Trayis (VLG Series Book 11) Read online

  That wouldn’t have been the case if she’d purchased condoms from the pack store. Within half an hour everyone would know and be wondering why. It would put a huge target on her back to be the topic of jokes or worse, they’d start speculating on who she had bought them for.

  The Bitch Trio had seen her leaving the picnic with Trayis and might put it together. They’d gossip hard, twisting any details they made up into something to embarrass her for years to come.

  And a promise was a promise. She wasn’t going to break her word to Trayis to tell anyone about them, even if it meant leaving pack territory to venture into the human world to shop.

  She pushed the cart to her car in the parking lot, feeling relieved. That hadn’t been so difficult after all. Trayis may not want to have sex with her again, but she’d be prepared if he did. She’d also bought some sexier pajamas, still feeling a little regret over him seeing her in the kitten ones. They’d been a gag gift from Marcia on her twenty-third birthday months before. The thing was, she loved how soft and comfortable they were.

  Shay fished out her keys to unlock her trunk, dropped the bags inside, and closed it. She turned, looking for the nearest cart corral. She spotted one five parking spaces over and headed toward it.

  The hair suddenly rose on her arms, the feeling of being watched striking hard. She froze, glancing around.

  A young man with dark brown hair, piercing eyes the same color, stepped out from between a van and a large SUV in the next row. He locked gazes with her, and his nostrils flared. She realized the light wind was hitting her from her right, the flow of air traveling his way. The fact that he seemed to be smelling her put every fiber of her being on alert.

  He wasn’t human. It was daytime…which only left one option.

  The man approached slowly. She should have fled to her car, and would have…but there was something familiar about him. He wasn’t a part of her pack, though.

  Five feet from her, he stopped. Cars cruised past them, hunting for open parking spaces. She was safe in public. No way would he attack or cause a scene.

  “I’m not rogue,” she informed him.

  He studied her. “You’re a half-breed.”

  “Yes. But I belong to a pack. You can move along. I’m not committing a crime.”

  He just frowned at her.

  “What?”

  “You’re the first one I’ve ever seen.”

  He seemed more curious than threatening as she studied his face. It was tough to tell the age of Werewolves, but she’d guess he was anywhere between sixteen to early twenties, considering the way he dressed. He had big bones but looked as if he hadn’t grown into them yet, with his thin build. No animosity showed in his expression. He blinked, simply watching her back.

  A thought struck her. “Are you a half-breed? Do you belong to a pack?”

  He jerked as if she’d slapped him. “No. And yes, I belong to a pack. Why would you ask me that?”

  “No offense, but you seem to be wandering around aimlessly in a parking lot. I was just making certain you didn’t need help.”

  “Help?”

  “Yes. Like money. An introduction to my alpha to see if he could find you a home. I’m willing to do that if you need help.”

  “You think I’m some homeless rogue?” Anger flashed in his eyes.

  “You don’t look it, but if there’s one thing you should already know, it’s that looks are deceiving. All these humans around us aren’t aware that we’re different from them. I didn’t mean to insult you. I apologize. I’ll be leaving now.” She pushed the cart between the metal rails and turned, only to find him blocking her path to her car.

  “You don’t seem crazy to me.”

  She frowned. “Is that what you’ve heard? Half-breeds are all nuts? I’m sure that some are, but I was raised with a pack.”

  “That’s pretty rare.”

  She shrugged, figuring he must be from one of the three packs bordering hers. They weren’t big on humans. “Alpha Arlis took me under his protection.”

  He paled.

  “Are you okay?” She felt alarmed at his response.

  “I know who you are now.” His gaze scanned down her body slowly, and then back up to her face. He curled his lip up in disgust.

  She glanced around, seeing humans nearby, and acted without thought. She strode toward him and put her hand on his arm. “Close your mouth.”

  “Or what?” he growled.

  “Or someone will see those canines you’re sporting. Get control of yourself.” She released him and took a step back. “How old are you?”

  He hid his extended teeth and looked around. A faint redness showed in his cheeks, as if he were embarrassed by his slip. “Fifteen.”

  That was a tough age for boys. She remembered what Rod had gone through. Control had been an issue, with all the aggression that came naturally with hormones. She rubbed his arm to help ground him with touch. “Just take deep breaths. I get that you don’t like me for some reason, but there’re cameras in this parking lot and it’s full of humans.” She lowered her voice. “Focus on the contact. It helps. Air in. Blow it out. That’s it. Again.”

  He opened his mouth and ran his tongue over his now human-looking teeth. The sharp points were gone. “Why are you helping me?”

  “I’m not your enemy, kid. Regardless of what you’ve been told about half-breeds.”

  He jerked his arm out of her reach. “You are my enemy.”

  She backed away from him. “Whatever. I’m out of here. Have a good life—and be more aware when in public. My older brother had a hard time controlling his shifts, thanks to his strong emotions. He said closing his eyes and thinking about something peaceful helped. Try that method.” She stepped around him, heading toward her car.

  He suddenly reached out as she passed him and gripped her arm. It didn’t hurt but he got a firm hold on her.

  She turned her head, staring up at him. “Let go.”

  “You don’t have a brother. You have no family at all, Shay.”

  It shocked her when he spoke her name, and the harsh tone he used. “How do you know my name?”

  “I told you—I know who you are.”

  “How? Have we met before?”

  He stepped back, releasing her arm. “No. But I’ve heard all about you.”

  Now she was confused. “How? From who?”

  “You have no fucking clue who I am, do you?”

  “No. Should I?”

  “If you had family, I guess you’d call me your uncle. Not that I’d ever claim you.”

  She nearly dropped her purse in astonishment.

  He seemed familiar because she’d seen pictures of her father. The kid standing in front of Shay had her dad’s eyes and cheekbones. The mouth was different, his hair a lighter shade of brown, but the resemblance could be seen after she knew to look for it.

  “My parents didn’t share my existence with that fucked-up pack they were stuck in for a while. Your alpha may as well have banished them to hell when he stationed them away from the pack and cut them off from everyone. Arlis did that as payback for saying he was an unfit alpha.” He leaned in closer, glaring at her. “My mother had to give birth to me without a healer. My parents feared Arlis would steal me, and they’d lose a second son.”

  Still shocked, she did the math. He’d been born when she’d been about eight. Then his words penetrated. “What? Arlis wouldn’t have stolen you! They also weren’t cut off from the pack. Trust me. They had plenty of friends.”

  “Liar,” he sneered. “You’re the nasty result of what happens when an unfit alpha forces a great enforcer into mating, just because he stuck his dick in the wrong hole! My parents are still furious that Arlis got Marcus killed.”

  Shay felt like she’d been slapped. “Is that what they told you? That Arlis made my father mate my mother? You were lied to, kid. My father didn’t even tell Arlis he’d mated my mom until after he’d brought her home from California. He loved my mother.”