Page 136 of The Hunger
My only reason for attending the mate run was to support Fenris. As much as I wished I could somehow step up and put a stop to Raiden’s insanity, I couldn’t. At least, not in a way that would count in his eyes. Today would have to run its course, and when Fenris didn’t fall nose over tail for some random girl like Raiden planned, that would be the end of it. Hopefully.
While my thoughts fast-forwarded to cuddling with Fenris tonight, I took the last turn on auto-pilot.
“Crap on a cracker!” I slammed on the brakes to avoid rear-ending a car parked in the middle of the road. Fast reflexes and amazing tires were the only things that saved me from crashing into it.
Heart pounding, I looked beyond the car in front of me and saw the vehicles blocking the road. The number far surpassed what had been there for the last run. Not looking forward to the long walk, I backed up to the previous road and parked on the shoulder to avoid being hit.
The jacket from Mrs. Quill kept me warm as I weaved my way through the cars. Each exhale created a white cloud that quickly faded, but the fingers of my hand gripping my bag didn’t get cold. I smiled slightly at the small sign of progress, thanks to Fenris’s rule-breaking.
An occasional, distant howl broke the silence, leaving me to my thoughts until a wolf darted out in front of me. The sudden appearance, there and gone again, brought me to a stop. It was a good thing, too, because not a moment later, several more wolves did the same.
While the rest continued, one paused and began to shimmer. A young woman close to my age crossed her arms and glared at me.
“You’re on pack territory.”
“By invitation.”
Her form shimmered again. Once more in her fur, she bared her teeth at me and ran off in the direction the others had gone. I stared after her for a moment, knowing she wouldn’t be the only one to show me I wasn’t welcome here. Hopefully, all future displays would be as harmless as hers.
By the time I reached the parking lot, I’d been stopped three more times. However, only one of those females had bared her teeth at me. The other two hadn’t done more than shimmer and run away once I told them I was there by invitation. But, Jenna made up for the unfriendly encounters by excitedly waving at me from where she leaned against a tree.
“It’s nice to see a fully clothed person,” I said with a slight smile.
“I bet. Word’s already spreading there’s a succubus on pack territory. It won’t take long for Fenris to hear.”
“Where is he?”
She shrugged. “You know how he is. He’ll stay as hidden as possible until it’s time for the run to start. Ready to get out of the cold?”
“Very.”
With Jenna at my side, no one else stopped me. However, based on the stares, more than a few were still silently questioning my presence. I wondered how many would go running to Raiden.
“Mom’s making double chocolate cookies,” Jenna said. “Sweets aren’t her specialty, but I told her they’re your go-to food when you’re hungry.”
“That’s very nice of her. She didn’t need to do that, though.”
Jenna’s grin reminded me so much of Fenris’s mischievous one.
“Of course she did. She’s worried you’re going to get hungry and feed off of me. The cookies are preventative in her way of thinking, and having you over is the only way I’m going to get to eat them. If you look extra hungry when we go in, she might make a cake, too.”
Just like Fenris, I thought with a smile.
The plate of cookies Jenna’s mom handed me wasn’t necessary, though. The minute we walked into Jenna’s room, I sensed Fenris’s lust. I waited in the middle of the room, holding my cookies, while Jenna closed the door.
“Where’s he hiding?” I asked.
Jenna stole a cookie off the plate.
“Fenris? Who knows? There probably isn’t an inch of woods that isn’t crawling with mate-run-crazed females right now.”
“Which is probably why he’s here,” I said, handing her the plate and dropping my bag.
Her eyes rounded, and she looked over her sparsely furnished room.
“Here?” She inhaled deeply and shook her head. “I don’t think so. I would smell him.”
Someone knocked on her door, and she hurried to answer it.
