Lover Betrayed (Betrayed #2) (3 page)

So here it is Monday morning at 5am, with my alarm clock blaring so loud it could wake the dead. Yep you heard me right five fucking o’clock in the morning. I moan, roll over and smack the sleep button on the alarm. I snuggled back into the blankets ready to fall back asleep when I hear an annoying banging on my door.

“Wake up sleepy head
you’re going to be late!” Sam yells while banging repeatedly on my door.

“Can’t a bitch sleep around here?” I ask groaning and burying my face into my pillow.

“No! Get your butt up!” she yells, “Coffee is ready,” she adds while walking away back down the hall.

I’m thinking the only thing other than coffee
that is going to wake me up at this time in the morning is a very cold shower. So I crawled out of bed and headed straight for the shower. Then it’s down stairs and straight for the coffee pot.

I passed the gate entrance with a wooden sign hanging between two
posts that read MacGriogair Wolf Ranch. After following the dirt road surrounded by oak trees for about a mile I pulled up in front of the largest log cabin I’ve ever seen. I leaned my head close to the dashboard, looked out the front window of my truck and looked up. The log cabin was two stories high. The front is covered in large windows overlooking the front of the ranch property. To the right there is a long covered walkway leading to the barn that’s attached to the side of the house. The other end of the walk way is attached directly to the log cabin style barns side entrance.

I got out of my truck and looked around me. I didn’t see anyone anywhere. The only noise was coming from the horses inside the barn. I decided my best bet would be knocking on the front door to see if Alasdair was
inside the house or at least a housekeeper.

I lifted my hand to pound on the door when it swung wide open almost knocking me backwards.
A strong hand reaches out and caught me.

“Be careful there little lady. We don’t
want to fall and get hurt now do we?” said the man with a heavy accent.

I righted myself and looked up at him, “I’m fine. Thank you.”

“Well sweat cheeks I know you’re fine. Now what can I do for you?” he asked with a cheesy ass smirk on his face and leaned against the doorframe.

I laughed, “Well for starters you can stop flirting because it’s not going to get you
anywhere and then you can point me into the direction of Alasdair.” I said putting my hands on my hips.

He straightens from the doorway and stalks towards me in slow lazy movements. Almost
like a cat stalking a mouse. He walks right up to me and places his hands over mine on my hips, bends down and breathes into my ear, “well then what will work on you?” he purrs.

I removed my hands from underneath his and place
d them on his shoulders. He took that as an invitation and stepped closer into my body. I made sure I had a firm grip on his shoulders and lifted my right knee up right into his balls.

He yells out and hits the deck cupping his man hood. I bend down over top of him and said, “
There’s not one fucking thing in this world you could ever do that will work on me. So get that through your lick fucking head now or me and you will have some serious fucking issues.” I reached down and patted him on his cheek while he was still groaning in pain, “you feel me now asshole?” I asked and stepped over him into the house.

I just got past the
doorway when Alasdair came walking down the stairs. He stopped in front of me and looked over my head at the man lying on the deck floor. I assumed Alasdair would start yelling but instead he threw his head back and let out a deep belly laugh.

“
Well Travis, that ought to teach you not to mess with Jessi,” he says in between fits of laughter.

I looked up at him completely confused. Now I know I just k
need either one of his friends in the balls or one of the other workers. Either way you would think Alasdair would be pissed. However, this giant of a man was laughing his ass off. I’m not even sure I know what to say to that. Therefore, I didn’t say anything and laughed right along with him. I mean after all it was funny as hell. That’s what he gets for acting like a douche.

“So, since you’re
too busy laughing I’m assuming you’re not pissed I just kneed him in the balls?” I asked looking up at Alasdair.

He looked down at me,
smiled, draped his arm around my shoulders and led me into the kitchen while laughing even harder.

“Hey kiddo take a seat,” he says while patting a bar stool at the
kitchen island.

I took my seat, placed my elbows on the counter, and watch
ed him move around the kitchen with fluid grace. For such a big man he really does move majestically. Almost light footed, like a ballerina.

I was so deep in my own thought I didn’t even realize he moved. “Hey I may move with grace but I sure as hell
ain’t no damn ballerina,” he says plopping the glass down in front of me.

I damn near jumped out of my skin. “How in the hell? I didn’t say that aloud did I?” I stammered out turning three shades of red.

He laughed and said, “Nope” and tapped his finger to his temple. “I can hear thoughts. It’s my gift. That’s why I was laughing at you at the dealership. Just don’t climb on me like a jungle monkey and we’ll be okay.”

“Oh well that’s embarrassing.” I said sheepishly.

He smiled and shrugged, “nothing to be embarrassed about.”

I chose to pretend
that never happened and changed the subject. “So, what will I be doing?”

“Well, you’re
gonna be in charge of all the mangy mutts and cats around here and you’re going to be training the cuttin’ horses.”

“So I’m guessing we are not talk
ing about regular everyday cats and dogs, right?”

“You guessed
right,” he said smiling at me again.

“Okay. If you
don’t mind me asking, why am I in charge of the hired hand?” I asked him slightly confused as to why he did not leave someone he knows in charge.

“Well because you
’re as mean as a rattle snake and have one hell of a bite and that’s what these lazy bastards need,” he said and patted me on the shoulder. “Come on kiddo I’ll show you around the house and barn. Then I’ll take you for a drive around the property so you can get familiar with everything around here.”

“Alright let’s do this.”

I followed him around the house, downstairs and upstairs. He showed me everything from the food pantry to the offices and the living room downstairs to the bedroom and suits up stairs. Apparently, he uses this as the pack house as well. Which explains why one man needs such a big house in the first place.

Everything around the house was made of wood and l
eather. This whole place was immaculate from top to bottom.

After we finished the tour of the house
, he took me outside to the barn. The barn had twenty horse stalls, a tack closet the size of a medium sized apartment and finally the office. We walked in and it was just as big as the tack room with a large expensive solid oak desk. It had storage closets for the filing cabinets and extra supplies, a large bay window behind the desk, and a large sliding glass door with a small deck outside overlooking the pond and mountains.

“Wow,” I muttered.

Alasdair walked up beside me and looked out the sliding glass door. “It’s a beauty isn’t it?”

I looked over at him and smiled, “this place is just breath taking.”

“Well, this is one of your offices. The other is in the main house on the second floor in one of the suites.”

“I only need one office and I don’t need the suite. I have a place to live.”

“Well kiddo, around here sometimes you work too late to be driving home at night and sometimes you might get stuck here due to the weather. Therefore, I thought it would be a wise decision for you to have your own room just in case. Besides, sometimes these animals around here get to damn noisy to think in the barn,” he says putting his hand at the small of my back and leading me back outside. “And I wasn’t talking about the horses,” he said chuckling.

I
did not have a reply to that. After all, he knows the place and how it is around here better than I do. So I decided to keep my mouth shut and just nodded my head.

The drive around the property was even more breath taking. I
have not ever seen such naturally beautiful landscape before. I mean this place really is exquisite. Alasdair pointed out what ponds or lakes were safe to swim in. He also showed me a few hiding spots in case I needed to get the hell away from the guys. He said they can be a handful and to not take any shit from them. Considering everyone I met, well the two I have met are assholes I’m sure I will have my hands full. I’m really not looking forward to meeting everyone else if they all act like this.

Well, they say a first impression always sticks. I tell you what they damn sure were not lying with that assessment. By the end of the day I managed to break one guys arm, another’s wrist, someone’s nose and the rest of the day continued on just like that. My first impression is turning out great.

I never in my life met such a bunch of horny, perverted, pushy,
overbearing assholes. Around here guys seem to think no is yes and fuck off means mount me. I mean really. What the fuck are these idiots thinking? Half way through the day I stopped arguing with them and just started breaking body parts. I didn’t care what body part it was, just whatever was closest to me at the time. I may have caused a few men to never bare children. But oh well, next time they will learn there damn lesson. I need to have a talk with their mama’s is what I need to do. Because these boys should have had their asses whipped a long time ago and I wouldn’t have to be putting up with their shit now.

I just finished the last of my paperwork for the day when Travis came bursting through my office door.

“Come quick!” he yells and dashes back out the door.

I take off after him at a full run. He jumps into the back of a truck and yells, “come on get in we have to hurry!”

I jumped up into the bed of the truck and sat down. Travis beat on the roof to let Justin know we were safely inside the truck bed.

“What’s going on Travis?” I asked bouncing around the bed of the truck. The faster Justin drove the more we bounced and the more bruised my ass became.

“One of our horses is stuck in a ridge on the south side of the river.”

“Okay so walk him out. Why the
urgency?” I asked frustrated.

“The river is a damn rapid. We managed to get the horse closer to the bank so she can hold her footing better
but a damn mountain lion has her trapped with two of our men. Every time they move an inch she strikes out and you can imagine what the damn horse is doing. It’s freaking the fuck out and the guys are trying to keep her as calm as possible. The damn mountain lion tore them all to hell. They’ve been able to at least keep a hold of the mare but it’s becoming more and more difficult by the second.”

“So what
you’re telling me is this mountain lion is whipping three werewolf’s asses and what about you? Aren’t you a werelion for fucks sake?” I asked throwing my hands in the air exasperated.

“Yes but you don’t understand. This bitch is a mountain lion,” he said like, duh.

I counted to ten in my head and prayed to god for patience. I let out a deep breath, “Okay obviously I’m completely missing something here. So why don’t you enlighten me.”

Travis looked up and the truck came
to a quick sudden stop. I flew forward landing on my hands and knees. Travis jumped off the side of the truck and held out his hand for me to take, “come on girly, we’re hear and you’re about to find out what I mean.”

I grabbed his hand and let him help me down. We walked around the back of the truck to a ledge and looked down. In front of my
eyes there stood the biggest fucking lion I’ve ever seen. I turned on Travis and scowled at him. “That” I said pointing down into the ridge, “is not a fucking normal mountain lion. What the fuck is that thing?”

The damn cat on all fours is as tall as I am standing up. No mountain lion is that goddamn big. The mare was standing on the edge of the water raring up while
the two men tried to hold her still and dodge the cats swiping paws at the same time. I rubbed my face with both of my hands, “this is a fucking nightmare. What exactly am I supposed to do to help that you guys haven’t already tried?” I asked both Travis and Justin.

“Well
, we figured you would figure it out Boss Lady,” said Justin.

I glared at him, “thank you
Captain Obvious.”

Justin just shrugged his shoulders looking at me like
, ”what you asked?”

I turned to Travis, “any bright ideas there Cowboy?”

“Nope,” he said popping the P. “That’s what we came and got you for. You’re the boss you figure it out,” he said as if it was a no brainer.

“Okay,” I breathe
d out.

I reached down and started taking my boots off.

“Um Jess what exactly do you think you’re doing?” Travis asked.

“Yeah why are you taking your boots off?” Justin piped in.

I looked up from my boots, “well you just said I’m the boss and I had to figure it out,” I said in a duh tone.

“By taking your boots off?” Justin asked while lifting his right eyebrow.

Travis patted Justin on the back, “don’t worry man she’s got it,” he said reassuringly.

I walked away from both of
them muttering curses under my breath and wishing them severe violence and a painful death.

I found an incline I could actually get down without breaking my neck in the process. I climbed down with ease and looked in the direction of the animals and two men. I swear every time I look at that fucking lion it gets bigger.

I walked forward silently and taking in slow deep breaths. What in the gods name do they think I can do? They’re the men around here, shouldn’t they be taking care of this? I rubbed the back of my neck muttering, “Man oh man” under my breath repeatedly.

I m
oved further to the left trying to keep behind the beasts back and out of sight. I just moved my left foot and brought it down. Yep you guessed it. Right on top of a goddamn stick and of course it had to make the loudest damn crack.

The mountain lion whipped its head around into my direction. We both stayed still not moving staring straight into each other’s eyes. If I wasn’t scared shitless right now I would actually be able to enjoy the beauty of this magnificent beast. It had copper colored eyes, a beautiful gold coat, a white under belly, and white paws.

I made the slightest hand movement trying to signal the guys to go ahead and move the horse and themselves out of harm’s way. I couldn’t look to see if they got the hint or not for I was afraid if I made the smallest movement the mountain lion would either charge me or turn on them and attack again.

As large as this thing was
I really think it was only playing with them. If it really meant to hurt them one swipe of its massive paw would have decapitated them or done a hell of a lot more damage than what was done.

Right now all they had was deep scratches all over them. They really did look worse than they were. Good thing they are were animals they’ll heal it in about an hour or so.

I took the chance to take my gaze off the lion to look to see if the guys and the horse where out of the way. Unfortunately, the lion turned its head in their direction at the same time I did. The lion hunched down on its hind legs ready to spring. I leaped forward and grabbed it by the tail.

It let out a hiss growl and turned on me. “Run!” I screamed at the guys. I turned on my heels and took off running as fast as I could. I looked around me to see if there was an easier way out of this ridge. If I went back the same way I came it would take too long to climb and that damn cat was right on my heels.

Up ahead I saw an incline that I didn’t have to literally climb up. I got another burst of energy now that I knew there was a way out. I pushed myself harder to move faster. I hit the incline at a dead run and almost lost my footing. The lion leaped over my head and landed right in front of me on top of the ledge. I dove underneath its belly sliding between its legs and rolled to my feet once I got past its hind legs. The lion followed my movements. Once I stood up fully, it whipped its head around and I took off again like a bullet out of a shotgun.

I could feel the beat’s breath on my neck it was so close. I didn’t dare look back. I guess the mountain lion got tired of me running because one minute I’m running for my life and the next I’m flying through the air landing head first into a mud puddle.

“Mother fuck that hurt!” I yelled to know one in particular.

I stood up and
assessed the damage. I made sure all ten toes and ten fingers were still intact. After all, I am barefooted. I moved my head in a circular pattern to make sure my neck was ok. Next, I reached my arms over my head and bent my back backwards slightly to make sure my spine was okay. I brought my hand down on top of my head and that’s when I felt it.

I whipped around and screamed
at the lion, “Oh hell no! You know how long it takes me to wash this rat’s nest you crazy bitch!” At this point I didn’t give a rats ass if it was just an animal or if it was a were. No one and I mean no one fucks with my hair!

I charged that bitch and shifted
midair into an eagle. I heard gasp from behind me. I guess the guys finally caught up. I swooped down and sunk my claws right into the lions left eye.

The lion swiped
its big paw at me and I dove out of the way. I guess I over estimated that because I hit the ground again after turning back into human form to land in a better position.

I s
tood up and faced the lion. It was rubbing its paw over its sliced up eye. “Well at least I know you bleed just like I do,” I muttered.

The lion
must have heard me because it looked up and charged again leaping into the air. I leaped and change form into a lion colliding with it in midair. Our bodies hit with a hard thud. I don’t know what this damn thing is made of but god do I feel like I just threw myself off a ten-story building. It may look fluffy and cute but this bitch was built like a shit brick house.

We rolled on the ground over and over again,
both of us fighting to be on top. I struck the lion in the face with my right paw causing its head to whip to the side. I jumping off and hunched down on my hind haunches ready to spring. I hissed and growled trying to get this damn animal to back off but it refused. It leaped after me again. This time instead of hitting a brick wall, I stayed low a slid under it. I reached up with my claws extended and dug my claws into it’s under belly.

The lion landed right on top of me crushing me underneath it. I bit and I clawed
with everything I had in me. My fur was completely drenched in blood. I was concentrating on what I was doing and forgot that the mountain lion also has claws. Its hind leg lifted up, forward, came back down, and back. I was just able to turn in time to keep its claws out of my belly. The lion raked its claws down my side from my hip to my shoulder.

I turned my head as its paw got
close to my face and latched on for dear life. I sunk my teeth into its paw until I heard crunching sounds and the taste of copper liquid filled my mouth. The lion kicked its foot out trying to get me to release its paw but all it managed to do was pull me out from under it. At the taste of blood, I remembered I was also part vampire and that is when I let go of its paw and shifted back to human form.

I slowly stood up, weak and
tired with blood running down my side. My right shoulder hung to my side loosely. The muscle meat on my hips, ribs and on the back of my shoulder was shredded. I lifted my hand and wiggled my fingers together in a come and get it motion.

I crouched down braising myself for impact just in case I wasn’t fast enough. The lion charged and I leaped up
in the air twisting and landed on its back with my left arm wrapped around its neck in a chokehold. I summoned what strength I had left and used my right hand to snatch its head back and wrapped my legs around its body just below its shoulders. I felt my teeth elongate in my mouth and I leaned my head back slightly with my mouth wide open and struck. I felt my teeth pop through the first layer of skin on the lions neck and I bit down harder puncturing it deeper. My mouth filled with blood and I still went deeper. Once I felt I had a good enough hold of its neck with my mouth I jerked my head to the side and tore its throat out.

The lion stag
gered but still tried to throw me off. I continued to hold on and didn’t dare let go, for I knew if I did it would make sure I was dead right along with it. I kept my arms wrapped around its neck and my legs tight around its body waiting for it to drop. Finally after what seemed like hours, even though I know it was only a few minutes, the mountain lion dropped to the ground motionless.

I stayed wrapped around the lion
’s body for a while, too exhausted to move. I lifted my head to look up. The guys were all running towards me. As they approached, I lifted up my left hand for someone to help me get off this damn thing. One of the guys reached out and pulled me to my feet. I stepped off the lion and stood in front of the guys. They all looked concerned and relieved at the same time.

“Jessi,” Travis said reach
ing out to me.

I pushed his hand away and said, “
See that wasn’t so hard no was it”, that was the last thing I remember because after that I felt myself fall forward, and everything went black.

Two weeks later
, I woke up in the hospital ward underneath the ranch house. I didn’t even know there was a shifter hospital under there. I woke up to a worried Sam and a crying Mathew. After Alasdair and Sam finished chewing on my ass for being reckless, they told me my wounds healed a few hours after I was brought back to the house. I apparently over exhausted my body and shifter spirit. I was told I was nearly to the brink of death since I never changed into those forms before except during my first change. They said I had to build up to using that much energy all at once in each form or I’d pass out and go into a temporary coma like I did after fighting that damn mountain lion.