What an amazing female. The perfect wolf. The perfect mate.

Zach slapped the back of his neck to stop the treacherous errant thought. Sara looked up startled.

“Mosquito.”

“Bet he’s really dead now.”

***

“You know, we should go out some time.”

Sara stopped. “So, let me guess. Is this ‘get the townie in to bed’ or do you and your buddies have a bet about who can nail the cripple?”

Zach turned and looked at her. Simply stared. But when that big grin spread across his face, Sara didn’t know whether to run or just scream for help. “You are one mean bitch.”

He didn’t say it with any malice. In fact, he sounded kind of… turned on. Sara took a step back. He took a step toward her. “I do make you nervous.”

“Bullshit.” Well, at least she sounded like she meant that.

Zach’s hand reached for her shoulder. Sara stood her ground even though she felt like high-tailing it out of there and heading home to her nice boring house. His fingers went to the Celtic tattoo on her shoulder. He traced the design with his forefinger. She felt her throat get dry and her pussy get wet.

“You know,” His voice was low, like a caress across her skin, “You are an amazing piece of work.”

She raised an eyebrow, “I’m a bitch. I know it and I’ve learned to accept that flaw in my character.”

“Sounds like you embrace it.”

“And if I do, what do you care?” Zach’s fingers slid past her tattoo and up to her throat. She fought the urge to flinch, thinking that he was going to touch the scarred part of her face. She’d never let anyone that close to her. Not her friends. Not her ex-boyfriends. Nobody. And she wasn’t about to let Zach get that close either. Besides, she was feeling that desire again. That desire to lick his tattoo or punch him in the stomach.

“Nice hat, by the way.” He muttered softly. So, it was going to be the punch in the stomach. Good. That she could handle.

Then she was down on one knee, the pain in her leg nearly blinding her. She gasped for air, trying not to scream. Trying not to die merely from the pain alone.

But this was Texas. Someone must have a gun here. Surely they could shoot her in the head, put her out of her misery. She wanted to yell, “Somebody kill me!” But she was gritting her teeth against just screaming blindly.

Until she felt strong arms around her and a deep voice in her ear, “Hold on. I got ya.”

“Get. Off. Me.”

She heard him chuckle, “Get the fuck over it.”

***

One minute she looked like she was about to punch him in the face, he knew that hat comment would get her, looking more and more aroused the more he touched her. Then she just dropped, biting back a scream of pure pain. And before heknew it, he was lifting her off the ground and taking her away as quickly as possible. He saw the others watching her. Smelling her weakness. Hearing the cry of pain she was desperately, admirably, trying to stifle.

He took her away from the rave. Into the woods that he and Conall had just been hunting a few hours before. They had found a small shack that had been deserted for what looked to be decades and it would give her some time to get over the pain. Get her strength back. And he would be there in case she needed some medical attention or something. He was just going to be there as her babysitter. Just what Yates asked him to do. Nothing more.

Yeah, right.

***

Sara felt herself being lowered onto something hard and sturdy. She opened her eyes, easy enough now that the pain had begun to subside, and looked around what appeared to be a less-than-pleasing shack.

“Where the hell am I?”

Zach lit a lantern that one of the Pack had left behind. “Feeling better?”

Sara looked down at the dirty, dust-covered cabinet she was sitting on. “Nice digs.”

“Well, you know, we try.” Zach stood in front of her. “So, feel better or what?”

Wow, he just radiated warmth and charm. “Much better thank you. I’m ready to go back.”

“No,” he stated simply.

Yup, she still wanted to punch him in the face.

“Does the pain get like that a lot?”

Sara shrugged casually, “No. Not really.” He knew she was lying. She saw it on his handsome face. “It didn’t used to, but lately…” Sara had to stop because suddenly she was crying. She had been fighting the pain and terror for months. She hadn’t even told Miki and Angelina. She didn’t want them to worry. They’d insist she go into the hospital. But Lynette had always warned “Hospitals only kill ya.” And, except for the constant pain, she’d been remarkably healthy her entire life. Besides, what exactly where they going to do for her now? After all these years? So she’d decided to just live with the pain. And she had. Successfully, in fact. Until now.

Sara buried her face in her hands and quietly wept for several moments. Until he touched her. Not on the shoulder or her knee. He touched her scar. Problem was she had successfully hidden it under her skirt. Her sexy slit wasn’t even on that side.

With a growl Sara’s hand shot out and grabbed his wrist before it could move further up her leg. “What the hell?”

“I needed you to stop feeling sorry for yourself. Only thing I could think of.” She tried to push his arm away, but it was like steel and it wasn’t moving. Didn’t help he was smiling at her. And that he had the sweetest smile she had ever seen. She wanted to slap that smile right off his face. Smug prick.