"Nah. Whatever the leeches got on him to make him theirs, it's worse punishment than we can ever dish out."
Jared shrugs again, as if he doesn't care either way. "And Sheridan? What you gonna do about her? Besides lie around and cry."
"Fuck you, man. I remember what you were like with Angelina."
"Yeah, and now I have a gorgeous mate and get laid every night. What's the deal, bro? This is the second time you've gotten torn up over this she-wolf." My friend cocks his head to the side, suddenly serious. "She's the one, isn't she?"
I blow out a breath. "Yeah. I... actually already marked her. But..."
"But what?"
I cast an impatient hand around the place. "What do I have to offer her? A shitstorm of no good, same as always."
Jared cocks a brow. "Don't you think you're selling her a little short? Her parents may be snobby assholes, but Sheridan never was. You think she would've been slinging drinks here or prancing into vampire territory if she didn't love slumming it with you?"
I grimace at his choice of words and shrug.
"Dude. You have to go and get her."
"It's not that simple."
"It is that simple. You're a fucking wolf. You gave her your mark. That means she's yours. If she can't put up with you, chain her to your bed and give her orgasms until she changes her mind."
Jared's crude advice forces a reluctant smile from me.
My dick is fully on board with the plan.
Fully.
On board.
Tying Sheridan up would give me a chance to explore all the naughty costumes she has in her closet. Maybe I'd let her go only when she promised to model them for me. "Of course, she might kill me when my back is turned."
"That's what the orgasms are for, dumbass." Jared rolls his eyes. "Get her sweet, keep her sweet. Add a little playful punishment; before you know it, she's begging for your dick." My friend puts his arms behind his head with the smug smile of a man who's getting it and getting it often. "Then, you train her to give head."
Sheridan, tied and begging, opening her hot little mouth. Aww, fuck, now I'm hard as stone. "That's not a bad idea, actually."
"Told you I'm a genius."
"Wait," I sigh. "What about the pack?"
"What about it?"
"This is Sheridan. Everyone remembers what she did to us. Garrett hasn't even forgiven her, and she's his cousin."
"Garrett mated a human. Remember how we took it at first? Didn't exactly lay out the welcome mat." He shrugs. "The way I see it, you want this female, you claim her. Lay it out and make sure she has your back like you got hers. Things will work out with the pack."
"Think so?"
He shrugs again. "Anything is better than having you bum around like you're PMSing."
"Fuck you." I flip him off, but I do it with a smile.
"No, thanks, bro. That's Angelina's job," Jared smirks, and adds while I groan, "Pack meeting tonight at the club. Garrett wanted to make sure you knew. You haven't been answering your phone."
"It's off." I pull it out and wave it before powering it up. "Just needed some space."
"Yeah, I get it." Jared claps me on the back. "Welcome back to the land of the living."
"Thanks." I wave him out and square my shoulders. Now I just have to figure out how to fix this shit with Sheridan.
Once and for all.
TWELVE YEARS AGO
Trey
I SHOULD'VE EXPECTED it sooner, honestly. When I ride home from Garrett's and find Lance Green at my house, I realize I've been waiting for this moment since the first time I kissed his daughter.
He's sitting on our shabby couch, an untouched glass of water on the coffee table in front of him. My mom surges up from the armchair, a wild, frightened look in her eyes.
Who could blame her? Mr. Green is CFO of Wolf Ridge Brewery and sits at the very head of the pack after Emmett Green, Garrett's dad. My mom is the lowest of the pack-an omega. Which means keeping Lance happy is at the very top of her list, and I've fucked it up for her.
"Trey, honey," my mom chirps, twisting her hard-worked fingers together. "Mr. Green stopped by to see you."
I went still the moment I stepped in, but I force myself to incline my head in his direction now.
He walks toward me. "I'll have a word with you." He keeps going, right out the front door.
I follow him out, attempting a reassuring smile for my mom's benefit.
He walks down the steps and stands beside my motorcycle, arms crossed. He's glaring at it, like it's the monster dating his daughter instead of me. Or like it's the bike that killed his son.
"She got into Stanford."
"Yes, sir, I know."
His head snaps up, fury blazing in his eyes. "She doesn't want to go." He speaks through clenched teeth. "Because of you, no doubt."
I work to swallow. "I made sure she sent in her acceptance." I don't know why I said it-he's not going to find me to be the hero here by any stretch of the imagination.
He sneers like he doesn't believe me. "End it. You end things with her right now so she can go to college and focus on what's important-her education. I'm not going to let you screw up her whole goddamn life."
Despite the fact that he ranks way above me, my fingers curl into fists. Not at the insults to me, but because my wolf can't stand the threat to his claim. To the mating that hasn't yet been completed.
I somehow keep my upper lip from curling and showing my teeth. "I can't do that, Mr. Green."
In a flash, he tackles me to the ground, his hand around my throat. I hear my mom gasp from the doorway, and it's that sound that reminds me not to fight back. To surrender to his dominance.