Chapter Twelve

 

Jamie’s breath caught in her throat, but not out of fear.

When Xander and Flynn had turned into their wolves, she’d watched with a weird sense of fascination, despite how dangerous the situation. They were massive, the size of grizzly bears, and as powerful, but seeing Grayson morph into his alpha wolf for the first time left her awestruck.

Grayson towered above them, his frame colossal, his fangs glinting in the light from the chandeliers, and his glossy black fur covering powerful muscles that rippled as he moved.

She gawped. She’d never seen anything or anyone look more magnificent in all her life. She couldn’t wait to marry him.

“You do know he will expect you to become like us, don’t you?” a woman’s voice drawled beside her.

Jamie tore her gaze away from her gorgeous wolf man. Imogen. She might have known the long-legged leech would seize the opportunity to say something to her now Grayson had left her side. She played along. “What are you talking about, Imogen?”

She arched an eyebrow. “Hasn’t he mentioned it? Oh dear. Grayson told me all about his plans for you.”

Jamie had a sudden urge to swipe the smug expression from her face, but seeing as how she could morph into her wolf in a second, she refrained. Even in her high heels, Jamie was almost a head shorter than Imogen.

“He told me how he only joined the dating agency to find a mother figure for that little brat of his,” she went on, her voice nasal and loaded with self-importance.

“Luna is an adorable girl,” she told her. Who had mentioned on many occasions how much she hated Imogen. An astute girl.

“Whatever.” Imogen flicked her wrist. “So, when is this farce of a wedding taking place?”

Jamie ground her molars. “Grayson and I haven’t discussed the details yet—not that it’s any of your business.”

“Really? That surprises me. I mean, why wait with these marriages of convenience? Tell me, how much is he paying you?”

Her stomach took a nosedive. Any bravado she had dissipated. A marriage of convenience? “No, it’s not like that…” She stopped, taken aback by the sudden lack of conviction in her voice.

He loves me echoed inside her head over and over, as though her brain sought to convince her, but no matter how many times she thought it, something unpleasant tugged at her insides. She trusted Grayson, she’d let him inside her heart, but… but what if it was all a lie? What if everything they shared meant nothing to him? Granted, things had moved fast, but he said he loved her…

Imogen emitted a triumphant cackle. “Judging by your expression, I assume he hasn’t mentioned your fee yet. Or maybe he hasn’t even told you he wants nothing more than a convenient marriage, so he’ll look good in front of the pack.” She cackled again. “I warned him against it, of course—why marry you when everyone here knows I satisfy his needs in the bedroom? What more does an alpha need?”

Jamie’s blood pulsated in her ears. She looked to Grayson, searching for something that would reassure her it wasn’t true, but he was between Xander and Flynn, hackles raised, teeth bared, holding them apart.

For a split second he glanced her way, but it wasn’t reassurance she saw, it was regret searing through his gaze.

Hot tears prickled at the back of her eyes.

“Poor little gullible Jamie. I do hope I haven’t put my paw in it,” Imogen said, her sarcastic tone implying she’d been planning this all night.

Jamie spun on her heels and fled from the room in a blur of tears and disillusionment.

Halfway across the hall, she stumbled, twisting her ankle. She winced, but the pain was nothing compared to the jagged tear ripping at her heart.

She yanked her shoes off, ran out of the manor, ignoring the sharp gravel as it dug into her soles, and got into her car.

Her breaths laboured, she turned the ignition, only now realising she was blocked in by other cars, but she refused to let that stop her from getting away from Grayson. Did he even know she’d left? He’d been too preoccupied with his pack and controlling the fight to care about her, but maybe that was how it should be. How did she even think she could compete with his pack?

Anyway, she was sure the delectable bitch Imogen would take great delight in telling him she had ruined his plans. A marriage of convenience? She still couldn’t get her head around it. Were Luna and Alice in on it too?

Barefoot, she pressed the accelerator pedal. Her ankle throbbed as she manoeuvred through the cars, scraping a Mercedes and a Ferrari before mounting the grass to escape from this nightmare of her own creation.

She floored it up the lane, hitting every damn pothole. “Come on, Gloria,” she said to her car. “Get me home and I’ll never bring you here again.”

Tears flowed down her cheeks, but her old car didn’t let her down—unlike some people. Or werewolves.

At last, she screeched to a halt in the car park outside her apartment building, having no idea how she’d not killed herself, or been pulled over for speeding, but she was home.

She cursed as she dropped her keys on the tiles outside her apartment.

Willow came out of her door, dressed for a night on the town. “Jamie? What are you doing back so early?” Her friend’s face dropped. “What happened? You look like shit.”

“It doesn’t matter. You’re going out.” Tears threatened again. Her throat hurt.

Willow closed her door and rushed over to her. “Not anymore. Jamie, what’s wrong?”

A pathetic sob escaped her lips. “It’s over. Grayson and me.”

“What? No way.” Willow wrapped her arms around her. Jamie sunk into her friend’s comforting embrace. Tears dampened her sparkly top.

After a few moments, Willow spoke. “You wanna talk about it?”

“No…yes.”

Willow picked up her keys from the floor and opened Jamie’s door. “Let’s get you inside. Do you want me to make you a cup of tea, or maybe something alcoholic?”

“No, it’s fine. You should go. I don’t want to ruin your night as well.”

“Nonsense.” She placed her arm around Jamie’s shoulders and led her into the lounge.

Cujo, who’d been curled up asleep in his doggie bed, woke up and cocked his head.

Jamie collapsed on her sofa. Her little dog jumped onto her lap to offer his comfort too. Tears streamed down her cheeks.

Willow fetched the box of tissues she kept in a drawer and handed them to her.

“Thanks,” she snivelled.

“What happened, Jamie?” she asked softly.

“The evening was going so well. He announced our engagement, and everyone seemed so kind, welcoming me into the pac—” She stopped herself. “The family. They made me feel like part of that even though I’m not a—” A werewolf. “—not like them.” Jamie dabbed her eyes. It wasn’t easy keeping what they were a secret. “Grayson doesn’t love me, Willow. It turns out he wanted a marriage of convenience all along.”

Willow’s mouth made an O shape. “I don’t believe it. It’s obvious Grayson dotes on you. Why would he say that?”

“He didn’t, and that’s the worst thing.”

“You’ve lost me. How did you find out then?”

“His ex, Imogen, told me.”

“Well, there you go. The bitch is probably jealous.”

“No, she told me Grayson planned it from the beginning. He even discussed it with her. He wants a mother figure for Luna and a good little wife with bedroom benefits.”

“I still don’t believe it.” She shook her head. “Grayson is the most genuine guy I know.”

“You’ve always been on his side.” Her reply came out curt and bitter.

“I’m not on anyone’s side. It’s just I can see when two people are made for each other. You love him, Jamie.”

Her shoulders sank with the realisation; she would have to live with this ache in her heart forever. “Yes, I love him, but how could I have let this happen to me again? Granted, I found out before our wedding what a snake he is…” The words stuck in her throat and she swallowed. “And he didn’t sleep with anyone.” Or maybe he had, with Imogen. She dismissed it, the thought too painful to bear. “But this is the same. I let my guard down and put my trust in Grayson, and it has all been a lie. I’m a total idiot with shit for brains. Why else would he propose when we’ve only known each other for such a short time?”

“Because he loves you.” Willow smoothed a wisp of hair from her face. “If I had a guy look at me with even one-tenth of the devotion with which Grayson looks at you, I’d marry him in a heartbeat. This Imogen woman probably made up the whole marriage of convenience thing. Love like you and Grayson have is rare, Jamie, but it’s real. So what if it happened quickly?”

Jamie shook her head. “It’s not. It’s a pathetic, make-believe romantic fantasy people read about in books, or watch at the movies.” There was so much she wanted to tell her friend; the fact Grayson was a werewolf for one, and his duty to his pack, and not to mention how he wanted her to become a wolf like him and Luna. Did he intend to bite her to initiate the mutation? When, on their wedding night? She bit down on her molars. “There are things you don’t understand, Willow. It’s complicated.”

“Tell me. I might be able to help.”

“I can’t. I’m sorry.”

Her friend regarded her, the kindness in her eyes threatening to bring on another round of tears. She pulled her into a hug. “I’m here if you need me, okay?”

* * *

Grayson fought with Xander and Flynn. Growls and snarls reverberated around the ballroom, but above it all, he heard Imogen’s mocking laughter.

He glanced over to where Imogen was standing, but Jamie wasn’t there. A moment earlier, she’d been standing next to his ex, and he could only guess what the bitch had been saying. Nothing good, that much was certain, but it was the look on Jamie’s face that shook him to his core.

He’d morphed in front of her, revealed his beast, something he’d hoped to avoid.

Regret burned through his soul—he never wanted Jamie to see him like this, see the monster that lurked within.

The gatherings nearly always ended with a fight, and in turn, with him duty bound to prove once again he was the alpha. What possessed him to think this get together would be any different?

Xander took advantage of his distracted state and bit the scuff of his neck. Grayson howled then retaliated, sinking his sharp teeth into Xander’s flank. His beta went to attack again but hesitated.

Grayson emitted an almighty growl, exerting his power as alpha. Xander padded backwards, his ears flat, head lowered in submission. Flynn followed suit.

Grayson shifted back into his human form, as did Xander and Flynn. No one batted an eyelid. The pack dispersed and went back to stuffing their faces as though nothing had happened.

Grayson grinned at Xander, rubbing the puncture wounds at the back of his neck. His beta’s attack proved he was getting stronger—he’d never shown any signs of challenging him before now. Maybe there was hope for him to become alpha after all. “It appears I might have underestimated you, Xander. We will discuss this later, but right now, I need to find my fiancée.”

He stepped over the shredded piles of tuxedos and grabbed a robe someone handed to him—he always made sure there were robes on hand for such incidences—and marched over to Imogen. “Where’s Jamie?” he demanded.

“She’s gone. Good riddance, I say.”

His wolf wanted out again, but he resisted the temptation to claw the smirk from her face. “What did you say to her, Imogen? If you’ve said anything to upset her, or you’ve hurt her…” Who am I kidding? He’d done that all on his own, by morphing into his beast, but he wanted someone to blame, and his ex would do nicely. “I’ll see to it you’re exiled from the pack,” he added.

“There’s no need for that, Grayson,” she purred, leering at him like a bitch on heat. “Now that toy poodle has gone, we can pick up where we left off.” She linked her arm in his and scraped her fingernails down the V of his robe. “You know a female wolf can satisfy your needs far better than a diminutive human, and I’m more than happy to oblige. And what was that awful dress she was wearing?”

Imogen droned on, her whiney voice bringing to mind his daughter’s violin lessons. His ex was truly the most despicable, conniving she-wolf he’d ever met. Again, he questioned what he’d ever seen in her.

He wriggled out of her grasp. “Get out of my sight. Now!”

Imogen backed away, but his dislike of her was unimportant. The way Jamie had looked at him in his werewolf form broke his heart. What he’d feared from the beginning had happened; he’d scared her away.

His world crumbled beneath his feet.

The ballroom became a blur of faces, none he wanted to see. It took everything he had to face his pack. “Party’s over, folks. Everyone go home.”

No one dared challenge him.

The room fell silent, other than the shuffle of feet as the guests made their way out of the manor.

Car doors opened and shut outside, and the specialist caterers, who were in the know and used to wolf gatherings, began clearing away.

Grayson left them to it and fled out the back of Beckett Hall, the devastation and sorrow coursing through his system comparable to the pain he felt when he lost Piper, yet different too.

But had he truly lost Jamie? She hadn’t died like his wife. Maybe there was a chance... He stopped his train of thought. There was no way she would ever forgive him, and he didn’t blame her. Why would she want to marry someone like him, a monster, duty bound to protect a pack he never wanted?

He reached the thicket, twigs and stones jabbing into his bare feet.

To hell with this.

In less than three seconds, Grayson morphed into his wolf and sprinted through the trees, his paws digging into the cool earth, the wind ruffling his fur.

He reached Gray’s Point and looked back at the manor.

Luna will be safe; Alice will look after her.

Grayson turned away and blocked all memories of Jamie from his mind, giving in to the primal need of his wolf.