My Neighbor is a Wolf

Chapter Three

Hunter

Friday Morning

I hesitated on bringing Rachael to my apartment. It meant carrying her through the magical barrier into the section of the building for the non-human tenants. If she didn’t accept us, this could be bad news. But my apartment was clean and I needed new clothes. Plus, there was nothing that a hospital would do that couldn’t be done here and better. I needed to know she would be okay and something told me that I could trust her.

Liliana, a vampire and doctor, had just gotten home from her overnight shift at the hospital when she heard the commotion from next door. It had not been easy trying to get Rachael into my apartment. She quickly stitched her up, only needing to put in a couple, then called one of our other neighbors, Benny.

He was a kitchen witch who specialized in medicinal properties. There was a pot of tea brewing that should help with the pain and fight off any infections on top of speeding up healing. Between Liliana’s expert care and Benny's magical brewing, I had a feeling Rachael would be okay. Though she would probably still have to stay off her feet for a few days, at least she wouldn’t be miserable.

The door to my bedroom creaked as I peeked inside to check on her. She slept peacefully on my bed, my black sheets draped across her body. I had washed the dried blood off her as best I could without being too invasive before slipping a pair of my sweatpants over her bare legs. My apartment was typically kept colder to compensate for my higher core temperature and I didn’t want her to be uncomfortable.

Satisfied she was still okay, I gently shut the door behind me and returned to my neighbors sitting at my small kitchen island. I had put on a pair of shorts while Liliana was caring for Rachael. Though they had seen it all before, now wasn’t the time to be walking around my place like I lived in a nudist colony.

“Still sleeping?” Liliana asked while tracking my movements across the top of her mug.

“Yeah.” I picked up my own mug full of coffee as I answered, then chugged half of its lukewarm contents to try and stifle the impending exhaustion overtaking my body. The sun was beginning to rise and usually I was already passed out for the day.

I scrubbed my face with my hands, scratching the hairs of my beard in thought. Rachael's door was still busted up. I had gotten it closed earlier but if anyone looked too closely, it wouldn't look good.

“Hey Benny, can you do me a favor? Will you see about getting Rachael's door fixed? You've got more contacts in this town and I don't want anyone thinking the worst and calling the cops.”

“Sure thing.”

“Oh, maybe change the locks, too?”

“Consider it done. You still planning on leaving for your hunting trip tomorrow?”

“Maybe,” I answered, having forgotten about it until that moment. Would I still go? The full moon was on Saturday and if I didn't hunt…

“Well what about my dinner party on Sunday? I think Theo and Azalea are going to be back from their trip and are planning on coming! I'm so excited to start celebrating the holidays.”

“I don’t know,” I mumbled.

I had never actually planned on going in the first place. Parties were definitely not my thing, even if I knew everyone. Though it would be nice to see Theo. He was a dragon shifter who lived in the fourth apartment and, up until last month, kept to himself. For as long as I lived here, he never ventured out unless hidden in the shadows. He wasn’t very trusting, being the last of his kind. It had been nice finally meeting him when Azalea helped him feel more comfortable among the humans.

Azalea was a coven witch who owned an antiquities shop in town. Us paranormal beings knew that her store was filled with all sorts of magical things. Our short conversations always elated me, even if I barely understood what she was talking about half the time.

Contemplating if I should just bite the bullet and go, I downed the rest of my coffee and walked to the pot to pour another cup.

“Dude, you look like Liliana after she's done a twenty-four hour shift at the hospital,” Benny said. He probably wasn't wrong. I needed a shower and sleep but I couldn't do that until I knew Rachael wasn't going to try and run as soon as she woke up.

“And what's that supposed to mean?” Liliana glared at him.

“It means he looks like a vampire who has been out in the sun all day. Come on Lil, keep up.” Benny was the only one to laugh at his poor attempt at a joke.

“You’re a fucking dumbass, Benny.” Liliana rolled her eyes as he stopped laughing. These two bickered like siblings and most days I had to play peace negotiator so they could be in the same room together. I cleared my throat, effectively silencing the both of them.

“I don’t want to go to bed until I know she’s okay,” I said. “And that she isn't going to try to leave right away.” Benny and Liliana nodded. They were probably thinking I didn't want Rachael to go blabbing about us. While that was true, I was less concerned with that aspect. Humans needed a magical escort to enter past the barrier, though they were free to exit through it on their own. There was no way for them to simply stumble upon our retreat from the outside world.

Plus, who would believe her anyway? Sure, maybe a few would be suspicious, but without proof, there was no way for her to get people on her side. An apartment of supernatural beings living under everyone’s noses. Even I barely thought it was possible.

No, the reason I wanted her around was because the wolf in me had laid claim to her. I needed her to stay. To pin her down to my bed and make her squirm under my touch. To trace my tongue along every sensitive area on her body and see what she tasted like. To feel the way she squeezed me as I knotted inside of her and had her screaming my name. To—

“Earth to Hunter.” Liliana snapped her fingers in front of my face before throwing a thumb over her shoulder. “We've got company.”

My eyes followed to where she was pointing and sure enough, Rachael was leaning against the doorframe. Her bandaged foot was propped up on her toes and a sweat coated her forehead.

I rushed to her, stopping short when I noticed her body tense.

“Hey,” I whispered. “Are you okay?” Of course she isn't okay and I am definitely not helping the situation by making it even more awkward with my dumbass questions.

“Yeah. Well I mean…” She lifted her foot in response. Then she smiled and my chest tightened. It wasn’t the one that made the corner of her eyes crinkle. Gods, I would give anything to see that smile more often. No, this smile was sad and more forced, like she was trying to not only convince me, but herself.

Her cheeks reddened when she met my eyes. I resisted the urge to reach out and run my thumb along the blushed skin. I knew I had to look like a lovesick teenager right now. She cleared her throat, not that she needed my attention. She already had it completely. “But I um, I really need to pee.”

“Yeah, of course. Can I help?” I offered her my hand and hoped she would take it. She looked down at it, hesitating, then placed her palm in mine. Her fingers were soft and chilled against my own calloused and hot skin. She took a step, tumbling slightly when she put weight on her injured foot. Both of her hands clamped down on my forearms. I turned my own hands to gently grasp her arms and keep her steady.

“We'll just be going,” Liliana called to us. Rachael peeked around me but I kept my back to them, offering nothing more than a grunt as the soft click of the front door let me know of their departure.

My apartment fell silent, the only sounds being the noise of the town outside the windows. Even those faded away when Rachael returned her gaze to me. Never had I occupied space so close to her before. If I had, I wouldn't have been able to stop the wolf inside me from claiming her. It was taking every ounce of control I had to not take her right then.

Her scent was intoxicating and I took a deep breath to solidify it in my mind. I wanted to remember it long after she left.

Rachael tried to take another step, her nails biting into my skin as her face scrunched. A hiss left her lips and I knew she was trying to hide how much pain she was really in. I didn’t think before I scooped her up into my arms, not dwelling too long on how she immediately wrapped her arms around my neck.

“Hunter, I don’t–” she started, but I cut her off.

“Let’s cut it out with the fake protesting cause we both know you’re fine with this. You’re in pain and there’s no need for you to be walking around.”

She huffed in response, like a toddler who had just been told no to dessert before dinner. A smile spread across my lips as she settled against my chest without further complaint.

I walked us to the bathroom, flipping on the light with the hand under her legs. The four bulbs over the mirror filled the space in a luminescent glow. It wasn’t anything too fancy but there was a separate shower stall and bathtub, which was a nice feature. Because there were less apartments on this floor, the floor plans were bigger. It was a huge selling point for me so I had more room when I shifted. I didn’t feel the need to go camping in the woods for a weekend outside of my hunting trip just to let my fur hang loose.

I made my way over to the toilet, setting Rachael on her feet as gently as possible in front of it. She swayed slightly and I held onto her waist. Her body was inches away from mine, close enough that I felt her little huff of air across my bare chest. I looked down, meeting her narrowed eyes.

“What?” I asked, unsure what she wanted. She looked adorable like this but I had better sense than to tell a woman she looked cute when she was mad.

“Can I have some privacy?” Her eyes darted from my outstretched arms and back up.

“No.” Rachael tried to interrupt but I pressed on. “I have zero faith in your ability to do this on your own. Just a few minutes ago, you couldn’t even take a step without stumbling.”

Her lips formed a tight line. She was trying to come up with a rebuttal but was having a hard time. We both knew I was right. This had turned into a game of who was going to give in first. The problem was I never backed down from a challenge.

“Fine,” she muttered. I reached around her and lifted up the toilet seat cover while she shoved the sweatpants down from her hips. They pooled at her feet but her oversized shirt offered her privacy as I helped her sit down. When I was certain she wouldn’t fall over, I released my hold on her waist and stepped back until I hit the bathroom vanity. But my eyes never left hers.

Everything about this woman called to me in a way that it hadn’t before today. Being in her presence, touching her and talking with her, was a totally different ball game compared to our limited interactions in passing. I wanted more. My soul craved it. Even though I knew there was a chance she would leave my apartment screaming the first chance she got.

She cleared her throat, annoyance dripping from her tense posture and brows furrowing at my looming presence. Once again, we were engaged in a staring contest to see who would break. I could have left now that she was sitting, but there was a part of me that found this back and forth we had started very entertaining. I crossed my arms across my bare chest, casually leaning against the faux marble counter. A smile tugged at the corner of my lips.

“You could, at the very least, turn around.” She rolled her eyes as she spoke.

“I could, but where would the fun be in that?”

“Hunter,” she warned and I heard the threat in her voice. Why was I playing a game with a woman who held my life in her hands? Okay, so that may be a bit dramatic but I was still taking a risk. Playing nice would get me a lot further, even if it wasn’t as much fun.

I turned my back to her, casually leaning on my hip against the faux marble counter. Out of the corner of my eye, I could see Rachael in the mirror. She was fiddling with the hem of her shirt with her injured foot stretched out in front of her. I could just make out some dried blood on the inside part of her other leg.

“I’m guessing this is your place?” she asked, her knee now bouncing anxiously.

“Yeah, I was worried about you. I didn't want to take you to the hospital and them ask a bunch of questions. Plus, a friend of mine is a doctor anyway so she did your stitches. And your place is still a mess from everything. Plus your door…” I trailed off. Oversharing was a nervous habit of mine.

Most people would have interrupted me but when I looked at Rachael she had a smile on her face. When I caught her gaze, she looked down at her hands, fiddling with the waistband of my sweats.

“Thank you. For last night.” Her voice was small and I almost missed her words.

“You don't have to thank me.”

“I do. If it weren't for you…” She stopped and looked up at me. A single tear fell from her eye. I gave her a slight nod, trying to express without words that it was okay. Her attention returned to her hands and that was the end of that conversation.

“Which apartment number is this? I didn’t think any of them were this big. Plus, I’ve never seen you coming and going from any. Just always in the laundry room.”

Leaving her question unanswered, I grabbed a clean washcloth from under the sink then walked over to the bathtub and turned on the water. Yes, I was avoiding answering her question. I lathered it up with some of my body wash and when I turned around, Rachael was finishing her business. Her smile was long gone.

“Here,” I said, offering her the washcloth. She took it from me, her brow raised as she looked between the rag and me. “You have some dried blood left on your leg. I had tried to get up as much of it as I could earlier without being creepy.” I pointed to the spot I was talking about.

“Oh,” she whispered. She scrubbed at the spot and the blood disappeared as she did. I watched her face as she worked, her eyes growing sad and her skin paling slightly. A pang of guilt squeezed my heart and I chastised myself for being a jackass. She would have already been resting again if I had just helped her to the bathroom in peace.

Something in the air shifted. An awkwardness fell over us from my silent refusal to answer her question and I no longer knew what to do or say. I knew I needed to tell her everything but I thought I would have more time. At least until after she had healed. Rachael finished quickly, handing me back the cloth where I tossed it on the edge of the tub. I would deal with it later.

“Alright, sweetheart.” I stepped in front of her, pushing my luck by placing my hands on her waist without permission. “Time to get you back to bed.” She stood up, bringing the sweatpants up with her as she did. I picked her up and carried her back to the bedroom, hoping her lack of protest meant she was starting to trust me. When we made it to the bed, I helped her get settled and pulled the blankets over her legs.

“Let me know if you need anything. I’ll just be out in the living room.” I turned to leave, fighting the urge to stay when her words made me stop. Even if she did trust me, there was no guarantee I would be able to control myself. The object of my desire was in my bed and it wasn’t easy denying my wolf what it wanted.

“I’m sorry.” Her voice was so quiet and filled with pain. My chest tightened. How could this woman believe for even one second that she did something wrong? I spun on my heel, facing her as a stray tear slid down her cheek. She hastily wiped it away and looked down at her hands in her lap.

“Why the hell are you sorry?” I knelt down next to the bed, taking her chin between my thumb and finger. I urged her to look at me and unshed tears shined in the corners of her eyes. “I’m the one who broke into your apartment, essentially trashing it, and turned into a…” I paused, catching myself before I said too much and actually scared her off.

“A wolf?”

I looked up, surprised at her words, but even more surprised to see her completely calm.