When the Wolves Cry (Twin Flames Duet #1)

CHAPTER TWELVE

JAX

The siren still calls, even when she is not nearby. Flashes of her golden eyes and pouty lips play behind my eyes, phantoms of her maddening thighs wrapped around me, her fingers twisted up in my hair—riddle my body with a foreign desperation.

Dear God, her scent. Must be a damn love potion with how it’s infesting my mind.

Two days later, I can still hear her raspy breaths and smoky moans. Right in my fucking ear. I’ve been trying to distance myself, make her crave my touch to the point where she whines and withers and just fucking mounts me the next time she sees me.

I looked into Silas White thinking he’d be a strong lead in the direction of Pyro. Turns out, he’s just a shitty breeder in Fairbanks.

I’ll still kill him. He’s a piece of shit.

But my top priority is keeping Tala safe.

Granted, that’s a little bit more challenging at a distance.

Travis and Blaze flew out to Naples, Florida, otherwise I’d torture thosedumbassesfor some information. There’s no way in hell I’m leaving Anchorage without her. I learned my lesson of putting trust in someone else to keep their eyes on her and she was thrown over a shoulder that very well could’ve been Pyro’s dog.

Maverick didn’t think to rip his mask off and identify the dude. So, we don’t fucking know who it was.

“How welookin’ up there, son?” Damascus asks from ground level, holding the black pup in his arms.

Oh, shit. Did I not mention I’ve been hanging out with her father? Not that we’ve been kicking back with cigarettes and whiskey. I’ve been installing a security system around his four-hundred acres.

“Mighty fine, sir.” My voice carries from the tree house.

It’s neat up here. They have dog beds sporadically placed along the wrap-around porch, little lights strung up on the railing to illuminate it at night, and the windows allow me to see the solo bed placed inside.

Wonder why that’s there.

I drill the last screw in and straighten my damn spine, overlooking the wolves wandering around and sleeping on rocks.

Damascus frantically stashes his phone in his pocket. “Oh, shoot!” He takes off in a pretty quick sprint with Echo and the pup, making it seem as if something is wrong and starting a symphony among the wolves.

My brows furrow, and I head towards the stairs. The gates begin humming and creaking. With the way he just reacted, you’d think trouble was about to walk in. But the tingles invigorating my skin—tell me the siren is here.

I grin like hell, taking the steps and keeping my eyes on the gates rolling open to a magnificent creature.

Satan give me the strength to not pick this girl up, back her up into a tree, and take something she’s not ready to give to me.

My heart palpitates, leading me closer to a sight I’ve never seen before. She pays no mind to me as she pushes the button for the gates, walking through the gravel towards the quarantine unit the pup’s been in the past couple of days.

I usually have no problem watching her from the shadows, but the big glasses on her heart-shaped face and her raven silk done up like a damn waterfall has me jogging up behind her.

She’s wearing the dress she had on when the stars aligned and put us in each other’s path. This time, a tight turtleneck conceals my mark, and sheer tights encase her wild legs.

Drill in hand, I jog up to her side and slow my pace to hers, inspecting the clip in her hair before zeroing in on the red sucker she’s popping from her glossy lips.

She flinches, looking at me as if she’s seen a ghost. “What the fuck are you doing here?” She notes the drill in my hand, snapping her magical eyes back up to me. “Did you kill my dad?”

I lightly laugh and hold it up. “I think it’d be messy if I killed someone with it.” I press the button, cocking my head and inspecting the interest that flares in her eyes as she watches the drill bit spin.

What a curious little wolf she is.

I can help her with that.

She stops and pivots her curvy body towards me. Tactfully sucking on the sucker. And looking up through her lashes, over the rim of her black glasses.

She knows what she’s doing. She’s manipulating my mind with the image of what she’d look like taking my cock down her throat.

It pops from her lips, and she grins cunningly. “You didn’t answer my question…. Why are you here?”

Fuck. I want to suck the red right from her tongue.

I grab her free hand, lacing her little fingers with mine, and continue on towards the chain link fencing. “I helped your father install his security system.”

She wrinkles her nose. “How did he have your number?”

“I gave it to him.”

“When?”

“The other night.”

“Why? How?”

Static forms in my chest, filtering out an amused laugh. “I brought someone here and he asked for it.”

Vexation thins her eyes, and she wrangles her hand from mine. “Okay, well, you did what you got paid to do. So, go.” She plops the sucker back in her mouth and stomps ahead, fiercely rolling her hips.

Her mom steps through the gate of the quarantine unit, holding up two gray wolf pups and wearing a bubbly smile. “Honey! Come see what your boyfriend brought!”

What can I say? Her family enjoys me. But in my defense, I never told Evelyn I was her boyfriend. She unlocked the Visitor Center for me this morning and we got to talking about Tala. She asked if I knew anything about what happened with Liam or if he’s still bothering her.

I’m no liar. So—I told her I killed him.

She didn’t mind a single bit. Neither did Damascus. They’re accustomed to hearing about murder. And I’d really like to know how.

Tala spins around, face scrunched and hands gesturing,What the fuck?I remain neutral, heading towards the siren that’s trying to backpedal away from me. “Go see what your boyfriend brought, Tala,” I say cockily, and pull the sucker from her mouth.

“Hey!” She jumps up, attempting to swipe it from me as I put the sweet strawberry on my tongue. I groan in contentment, also to taunt her, and smile around the stick. “You’re an asshole,” she hisses, then turns back around and crunches the gravel with her fuck-me boots.

Evelyn is watching, face lit up with entertainment, so I do my best to not hungrily stare at the knuckle-biting waves crashing in Tala’s ass.

Tala stops to pet the pups Evelyn’s holding, cooing to them and being way too goddamn perfect.

I slip past her, lightly running my palm along her ass. Making it fucking worse for myself. I look long enough to catch the arch in her back, then take careful steps through the grass and over to Damascus who’s about to blow his damn back out from hauling a hollow log.

I set the drill down and stretch my hands out. “I can help you with that, sir,” I say politely around the sugar my girl was sucking on.

“If you wouldn’t mind,” he strains out, passing it off to me. “My goddamn back isn’t what it used to be. Just over by that tire is fine. Thank you, Jax.”

I nod and watch where I’m walking until I get to the tire. Crouching down, the little, black ball of fluff runs up to me, observing the hollow log I’m setting down for him.

“What’s up, dude?” I ask quietly, scratching his head.

Tala hasn’t seen him yet. Her parents think she might get emotional when she does.

And I’ll be right there to catch her tears.