beginning to worry we would have to call for a doctor. I assume it was Mr. Last Night that caused the scene in the tent? My God, Angeni, you can sure pick ’em. The guy walked in, calling you a fake in front of everyone, and then you collapse and cost us the rest of the day. He shows his face again and I’ll be taking the money out of his hide.” He shook his head. “You see, this is what happens when you venture out on your own. You could have at least put him in his place instead of all that babble about dark and angry nonsense. People want to hear about love and light, They don’t want to think their loved ones passed into the hands of evil.”

  She barely felt the sting of her father’s words. She was too busy with the ache in her chest when she thought about Jax. Had she really been wrong about him? Last night, she’d enjoyed great sex—or at least now she tried to convince herself that was all it had been. She thought something special had passed between them. But that was crazy.

  A dark haze clouded her mind. She wanted to push the image of Jax from her mind and yet at the same time held on to it like a cherished gift. Her heart ached. She both hated him and longed for him. The image in her head seeming to call her to him, she jumped to her feet. “I need to get out of here.”

  “You cannot be serious, Angeni. You’re going to look for him, aren’t you? He made you look a fool in front of everyone.” Her father spat the words.

  “No, I’m not going to look for him. I need to think away from you and all the craziness of this town. We passed the Black Hills on the way to town. I need some fresh air and quiet.”

  “You’re going for a walk in the forest? Do you even realize what you’re saying? A walk in the forest? Tell me you’re kidding, Angeni. You hiking through the woods?” He chuckled. “You must have hit your head. Perhaps staying in bed and resting a bit longer will clear your head and we can get back to work.”

  There was no way she could stay in bed. She was going to the Black Hills whether he agreed or not. All it took were the words passing through her mind, Black Hills, and the desire to go there intensified from simply wanting to take a walk and clear her head to a deep-seated need that no one could stop. She swayed, as she stood
as if all the blood had rushed from her head.

  Strong arms gripped her, steadying her. “You see what I mean, Angeni. You are being stubborn. Get back to bed. We will get you something to eat.”

  Her vision seemed to darken, her body stiffened at the hold her father had on her.

  “No one can stop you.” The dark voice in her head didn’t surprise her. She had sensed him there, hidden deep within her mind. Wondering when he would make himself and his needs known hadn’t lasted long. She shoved against her father’s chest, knocking him off balance and crashing onto the floor.

  “I said I was going out.” The voice coming from her lips wasn’t her own. The words were harsh, almost growling. She glared through the haze at him. “Don’t try to stop me again. I can promise you won’t enjoy the consequences.”

  She walked from the room, grabbed her purse from the table in the hall, and, without a glance back, she left the hotel. It didn’t take long to walk the short distance to the main drag. She stood there and checked up and down the street, trying to remember how she got there. The sudden memory of pushing her father to the floor made her tremble. At the rumble of a bike she turned and moved to stand beside it, the memory floating off into nothingness.

  The large biker raked his gaze up and down her small frame. “Name’s Daryl. Can I do somethin’ for ya? You lost?”

  “The name’s Ange, and I need a ride. Can you take me?” It was her voice she heard, the words spoken before she knew where they came from.

  His lips curved into a sly grin. She had no doubt he would take her where she wanted. “Well, Miss Ange, I need a ride. Guess it all depends. Where you headin’ to?

  “Southwest.” Even as she said the word, she was unsure as to why. A tremble of fear rushed through her.

  “Your lucky day I guess. You’re going my way. You have some place particular in mind? Southwest is a pretty big area.” He gave her another once-over, this time his gaze landing on her bare feet. “Ya know, ya might wanna put on a pair of shoes.”

  Why didn’t I grab my shoes? They were right by the door when I left the hotel. Yet she’d walked off without them.

  A dark voice sounded in her head, “You have no need for shoes.”

  “No need for shoes. I plan on ridin’, not walkin.” Not sure exactly how far I’m going, I’ll know when I get there.”

  For a panicked moment, she thought he might say no. She smiled at him, hoping to pull off the innocent woman in need of rescue. The seconds seemed to tick slowly before he eventually responded.

  “Well, climb on then.”

  Relieved, she tossed the strap of her purse over her neck, letting it hang down at her side. The biker sat forward, she swung her leg over the bike, ignoring the bite of the metal posts on her bare feet.

  “You might wanna hang on, girl.” He turned his head glancing back at her, a grin on his face as she wrapped her arms around his waist. He revved the engine twice before they started out of town. The warm mountain breeze blew against her, a calming balm to her nerves while the bike seemed to nearly fly down the two lane road. By the time they reached I-385, her mind was jumbled with thoughts of both dread and anticipation. Minute by minute and mile after mile, the need to get there built. The only problem was she didn’t know where “there” was.

  The bike slowed around a sharp curve. She gazed off to the left, her heart almost leapt into her throat and she tugged on Daryl’s jacket. “Stop here. Stop!”

  Daryl pulled the bike to the side of the road. “Ya gotta piss there’s a station a few miles up the road.”

  “No, this is where I get off. Thanks for the ride,” Ange spoke, staring off into the woods. She hadn’t been here before, but an odd sense of familiarity flowed through her.

  “Are you crazy? This is the middle of nowhere. There ain’t a house around for miles.” He steadied the bike enabling her to climb off the back.

  “Yeah, I think I might be,” Ange mumbled under her breath. She stepped to the side of the road.

  “Have it your way, girl.” Daryl put the bike in gear and drove off, the engine rumbling until he disappeared from sight.

  She looked to the horizon once again. The ominous feeling of her dream returned, only this time, along with it was something else.

  Triumph.

  ***

  Jax had hoped by returning to Los Lobos the pain echoing though his chest would have eased. Unfortunately, crossing onto pack land hadn’t accomplished anything. It seemed the farther he got away from Sturgis and from Ange, the worse he longed for her. The dull ache had intensified, heat and pain seared through his chest.

  He navigated his truck down the dirt road. There was one person he didn’t want to see right now. Too bad that person stood in the middle of the road, watching as he drove into the edge of town. Drew.

  Son of a bitch. He didn’t want to talk to anyone or explain why he was back early. His plan to get back to his cabin unseen had been shot to shit. Stopping, Jax jumped out of his truck and approached the Alpha. “This really isn’t a good time, Drew. Maybe we can catch up later.”

  “You weren’t due back for a few days yet. You’re a member of the pack and a friend. Seems you forget I can feel something’s wrong. Tell me what happened, and it better not involve lawyers and legal fees or they come out of your hide.”

  In what fucked-up universe did I ever think I could get back into town and past Drew? Every member of the pack was under his watchful eye. Each one felt his devotion to the pack and his need to bring it back to its original glory. Lying to the Alpha wasn’t a possibility. He shook his head. How the fuck to begin?

  “My own damn idiocy is what happened. I met a female, a human female.” He raked his fingers through his hair, attempting to put his thoughts to words without sounding like a complete pussy. “I thought she was something. Fuck, from the minute she walked into the bar I was in, I could sense her. Like she was a part of me, a part I didn’t know I’d lost.”

  “So, the pack playboy found his mate.” Drew chuckled. “It happens to the best of us. I can think of worse things, my friend. I actually remember worse things. Do you plan on leaving and going to live among the humans, or did you come to discuss telling her about us and bringing her to live among us?”

  The statement surprised Jax. Did Drew actually consider that Jax would want to leave the pack? There were more humans around now, but that didn’t mean he intended to follow suit. No. None of it mattered. Jax didn’t attempt to disguise the disgust in his voice. “Neither. I would never bring her here and have no intention of ever living in the human world. She’s a fuckin’ con artist.”

  Surprise crossed Drew’s face. “Explain.”

  “We had a great night, great morning, and planned on getting together tonight. I was a fuckin’ dog in heat. I couldn’t wait, so I tracked her down. She was in a damn tent, her name in big letters ‘Angeni Sweet, Psychic, Spirit Walker.’ You know, tell your future, talk to the dead, and all that bullshit? The type that takes people’s money and tells them what they want to hear.”

  Drew’s expression remained impassive. “At least she isn’t a stripper.” He shook his head. “You do realize not everyone is a fake? Shamans have been around since the beginning of time. They’ve sat on councils, advised packs, and prevented wars.”

  Jax’s felt his blood pounding through his veins as his frustration continued to rise, his cynical nature not allowing him to believe Drew’s words. “Everyone gets a lucky guess now and then.”

  “Listen up, pup. You get one shot at a mate. The pain in your chest isn’t gonna get any better. The Wolf will win and take what belongs to him. It’s time you start believing in something besides beer, broads and boobs, your words, not mine. Its past time you grow up and get a new motto.”

  Anger pulsed through Jax’s veins. Pup? He’s not much older than me. Besides, what the hell does he know? He wasn’t there. He didn’t see Ange in action. He never saw the chick Magnum kept around to feed him lies to fuel his paranoia either. Hi
s eyes darted from side to side, catching glimpses of the leaves rustling in the wind. There was no stopping the low growl that vibrated up from his chest. He struggled to keep his eyes on the ground. Eyeballin’ the Alpha wasn’t something he planned on doing. Ever. “Thanks for the advice. I think I’ll head home and go for a run.”

  “Have it your way. You know my door is always open. Let me know when you want me to meet her.”

  “You can put that on your schedule for when hell freezes over.”

  “Go for your run, Jax. Clear the shit out of your head and then go talk to your mate. B has plans today, and my having to take a bite out of your ass will no doubt piss me off, which will in turn piss her off. Believe me…you don’t want either.” Drew turned and walked away.

  Jax kept his mouth shut. He wasn’t naturally the type to tuck tail and run, except when it came to the Alpha. He wasn’t suicidal either.

  He climbed into his truck then drove the rest of the way to his cabin. Inside, he left off the lights. All he wanted to do was drink a beer, or twelve.

  Chapter Eight

  Ange walked down an old path into the Black Hills forest. Her feet propelled her forward with purpose, the direction and path to take clearly visible. She began to hike up and down the rocky terrain. Her mind, on the other hand, hadn’t a clue where she was going. She wanted to stop, rest, think, but couldn’t. There was something inside forcing her to push, to keep going forward. She had walked and climbed until the sun had set.

  Darkness coated the forest, the path no longer visible, yet she didn’t stop. Her muscles ached, her bare feet bled. She made it to the top of a hill before they finally gave out, sending her tumbling backward down the hill. She crashed into rocks and trees until at last she hit a large tree, which stopped her fall. Lying there, she tried to catch her breath and took stock of all her bumps, bruises, and cuts. At least nothing was broken.