Annie Nicholas: The Beta

The wallet contained very little—some cash, ID, and an ATM card. No credit cards, gym memberships, business cards. Hell, it looked like her wallet, except her ID was fake. She gasped. Could his be? Who was Robert McKay?

Someone who lived in a rich area should have more. Nothing about Rob fit her expectations. Investigating him interested her far more than her ticket-to-wealth Nosferatu.

A snarl from the pits of hell tore through the night air. Her heart leaped straight into her throat. She dived toward the building, rolling to get momentum, and sprung onto her feet.

Approaching from the end of the street was a huge, dark werewolf. Amber eyes glowed as it stalked closer.

She shoved Rob’s wallet in her bra and palmed the thirty-eight special from her waistband. Some believed that women should carry small caliber handguns like a twenty-two or even a thirty-two, but that shit wouldn’t stop a two hundred pound man, let alone a vampire or shifter. Just piss them off enough to want to take their time tearing you limb from limb. So a large caliber gun was a necessity in her profession. Her easy-to-conceal gun packed power.

Standing with her legs braced apart, she aimed. “Don’t try it, fucker. This ain’t no pop toy.”

It didn’t listen, just kept pacing forward. Her breaths became ragged. Stupid idiot probably lost control of his beast and now she’d have to wound him. She squeezed off a warning shot next to his clawed foot. She didn’t kill for free.

The werewolf leaped from the ricochet of cement, rebounding off the building next to him with his feet, and sprung forward with incredible agility. This wasn’t the run-of-the-mill shifter out of control, he was a trained warrior.

Shit!

She twisted and ran, knees pumping to her chest with every ounce of speed she could gather while wearing heels. People would be amazed at how fast a terrified woman could move on stilettos. She’d had enough practice to be a gold medalist. Killing werewolves was easy, it was the not getting scratched or bitten part that made her run like a coward. She didn’t stand a chance at hand-to-hand combat with the thing, let alone outracing it. Her only chance lay with her car and her gun.

If that monster scratched her, then she’d be joining the pack. She didn’t play well with others. The irony of a slayer turned monster wasn’t lost on her. Actually, it happened more often than not, but she owned a special bullet to take care of herself if that ever occurred, and she’d take her destroyer on that last journey as well.

Heavy panting drew nearer as it closed the distance between them. She should have shot it dead when she had him in her sights. Jumping onto the hood of her silver gray sedan, Esther slid across it and landed on her feet. She swung around, aiming her thirty-eight special at her assailant’s chest, but nothing followed her.

She choked on her fear. Where’d it go? Crouching low behind the car, she kept the gun ready, scanning the area. Nothing. How could something that big vanish?

The thumping of her heart drowned out her hearing. She tried to take a deep breath, to find the calm void she escaped to while hunting monsters, but damn it, she was the prey this time. A chill ran down her spine.

Taking one hand off her weapon, she reached in her pocket for her car keys. She tugged at them, but they snagged on something. She yanked and yanked, but it wouldn’t budge. Her stomach cramped as the street remained quiet, almost as if it held its breath.

She glanced at the tangle of loose threads wrapped around the key ring and gave it another yank, but it only tightened the knot.

Hot breath blew on the back of her neck. She jumped in a lithe motion, landing on her feet, and spun around with her gun ready.

The creature plucked the thirty-eight special from her hands before she could pull the trigger. He discarded it over his shoulder like it was a toy. Towering two feet above her head, he glared with his iridescent amber eyes. His shoulders spanned at least twice her width.

“You are one big mother fucker,” she whispered, awe apparent in her voice.

He bared his teeth and lunged.

She pressed against the car as her body froze, then pried her eyes open when the end didn’t come.

The werewolf melted before her eyes as it transformed back to his human form. His fur shrank into pale white skin covering wiry muscles that slid back into place. The color of his irises darkened until she gazed into a set of sharp green eyes.

“You!” She placed her hands on Rob’s bare chest and tried to shove.

He didn’t budge an inch.

Rob was a werewolf? It took a moment for her thoughts to collect into something coherent, then she realized he was naked. Her prior imagination didn’t do his body justice. Fine sculpted muscles covered his torso, arms, and legs. She stared—no, she might as well be honest—she gawked.

His cock swelled under her observation.

She swallowed around a hard lump in her throat.

“You have something I want.” Rob placed a finger under her chin and dragged her gaze back to his face. He had something she wanted too.

With his hands, he patted her body. He yanked her car keys out of her pocket, tearing the tangle of threads, and dropped them to the ground. A growl rumbled deep in his chest. He spun her around, pressing her to the car.

Wetness pooled between her thighs. She wanted him to take her. Now. She didn’t care if the whole neighborhood watched.

He used his hip against her lower back to pin her as he continued to search for his wallet.

Pickpocketing the thing was the best decision she’d ever made. She squirmed under his hips until she felt his erect cock against her ass and leaned into it. Hearing his sharp intake of breath drove her devilish side crazy. She rubbed against him, inviting more than a little pat and tickle.

Rob propped his forehead against her hair. “Esther, what are you doing?”

“What do you think?” She rested her body along his. “I never would have guessed in a million years that you were a shifter.”

His hand slid over her abdomen. “Where’s my wallet?”

“In my bra.”

“Of course it is.” He sighed and held out his hand. “Can you give it to me?”

Still a gentleman. She knew he wanted her, and she offered herself on a freaking silver platter. The men she knew would have torn off her panties and been balls deep inside of her by now. “Come and get it.”

His grip on her tightened as he ground his cock against her. Slowly, he slipped his hand down her V-neck shirt. “Which side?”

She laughed, it sounded deep and sultry. “Guess.”

Going deeper, he cupped her left breast inside her bra, taking his time to search.

Her nipples hardened at the brush of his hand. She arched her back, craving more.

“Nothing here.” He switched hands and searched her right cup. “A-ha.” He pulled out his belonging then quickly returned his hand inside her bra. He pinched her nipple and rolled it between his fingers until she cried out. Then he retreated from her. “You’re beautiful, Esther, but I don’t bed women I can’t trust.”

She clung to the car and caught her breath.

As Rob strolled away from her he changed back to his beast form. She’d never watched the transformation before. The fluid way he changed and grew must have hurt like hell, but he didn’t utter a sound, just kept walking with his wallet in hand.

“Rob?”

The werewolf glanced over his shoulder.

“I’d let you tie me up if that would make you feel safer.”

Esther dozed with one eye open. All afternoon she sat in her car, parked a few houses from Rob’s, and watched nothing happen. As the place stayed quiet her thoughts drifted to neutral ground.