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Jess didn't have time to worry about Rebecca when she woke up for the second time that morning. Sometime in the night she must have turned off her alarm clock and instead of an insistent beeping, she was roused by the bright light of the sun streaming across her face.
She sat bolt upright, cursing and moving in a flurry to throw her sheets off and get out of bed. She was out the door in a sleek black dress and low heels in seven minutes. Her hair almost looked deliberately messy and bright red lipstick covered the fact that she hadn't had time to put on a full face of makeup.
Heidi was going to kill her.
Jess wasn't often late, not really. But retail was a cut-throat world and as a sales rep for a mid-range fashion line she lived and died by her clients. Being late wasn't an option.
She skidded into the office, her purse banging against her waist, with one minute to spare. She was out of breath, trying her damnedest not to pant in front of everyone else. Jess took slow steps to the back office where she could stash her purse all the while taking deep breaths and trying to regain her composure.
By the time Heidi saw her, she was breathing normally and looking through the spring look book, studying the upcoming designs that she hadn’t yet seen in person.
“You do realize that we have clients coming in today?” Heidi snapped by way of greeting.
Jess jumped up from her chair, smoothing her dress and smiling. “Darlene Jackson, right?” It wasn’t really a question. Ms. Jackson’s store was one of their smaller accounts and her meeting would only take an hour. Jess could name off exactly what the woman would buy and what she had purchased in the last two years. But she was thankful when Heidi didn’t ask for that information.
“So why are you wearing a discontinued piece?” Heidi looked her up and down slowly.
Jess wanted to crumple on the spot. Her cheeks flamed, “I’m sorry, Heidi. We’ve only received sample sizes for the newest line. I put in an order for a dress, but it hasn’t come in yet.” Heidi wasn’t pleasant, but the clothing was the shittiest part of her job. They’d offered free samples as part of the compensation package. What they didn’t say was that samples only came in smalls and mediums.
The intern, Penelope, stuck her head in the office. “Sorry to interrupt, there’s some guy here to see Jess.”
“What, do you have a boyfriend calling on you at work now?” Heidi asked. At least she didn’t seem that shocked at the fact that Jess could have a boyfriend. “I’m going to have to mark this stuff down for the district manager.”
“It’s not my boyfriend,” Jess called after her. But Heidi was already gone.
Jess took a minute to compose herself. Her dress was two seasons old, but she had cared for it, and it didn’t look like she’d worn it fifty times. It hugged her ample curves, accentuating her breasts and hips while making her waist look smaller than it had any right to look. Jess didn’t have many articles of clothing that she absolutely loved, but she thought she would cry when this dress had to be retired.
She grabbed her bag and carried the look book out with her. Ms. Jackson sometimes liked to take a walk during their meetings and Jess had learned to be prepared to leave the office on short notice.
She opened the door and froze before walking through. Whoever was out there didn’t have anything to do with Ms. Jackson, and he certainly wasn’t a boyfriend.
A werewolf waited for her at the front desk.
Jess closed the door quietly and stepped behind the office computer. She brought up the security camera feed they kept running in the background. The picture was in grainy black and white and she couldn’t make out the features of whoever hunted her. But from the way he held himself she could tell.
It was the Wolf.
Though the picture on the screen wasn’t good, she knew his look. She’d seen him once, at a fashion show her company put on. He’d stood on the edge of the crowd, his arm draped with casual possessiveness around one of the models. His dark hair was styled and slicked back on top of his head, his features were sharp and serious. And every single person in the room unconsciously angled themselves towards him. His presence demanded it.
Jess had wanted to walk up and just be near him. He was that compelling, but she had learned how to deny her wants at a young age.
Her heart beat fast in her chest. She couldn’t let him catch her. If what Rebecca had done was bad enough to send the Wolf coming for Jess, Jess had to run. He would torture her, possibly kill her, just to get to her sister. And Rebecca wouldn’t save her. It wasn’t in the fox’s nature.
There was a second door in the office that lead to the inner stairwell of the building. They were up on the fifth floor and Jess had parked on the third floor of the parking lot. Chances were the Wolf had men stationed in the lobby. But there was a balcony on the fourth floor that was within jumping distance to the garage.
Well, jumping distance to a shapeshifter.
She had no other choice. Jess zipped her bag up and slung it over her shoulder. It was a messenger bag and crossed over her chest. She flung it behind her so it wouldn’t break her stride. The heels she wore were not made for running, but they were better than going barefoot.
If only changing into her other form wouldn’t incite a mass panic. The humans of Falcon Point knew about shapeshifters, but no one wanted to see a dangerous predator in the middle of their office building.
She took off down the stairs, as fast as her shoes allowed. It was only one flight until she was at the floor below. She walked slowly, nodding to the people milling about in the offices around her. They didn’t know her and they probably didn’t recognize her. But confidence was worth more that familiarity. Her clothes were nice and she acted like she belonged. It would give her enough time to get out.
Her last obstacle before the balcony was a bay of elevators and the main stairwell. The stairs were open and it was almost possible to see from one floor to the one above or below it. Her office was just outside that main stairwell and if the Wolf was curious he’d be able to see her, maybe even smell her.
Jess took a deep breath and moved. She didn’t sprint. Sprinting would bring attention. She just walked with purpose and didn’t look up. The Wolf didn’t know what she looked like, but if he saw her face, her fear would give her away.
She made it to the balcony door and out onto the balcony without being seen. There was no one with her. Jess approached the railing and surveyed the distance. The gap between the building and the garage was at least twenty feet and she would have to jump from the ledge of the balcony.
It was risky, dangerous, and stupid. And Jess really, really did not want to make the jump. But she climbed up onto the brick rail and balanced herself. She took a deep breath and squatted down low. If she couldn’t run, she had to try to generate as much power as she could from the jump itself.
She was so focused on the jump that she didn’t hear the door open behind her.
Large hands gripped her waist and pulled her back off the ledge. “I know I can be a difficult man, but I rarely drive women to suicide before they actually meet me.”
For a crazy second Jess wanted to struggle free and jump. She didn’t care if she made it so long as she escaped. Instead, she made herself stay still.
“Hello, Wolf.”
