15. Jax

15

Jax

The lies had slipped so easily out of her mouth, but while Marsh invited Finn to stay for dinner, Anna started to shake. I knew what she was thinking. My wolves hadn't made it back.

Interesting that she would worry for them so.

I knew that my wolves were fine. I would feel if they were dead. Finn had lied. I couldn't tell Anna that. I also didn't know why.

We spent the next two hours as guests while Marsh happily relayed stories of little Anna that set my teeth on edge and tested me in every way possible.

Anna, meanwhile, never blinked an eye.

Afterward, I quickly shut down Marsh's suggestion that we sleep in the cabin. When he mentioned we could all shift and sleep together, I felt the first sign of Anna's fear and panic.

"Anna's wolf does not come out unless we're home," I said, playing the role of the controlling mate.

Marsh was clearly frustrated, but I didn't budge. It was obvious he wanted Anna. Did he really think I would share her?

Had someone else shared her?

It was impossible to tell what Anna was thinking. She'd slipped into such a quiet and submissive role that it was difficult to read her.

Most mates could communicate non-verbally with each other, but then, most mates actually liked each other.

Anna and I would never be like that. The realization was a hollow one. What the fuck did I care? She was a killer.

We settled on a tent in the back of the cabin. It wasn't a great solution. It was hardly a barrier to threats, and when Marsh spoke as Anna ducked inside, I knew we were not going to sleep well.

"She doesn't smell like you."

Fuck.

I stared at him stonily before I followed her inside and zipped it up. Anna pulled out a flashlight and turned it on.

I immediately turned it off so I could see Marsh standing there. Eventually, he retreated, and she turned the flashlight on. "He'll see," I muttered quietly.

"Silhouettes. Shadows. We can use that to our advantage," she whispered quietly.

It dawned on me what she wanted. "You want me to pretend to fuck you?"

Her cheeks reddened, and she lowered her gaze. "It doesn't have to be a seduction. He won't expect one. Just quick and dirty. I'll…um…I'll make a few sounds of pain. That should satisfy him."

Goddammit. So she'd shut the fuck up, I grabbed her face and jerked her chin up. Still holding her gaze. I turned the flashlight off. "I don't fuck, pretend or otherwise, for anyone's enjoyment but mine and hers. I will not give that sick fuck a show. This role that you have me playing does not happen when we're alone, understand?"

"Is it a role? You want obedience from me, don't you?"

"It's not the same."

"To you, it's not."

I growled, and she put a hand to my cheek. "Don't worry. The two of you are very different. He likes control over me because he wants me. You want it because you hate me. None of that changes the fact that he will follow us all the way to the coven to figure out how to kill you and take me. Especially if he thinks we aren't really mated."

I wanted to hate her. It was so much easier when I didn't see her. When I didn't have my hands around her waist while she bathed naked in the river. When she wasn't practically straddling my lap, asking me to put my scent on her.

Before I could stop myself, I brushed my lips across hers. She froze.

"I could strip you naked, hold you against me all night, and it would still not have the same effect as a kiss. Relax and open for me. It will only take a moment."

I waited until she softened and touched my lips to hers. "However I may feel for you," I whispered. "You should know that I am never going to let Marsh touch you."

She opened to me, and I swept my tongue in and kissed her gently. It was meant to be a quick kiss, but the moment my lips touched hers, the energy in the tent shifted. The air grew warm and thick, and my entire body started to tingle. I didn't want to scare her, but when my arms slipped around her body and under her shirt so I could spread my palms against her naked skin, she whimpered.

It wasn't from fear.

Groaning, I pulled her more snuggly against my lap and hard cock and deepened the kiss.

She placed her hands on my chest, but soon, her fingers were tangled in my hair, and her whole body was plastered against me.

"All clear."

At the sound of Finn's voice, I snarled. Anna tried to pull away, but I kept my arms around her. "I know he lied. The others are okay. I would know if they were dead," I whispered.

"I need to talk to him."

"Okay."

"Stay here, and keep that flare gun handy in case anyone but me tries to come in. I'll keep the tent in sight."

Immediately, she shoved off my lap. "Is there a reason I can't come with you?" She asked icily. When I didn't say anything, she snorted. "You still don't trust me. Fine. Go."

I wouldn't apologize. My reason for trusting her hadn't changed, still I hated that my tongue was just inside her, and now she was pulling away. "I won't keep anything from you that you need to know."

"That you think I need to know." She grabbed the flare gun from the bag and stared at me.

I was only mostly certain she wouldn't shoot me in the back when I climbed out of the tent.

I'd met Finn once, five or six years ago. His father was Indigo Peak's guard and spy, one of the best. We'd all tried to woo him away at one point, some of us more half-heartedly than others, but he was loyal.

Until alpha Maeve Frost discovered that not only was he not loyal, but he was feeding information to another pack. He'd been killed after that. I was under the impression that when Finn's father refused to name who he'd turned traitor for, Maeve had Finn killed as well.

"I never did think that Maeve had it in her to kill a child," I said as I met him at the edge of the woods. The dull green tent faded in the background once Anna turned the flashlight off, but I never took my eyes off it.

"When I'm feeling sorry for myself, I tell myself that my father thought so as well," Finn said flatly.

"Where's Marsh?"

"Fucking one of the females. Normally, he makes one come here, but I don't think he wanted to be caught with his pants around his ankles while you were here, especially after goading her all night. Is that really Dirk's daughter?"

"You met Dirk?"

"Not long after I was exiled. He hunted me for a couple of weeks before I took refuge in Wisteria Woods."

"If you really do move around with such ease, then you already knew that Anna was my mate. Why didn't you tell Marsh?"

Finn rolled his eyes. "Marsh is an idiot. He thinks he's going to be an alpha here. He doesn't have the strength, intelligence, or respect. He also doesn't have permission. The land belongs to the witches. I don't tell him anything important. Just enough so that he leaves me the hell alone. He's killed a number of younger wolves he thinks might grow up to be stronger than him."

So Marsh was trying to create his own pack. Just like Dirk. "You didn't out me."

"Everyone says you're a good guy, and you're clearly not punishing Anna for her father's sins. I know how that is."

Guilt sliced through me. I was punishing her.

She said she deserved it.

"What do you know of my witch?"

"So that is your witch. The white-haired one. I suspected, but I never met her. Another wolf told Marsh she was stumbling through the woods. Didn't dispel any of the spell traps and fell into one. One of the coven had to come out and save her. They took her to their den, and that's the last we saw of her. I thought maybe it wasn't Irene. She's supposed to be crazy powerful. My dad once recommended to Maeve to try and find her when she split from her coven. Said she was Darkwyn coven powerful."

That was news to me. Irene never spoke much about her past, and I never pushed. It made sense if Darkwyn wanted her power.

"Marsh left you to keep an eye on us?" Finn nodded in confirmation. "He wants Anna.

Do you know the plan?"

"When he gets back, he wants me to put a hit on you and nab her."

I frowned. That was going to complicate things. "What makes you think he isn't telling anyone right now?"

Finn grinned. "Marsh is screwing at least four of the females, but they all think he's a one-woman wolf. If any find out that he's cheating, they'll tear him to pieces. He thinks he deserves a harem, but he's not brave enough to tell them that. He won't risk talking to anyone else tonight."

An idea formed in my head. We needed a way to keep Marsh distracted, and Finn had given it to me on a gold platter. "Marsh did say if I had a message to send, I should use you."

"How can I be of service?"