16. Mystery of Life

16

Mystery of Life

S leeping through one of the worst storms to hit Dayton was bad enough. Trying to do so next to a naked beefy lumberjack of my childhood dreams made sleep a mythical treasure I couldn't capture.

Sure, my body had a short-lived reprieve from the insistent need that turned my nerves to angry crickets ever since I laid eyes on Jack, but it didn't last long. With his muscular arms clenching my side, his chest taking in steady breaths, and his deep and familiar smell swirling around me throughout the night, it took everything in me not to wake him up and go for round two.

On the other hand, Jack slept like a log, which irritated me beyond end. How can his brain not be jumbled with what this all means? I live in New York. He lives here. We can't have a relationship, and after the night we had, I don't know how I will forget about him and move on.

As the morning sun shines into the cracks of the windows, it's like the faucet of some heavenly sink shuts off. Birds chirp in the distance, and it feels as if Mother Nature is finally happy now that I've given in to my urges.

I slowly remove Jack's arm from my waist and pull myself out of bed. I find my jeans in the corner of the room, still covered in mud and blood, and pull them over Jack's boxers. I'm already mortified to walk into Granny's home in such a state, but this is all I got.

I step out into the living room, my eyes catching my keys on his countertop. Before I can even make it to the door, Jack's voice meets my eardrums. "Where are you going?"

I twirl around, my heart hammering out of my chest like a burglar caught in the act. His grey sweatpants are back over his tree trunk legs, and he's buttoning his flannel over his boulder of a chest. "Are you trying to sneak out of here?"

"Uh." I search his living room as if something will catch my eye and give me an excuse. I sigh once an inappropriate amount of time has passed, and I've come up blank. "I should get back home to Granny. I'm worried about her."

Jack walks closer to me. "Okay, well, you don't need to sneak out of here like I'm some guy you just met last night." My nerves tighten at his words, but his expression remains calm as he walks closer to me, pulling me into his arms once he reaches me.

Oh God, this is bad. He's in love, and I don't think that's something I know how to deflect. Most of my life was spent loving Jack. My adult world can't handle the messiness that comes from this.

"It's okay, Red." He smiles down at me.

My eyes snap to meet his. "What's okay?"

"I can tell you're freaking out."

"What? I'm not freaking out." I break my stare, my eyes darting as if they're a cat chasing after a laser beam.

He laughs. "We had sex last night, and it was great." He leans down, his lips hovering over my ear. His hot breath sends shivers down my spine. "And hopefully we can do it again." He pulls me against him, and I feel his hardened length through his sweatpants. "The sooner the better."

A quiet moan escapes me, and I shut my eyes to clear my head.

Jack pulls me back. "But I know that you live in New York, and I live here. I'm not trying to sink my teeth into you and make you stay." He pulls me back and kisses down my neck, his teeth grazing my skin. "Well, maybe I do want the teeth part."

I gasp, my nerves alight, and clench his biceps as if I'll turn into a puddle without him pressed up against me.

He reaches my lips, softly teasing me with his, but then pulls away.

My eyes shoot up, and I look at him as he clenches his lips. "You're right, though. You should get back to Granny's." He steps back, running his hand through his hair. "And I've also got a mess to clean up."

Reality crashes around me. I almost forgot about the "werewolf" Jack killed last night and the rest of the revelation that came after. There's still so much to figure out besides Jack and I's relationship. It seems my entire heritage is a mystery, and seeing this werewolf body is only the first step in uncovering my past.

"I'll walk you to your car." He looks down, and his cheeks redden. "Maybe I should change my pants first."

My eyes follow down from his open flannel, revealing his muscular chest, to the grey sweatpants that hide absolutely nothing. Although he says we must stay focused and deal with everything from last night, his body betrays him.

My cheeks heat, and I can't hide the smile forming at the corner of my lips .

He smiles but shakes his head before turning to his bedroom.

***

The mood shifts the moment we walk out from Jack's place to the woods. The quiet of the early morning wraps around me and perks all my senses to attention. The smell of the wet foliage makes everything seem fresh and new, but it doesn't mask the doom swirling around us as we walk to the clearing.

Jack and I don't say a word. For me, it's mostly out of fear. I don't want to summon another werewolf attack. Jack's never been much of a talker, and I hope he's not as terrified as I feel. One of us needs to be strong.

Jack walks a few steps ahead of me, entering the clearing before I do. "Shit."

"What?" I jog to remove the space. I'm not sure why I'm hurrying to see whatever has upset the Werewolf Hunter, but the curiosity of my journalistic brain can't help but be eager to discover. I step next to Jack, scanning the empty field around me. It hits me—the field is empty. There's no dead monster. There's no dead man. The body is gone. The only evidence that it was here is broken branches and small traces of blood smeared on the ground .

"Where did it go?" I ask. I search the side of Jack's face. This body was supposed to confirm everything Jack told me last night. Could he have gone out in the middle of the night and moved it so he could keep messing with me? No. That's even crazier than this all being real, but my rational part can't ignore the idea.

"His pack must have moved it. That would explain the storm last night." He kicks at the ground and walks over to the spot where the body lay yesterday.

"Werewolves can cause storms?" I can't say it didn't cross my mind, but it seems so unbelievable.

"Some. They have all types of fucked up powers, and they become even more powerful once they find their mates."

"Mates? Like their partners?"

"It's an invisible bond between two werewolves. They're destined for each other whether they like it or not. Some werewolves don't ever find their mate, which makes it easier for us, but the ones that do… those are even more dangerous."

He squats to analyze the ground. "This isn't good. Werewolves are vengeful creatures. They're going to come after us."

"Us? I didn't kill it."

"Yeah, but he was tracking you, and now he's dead. They know a Werewolf Hunter killed him and that you are part Werewolf Hunter. They've always viewed you as a threat, and now they have something to pin on you."

"Well, that's great."

He stands, rushing toward me. "You got to get out of here. Get back home to Granny, and I'll take care of this." He presses against the small of my back and leads me out of the clearing to my car.

I don't say anything—my brain jumbles. I still don't have proof that werewolves exist. Sure, I trust Jack, but the reporter in me can't just take things for face value. I need proof. I need undeniable evidence. It's always been my mission when reporting on a story, but I need this more than ever.

This isn't just a story anymore. This is the mystery of my life.