Apprehended

LAKE

I gaze at my sleeping mate as the sun peeks through the sheer curtains. His sleeping face is squished into the pillow, making his lips pucker out.

I giggle to myself and get out of bed as quietly as I can. Derrick shifts abruptly and looks around the room sleepily.

“It was just me,” I reassure him. “I need a shower. Go back to sleep.”

Derrick gives me a thumbs-up and slams his head back into the pillow. Soon enough, my mate is snoring as I turn on the water.

As I step into the shower, the hot water slides down my skin and gives me comfort. My body is riddled with Derrick’s handiwork. I swear, there isn’t an inch of my body that he didn’t touch.

I smile to myself at the memory of last night as I scrub my scalp with the cheap shampoo supplied by the motel staff.

I linger under the water for a brief moment as the memories of the past few months flash through my mind, of how I got to this point and all the pain I’ve endured.

I hug myself and think of my family. How their bodies were torched right in front of me. How Derrick will never know them and bond with them.

I know that he and Landon would have loved their “guy time.”

My father definitely would have given him a hard time. My mother and Riley would’ve teased me relentlessly about my mark and asked for the dirty details.

“Firefly?” I look up to see my mate standing in front of me in all his glory. “What’s wrong?”

It’s now that I notice I’m crying. “I’m just thinking about my family.”

Derrick embraces me tightly. His chin rests on the top of my head. I nuzzle his chest.

“They would have been proud of you,” my mate whispers. “You’re so strong and resilient. I know they’re watching over you with smiles.”

***

“Thank you. Please come again.”

Derrick and I walk out the front door of the motel’s lobby. He wraps an arm around my shoulder as I look at a map we acquired from the front receptionist.

“Where to?” Derrick asks just as my stomach growls loudly. “Yes, ma’am.”

“The closest restaurant is ten miles north?!” I groan. Derrick chuckles and kisses my forehead.

“It’s like you forget we’re werewolves, Firefly.”

I playfully punch my mate and sigh. “Lynne isn’t in the mood for a run.”

My wolf is still lingering in the back of my mind after what happened last night. She’s been silent almost all morning and refuses to budge.

“Drax is more than happy to let you ride him.” Derrick wiggles his eyebrows up and down. I roll my eyes as we go deep into the surrounding forest and let Drax loose.

I hold onto the backpacks given to us by Oliver. I’m wearing the same sweater she gave me when we left yesterday, a pair of jeans, and combat boots. The crystal around my neck glows brightly.

He nudges against my waist as soon as he emerges. I hug my mate tightly as his head pulls me closer.

“She misses you too,” I reassure Drax. “Lynne just needs time.”

I peer into the wolf’s red eyes and feel his compassion and understanding. I give him a peck on the muzzle and hop onto his back.

Derrick changes back into his jeans and shirt before slipping on his biker boots. He gives me a quick forehead kiss and leads me into the restaurant.

“Hi folks!” We’re greeted by a busty blonde with wild blue eyes. She looks my mate up and down as if he’s a piece of meat.

By her scent, I can tell this woman is a lower-ranking female. She offers us a booth in front of a massive window.

I slide in as Derrick takes my hand over the table.

“My name is Sally, and I’ll be waiting on you today.” Sally gives Derrick the menu and practically slaps mine on the table. “What can I get you to drink, Sugar?”

“Lake, you go first.” Derrick, oblivious to this bimbo’s hungry look, scans through the menu.

“I’ll have a Diet Coke, please.” I practically grit my teeth as Sally clicks her tongue and scribbles on her little notepad.

“Black coffee. No creamer,” Derrick says without looking up from the menu. I can see him eyeing the hamburgers.

“Sure thing!” Sally hums and sways her hips as she walks behind the large bar to prepare our drinks.

I flip through the menu and breathe as calmly as I can. Derrick strokes his thumb subconsciously over mine.

“Here y’all are.” Sally returns and sets our drinks on the table. She carefully slides Derrick’s coffee in front of him. I rip my straw open and stuff it into my cup.

“See anything you like?” Our waitress lingers over my mate with her bosom out in her low-cut uniform.

“I’ll take the pound cheeseburger, everything on it, and a side of fries.” His eyes come up to hers. Sally smirks at my mate, which lights a fire in my chest.

“You have very beautiful—”

Before she can finish her sentence, Sally cowers as I growl furiously. Now Lynne is awake.

“I suggest you get another waitress for us…” I grit my teeth. Sally nods quickly and scurries to the kitchen. Derrick stares at me wide-eyed.

“What?” I take a calm sip of my drink and look back at the menu. “That she-wolf had it coming.”

“Thank you very much,” I thank our new waitress, Lyla, as she places our plates full of food in front of us. She smiles and excuses herself.

She’s a lot more respectful than that Sally girl. I can smell her scent mixed with that of a male, meaning Lyla is mated and won’t make goo-goo eyes at my mate.

Derrick digs right into his burger as I pick at my fries. I ordered chicken tenders, but the smell isn’t very pleasant.

“Something wrong?” Derrick asks me with his mouth full. I roll my eyes and smile at his cuteness.

“Don’t these smell weird to you?” I put my plate up to his nose, and Derrick studies the scent.

“What the hell?” He takes the plate from me and motions our waitress over.

“Yes, sir?” Lyla asks politely.

“Who prepared this meal?” my mate asks calmly.

“O—our chef, sir.” Lyla avoids eye contact with Derrick. I can feel the anger radiating through him.

“Could you bring him out here for us?”

Lyla nods and quickly makes for the kitchen.

“Derrick?” I look at him, confused. “What’s going on?”

Before he can answer, the chef and Lyla return to our table.

The chef is a very heavyset male with grease stains lining his chef’s uniform. I see the name ~Everett~ inscribed on the left side of his chest.

He smiles at us. “How can I help you, sir?”

Derrick holds up my plate of food for Everett to smell closely. He immediately shoves the plate away, making it go all over the table and on my lap.

“Can you tell me why there’s wolfsbane in my mate’s food?”

Lyla pauses as she helps me brush away the fries from my lap. “There was what in her food?”

Everett stares my mate in the eye as Derrick’s eyes pool into red.

“You rogues are not welcome in this establishment,” Everett growls. “Plus, Dark Shadow is looking for that female you have here. Handsome reward too.”

In one movement, Derrick is standing with the chef’s throat in his hand. Everett is struggling to maintain his balance.

“Derrick, let’s just leave, okay?” I plead. A crowd is starting to build around us. All eyes are on me and my mate. I can taste their bloodlust in the air.

“Fine,” Derrick growls. The sound of Everett’s neck snapping sends shock waves through the people around us.

Derrick takes my hand roughly and heads for the door. Two bulky males block Derrick and me in.

“That’s the female Dark Shadow is looking for?” Bulky Male #1 asks. My mate pulls me close as more males surround us. Lynne is urging me to leave. We both know we can’t fight yet.

“Lay a hand on her, and you’re all dead,” my mate growls. His eyes are still red, meaning Drax is in the forefront of his mind.

“What can you do against seven of us?” Bulky Male #1 taunts. “You rogues are too weak without a pack to call your own.”

“Try me, mutt.”

One by one, the males swarm us. Hands grab my hair, pulling me away from Derrick. He swiftly tries to grab my hand but is apprehended by the others.

“Derrick!” I cry and reach out. The male holding me drags my body backward.

“Hold still, you bitch!”

My head hits the floor as I slip from the male’s hands. In a haze, all I can see is Derrick struggling to reach me. My eyes turn heavy as I reach my hand out.

The last thing I hear is a muffled Derrick yelling and begging me to stay awake.