Page 7 of Taming of a Wolf

He’s leaving? He’s mad if he thinks I’ll let him walk away after I’ve only just found him—his necklace, that is. My place isn’t here, it’s back in my time, and that necklace is my key to getting home. This man is a complication I can’t afford.

Just as Jamie spins on his heel, I grab his wrist and haul him back to me. “Hand it over. Now.”

Jamie’s face whitens even further, the scent of his fear making my stomach churn. I’ve scared him. Damn it, why is guilt gnawing at me? I need that necklace. Nothing else matters. I’ve stepped over others all my life to get what I want. Using others is how I’ve survived.

“What the hell is your problem?” Jamie squawks.

“I need it!”

“You’re freaking crazy!”

A growl rumbles in my throat, and I yank him in closer. “Hand it over, or I’ll… I’ll…” But at his panicked gasp and the widening of his terrified blue eyes, the words lodge themselves in my throat. The growl cuts out as quickly as it began. My fingers loosen around his wrist of their own accord. My body, my very mind, can’t even comprehend hurting him, no matter how important that necklace is.

How am I supposed to take it from him if not by force? Damn it!

Oh no. Do I have to ask nicely? Must I beg?

I’d rather hurl myself back into the river.

“Would you…” I grind my teeth, trying to hold back the revoltingly weak words. “May I—” I clamp my jaw shut and squeeze, grinding my teeth. I have never asked anyone for anything before. All I could possibly want has always been given,and gladly, or I’ve taken it by force with my fangs, claws, or sword.

“May I please have your necklace?” I can’t even look at him and snarl the words at the ground, ears and face burning. “I need it to return to my timeline.”

There’s a long, breathless pause as Jamie and Jace look at each other, then back at me like I’ve grown five heads.

I swear to Odin, if I have to repeat myself, I may die from humiliation.

“Sure,” Jamie says, tone light and breezy.

I jerk my head up—and yelp as his fist crashes into my nose.

“Stay the hell away from us, you creep!” Grabbing Jace’s hand, Jamie tears off into the night as if Odin’s Wild Hunt itself is after him.

My nose heals in seconds, though I wish I could say the same for my pride, and I wipe away the blood with a scowl.

My mate just punched me and ran away.

Since when does anyone run from me?

Gods. Can I do nothing right in this place?

Well, I can’t let him get away. Not before I’ve gotten my hands on that necklace. It’s not because I’m drawn to him in any way. That would be foolish.

Get the necklace. Get home. Nothing else matters. If I have to, I’ll take a chosen mate the instant I’m back in my time. Nothing is coming between me and my goals, not even fate itself.

Drawing in a deep lungful of Jamie’s scent, I pursue him away from the river. His trail leads to a strange metal contraption I’ve never seen before. Jamie climbs inside, and the contraption roars to life, making me jump. What in Hel’s name is thatthing? Is it a horse? Is that how people get around in this world? I don’t see any horses to ride, so that must be it. Gods. Horses are terrifying in this timeline. The metal horse speeds Jamie away from me, moving faster than any horse from my time.

Damn it! I can’t lose him.

Ahead of me, a woman opens up the inside of her own metal horse thing. I cover the distance in moments. “You there! Step aside! I have need of your horse!”

“Get away from me!” She whips something small from her pocket, and the next thing I know, my eyes are on fire. Yowling, I cover them, wiping frantically to try and clear my vision. Tears stream down my face, blurring my sight as the woman climbs into her metal horse and hurtles away.

My eyes may be compromised, but my sense of smell has only heightened to make up for it. Jamie’s scent lingers on the breeze. I must follow it. Nose to the air, I pursue Jamie’s scent, wiping my streaming eyes as I go. My vision slowly clears as my healing repairs whatever damage that woman did to my eyes. What was that substance she sprayed me with? It burned like silver. Could she have been a hunter? How else would she have known silver is our weakness?

Unease twists in my belly. I round the corner onto a street bustling with activity. People flood the streets, some carrying small children, others walking dogs of all sizes. They rush past, chatting to each other or into strange handheld objects I’ve never seen before. Humans, all of them. I’m surrounded by humans, my clan’s greatest enemies. Not a single one of them smells like I do or even looks like me. They’re all different, and where I’m from, anything different is a threat.

My wolf snarls below the surface, and my heart races faster than a rabbit. Sweat dampens my palms. Jamie’s scent is lost to me among a sea of other smells. I try and swallow, but my throat is dry as a bone.

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