Bait & Switch (Book 4 of The Claimed Series) (SAMPLE)

Chapter 3

Lena

Thank heavens my brother Chance’s place wasn’t too far away. If I’d had to travel any further, I probably would’ve driven my car into a ditch or into oncoming traffic. Not that there was much traffic around the community, as many walked from place to place, but Chance lived on the outskirts, so close to town that if you stepped over his property line, you’d be off pack lands.

Seeing as he was my older brother, he’s always been protective of me. Monty, my younger brother, was clear on the other side of the territory and, though he was protective of me as well, Chance was the one I relied on when push came to shove. And this was shove. Big time.

I wiped the remnants of my tears away with the back of the hand that wasn’t holding onto dear life to a suitcase, and knocked on his door. It opened, and his startled look greeted me.

“Lena?” he probed, immediately becoming concerned. His eyes swept from my face to my suitcase, and a hardened, angry look washed over him, a tightening of his jaw as his lips curved down in a frown. “What the f**k did he do to you?”

It didn’t take a rocket scientist to realize that this had everything to do with Webb but, in all honesty, I didn’t blame him, not one bit.

“Nothing,” I dismissed. His expression said he didn’t believe me, and I sighed. “He didn’t do anything, honestly. He…he found his mate.”

Chance blinked twice, and his face softened. He knew, just as much as I did, that that outcome was still a slight possibility.

“Oh, sweetheart,” he murmured softly and pulled me into a warm, brotherly hug that had my heart aching and chest tightening. “I’m so, so sorry.”

I sniffled, burrowing my head into his chest and letting a soft sob come out.

“Come in, come in,” he coaxed, his head swiveling on his shoulders. “No need to give the neighbors a peek into this shit.”

Though Chance’s nosy neighbors knew shifters of all kinds existed, we kept our true nature on the downlow, and I was pretty certain that they had no idea that Chance and his mate, Cara, were wolves. Knowing the Parkers, who lived two houses down, they’d never have any privacy. They were known as being the biggest busybodies in town. Tell them a secret, and the next thing you knew, the entire state was aware of your every movement. Instead of mouths that closed when the word secret was uttered, they had huge gaping maws that spilled gossip like a heavy summer downpour spilled water.

I was soon seated in the living room with a mug of hot cocoa—ridiculous in the summer heat of southern Georgia, but it was my go-to comfort drink—and a thin blanket around me. Cara came out from taking a shower after having worked all day in the day care in town, and she took in my huddled form on the couch with instantaneous, indignant righteousness. On my behalf, of course. Cara was actually a close friend of mine when we were growing up, and it was actually pretty awesome that she was mated to my brother. One of my best friends in elementary and high school, and now, a sister.

“What did he do?” she threw out, hands firmly planted on her hips and ready to tussle.

God love her, she was fantastic. Though we didn’t speak as much nowadays, I still trusted her with my life. Besides, I was Chance’s little sister, and the bond between them was tight. They even said the same s**t all the time.

“Nothing,” I lied, instantly giving a small, sad smile.

“Webb found his mate,” Chance informed her, coming to sit beside me on the couch.

“Holy shitballs,” Cara grunted out, her form relaxing a bit.

I didn’t blame Webb. Not really.

Okay, maybe a little. He did want to try for kids a year too early, but it wasn’t his fault that his mate had come knocking while we were trying. I just hoped the man was good to him.

“That’s not all,” I rasped on a sniffle. “I just found out I’m f*****g pregnant.”

“s**t!” Chance’s eyes grew wide, blinked rapidly, and he took a deep, steadying breath. “What did Webb say?”

Chance’s face said it all. He hadn’t been pissed before when I told him Webb had found his mate, but his little sister was knocked up and alone, and his eyes flashed anger before thrusting a hand through his longish, dark brown locks.

“I didn’t tell him,” I admitted, my voice little more than a sob. “I had just found out, and then Webb came home with his mate in tow, and I couldn’t…I just couldn’t say anything.”

Chance wrapped me up in one his best hugs, and I melted into his strength, tears welling up and probably ruining his t-shirt.

“I understand, Lena,” he cooed gently. “But you have to tell him. He deserves to know. That baby is as much a part of him as it is you.”

I wanted to agree, I really did, but some part of me knew the knowledge would only drive a wedge between Hugo and Webb, and they were only just starting out.

“I’ll tell him, but later,” I agreed, pulling back from Chance and looking around the house. It was pretty tidy, free of normal debris you might see around a house with little ones. Chance and Cara didn’t have pups yet, but I knew they wanted them, and it was only a matter of time before they decided to go for it.

“What are you going to do?” Chance pressed, dismissing the subject of babies for now. He knew it would only make me more upset, and I was already a blubbering mess.

“I…I’m going to ask for a transfer to Jagged Peak,” I announced, making up my mind on the spot.

“California? What the f**k for?” Chance exclaimed, alarm filling his eyes.

“Aunt Lorna is there, and I haven’t seen her in years.” My father’s sister was mated to a jovial man named Edgar who was a pack doctor for Jagged Peak. “Edgar is a doctor and…” I looked down at my hands as my fingers twisted together in my lap. “It’s far away. I can’t be here. It’ll kill me to see them together, Chance.”

He nodded his head in understanding, and Cara came closer, kneeling down beside me, opposite of Chance.

“Are you sure that’s what you wanna do, honey?” Her Georgia drawl became thicker with her concern. “California’s a long way away. What happens when Webb finds out you’re fixin’ to have his baby? He’ll go apeshit and fly over there.”

“I…well, maybe I’ll come back to have the baby,” I remarked, shrugging my shoulders uncomfortably. “I can’t do it now, though. I can’t see or talk to him. It hurts too much.”

Cara’s hand rubbed at my knee as she stood up and looked at Chance, their eyes meeting in that silent and knowing way they had when they were mindlinking each other. I didn’t care to know what they said, I was too deep in my own grief.

“When you thinking ‘bout heading out to Cali?” Chance broke the silence, his eyes becoming more focused as he looked at me.

“As soon as f*****g possible.”

If one more person asked me that…

“I didn’t tell him,” I stated, clearing my throat. “I will, eventually, but I didn’t want to come between the two of them this early in their mating. But I’m here early for a different reason.” I swallowed my nerves down. Loudly. “I want to transfer to Jagged Peak Pack. It’s where my Aunt Lorna lives. Her mate is a doctor, though I may end up giving birth right here, if that’s okay with you.”

“s**t, Lena.” I looked up at him. He was running a hand through his hair and grabbing at the back of his neck, obviously deep in thought. “You can have your baby anywhere on my land. Even my damn desk if you wanted to, but—are you sure leaving without telling Webb is a good idea? He’s gonna go postal when he finds out.”

“I don’t know what’s right or wrong anymore, Lenon,” I confessed, sighing. “This hurts so f*****g bad I just… I don’t know what else to do except put as much distance between us as I can. Can you make it happen? The transfer? I called Lorna last night, and she’s bringing it up to Alpha Cyrus at Jagged Peak. She’s sure he’ll be okay with it, though, once he finds out why.”

“Cyrus is an okay guy,” Lenon observed. “I’ll give him a ring and make it happen. When you planning on leaving, sugar?”         

I smiled at his endearment, something he used with few people outside of blood relations.

“As soon as you can make the transfer, I’ll get in my car and go.” 

“What about a plane? Wouldn’t a flight be better?”

“I need my car, especially if I’m gonna be having a little one to tote around.” I shrugged.

“We are gonna miss ya ‘round here, I’ll tell you what,” he said. “’Specially your peanut butter cookies. Alana’s gonna be wanting your recipe so she can take a whack at ‘em, ya know.”

“I’ll email your Luna the recipe,” I promised, determined to force my lips up into a smile. Alana was quirky. She would most likely end up burning the first few batches until she got it sorted. It wasn’t an easy recipe by any stretch of the imagination, and she was sometimes flighty and easily distracted.

“I’d sure appreciate it,” Lenon quipped. “Now I’ll go get on that phone call. Just wait here.”

Lenon left the room, his cell phone pressed to his ear as he made a quick call. A few minutes later, he was back in the room and sliding his iPhone into his pocket with a nod.

“It’s a go, pretty girl,” he confirmed. “You get on with heading west. We’re gonna miss your smile around here.”

“I’ll miss ya too, ya big sap,” I teased, going over to him for a short hug. He gave me a tight squeeze and looked over my shoulder at the training grounds. I wondered what he was thinking, though I could only imagine it probably wasn’t good. He’d be the type of man who felt obliged to tell someone something this important. If it hadn’t been me, I was sure the news would already be out.

“Just keep my secret,” I pleaded. “Just for a little while.”

“As long as you plan on telling him before that baby is born, I’ll keep it,” he warned me. “If I hear he hasn’t heard in 8 months, I’m letting the cat out of the bag.”

“Thanks,” I whispered, pulling away and pushing up the strap on my crossbody purse. “I’ll let you know when I’ve told him.”

With that, I walked out of the packhouse and over to my car, bent on heading to my parents’ home before burning rubber to the west coast.