Jax's wolf stood to his paws. Lola didn't step back. Something about him felt safe. Whether it was his size, the unmeasurable strength, or the fact that he was a wolf was unknown to her, but she did know one thing-the wolf wouldn't hurt her.
He stepped behind a tree and shifted back into his human form. Lola heard the sound of a zipper as he dug through the bag, and a few seconds later, Jax stepped out from behind the tree. He was pulling his shorts up and tying the waistband. When he looked up, he saw Lola gawking at his bare chest. Her eyes went from his waist, taking in the creases of his muscles, over his abs, and across his chest. She stepped back in her mind and let her body take control. Her feet moved over the grass, and she walked with small steps over to where he stood. She stopped inches away, her eyes still taking in everything he had to show, everything that wasn't covered. She looked up, finally meeting his eyes in their beautiful brown. Her fingers twitched, wanting to reach out and feel the touch of his skin. Jax saw how her cheeks flushed. He scanned her eyes and watched as they flickered to his lips for only a second. He reached out and grabbed her hand gently in his own and pulled her closer. He guided her fingers to his chest, placing her palm over his heart. Lola felt the heart beating beneath her hand. His skin was abnormally warm after the shift, and it baffled her how he had stood as a wolf only minutes ago.
"It's yours," he said and cupped her face with his other hand. The warmth of his touch had her own blood heating up. Jax gazed into her eyes, making sure he held her fullest attention. "You are not a contractual obligation to me. I will never do anything to hurt you."
Lola licked her lips. She slid her fingers down his front and closed the distance between them. She held eye contact, her hands rose to his jaw, and she gazed with pleading eyes. "If that is true, then let me go," she whispered.
Jax stepped back. His brows pinched together as he fumbled for the right words. For him, she was everything, but for her, he was an obstacle. Jax realized then that she would never feel what he felt. She wasn't a werewolf, so the mate bond was one-sided.
"Lola-" he breathed and shook his head. She quickly ran over to him and placed her hand on his shoulder. The other she used to cup his cheek. "Please, if you mean that you care about me, then you won't do this," she begged.
She caressed his cheek, the touch of which drove both Jax and his wolf into a frenzy. He wanted nothing more than for her to feel the same way. All he could think as he felt her hands on his body was the urge to claim her. He pressed his nails into the palms of his hands and tried to block the visions he was having of tearing her clothes off and taking her against the tree.
He closed his eyes. The beastly urge to take what was his was overcoming his common sense, which wouldn't be a problem in other circumstances. This was how males reacted when they found their mate. The dominant urge to mate was nearly impossible to resist, as was it for the females. Everything had to be thought through now. Lola might be his mate, but he would need to earn her love. Jax grabbed her hands, his fingers wrapped around her wrists, and he pulled them down.
Lola gasped as he pulled her closer, and when he opened his eyes, he saw the fear creeping back into hers.
"I can't do that, Lola. Please give me a chance to deserve you." The air around them stilled. She wanted nothing more than to leave, and Jax was learning that loving her would not be an easy feat. His eyes turned sideways, and his head followed suit.
"Get behind me," he ordered and pushed Lola back. He turned and scanned the forest. The sounds grew louder, and leaves started rustling.
Three wolves emerged from the darkness, and the first thing Lola saw was their yellow eyes. She was sure that those eyes would haunt her in her nightmares along with the rest of her horrid past.
"Stay still," Jax ordered. As they got closer, she saw they looked different from Jax's wolf. These wolves were rugged with bald patches where fur had once been. One had a scar on his head, and another an open wound on his leg. They looked like they were coming from a fight.
Lola gasped when the wolves locked eyes with her. She realized that they weren't here for Jax. They were here for her.
Jax turned his head, and with a quizzical look, he watched as Lola shrunk behind him.
His eyes turned yellow, and he growled as he charged toward the wolves. Jax pushed off from the ground and shifted mid-air as his wolf lunged at the wolf in front. The other two stepped back and started circling the fight.
Jax bit down on the wolf and ripped out a chunk of his flesh. Lola backed away as far back as she could before her back hit a tree. She thought about running and scanned her surroundings, but she knew that she couldn't outrun the wolves if they came after her.
One of the wolves broke out of the formation and locked in on Lola. He lowered his head, dug his claws into the ground, and took off running toward her.
She stared in horror as the wolf lunged into the air, his jaws wide open and the sharp teeth aimed at her. The wolf was suddenly knocked out of the air and landed with a loud thud on the ground. His paw flung in the air and hit her head hard enough to slam back onto the tree trunk.
Jax hadn't called on anyone for help, but his cousin's wolf suddenly stood over the one that attacked Lola, and blood was quickly spilling around her feet.
Ash's wolf turned his head, his eyes piercing hers as the blood ran from his jaw.
"This isn't real," Lola gasped as she held her throbbing head and slowly sunk toward the ground.
It played out like a movie in front of her, the wolves fighting for the kill as they tried to get to Lola. One of them fell to the ground. His eyes were open, but his body stopped moving. The other two fell shortly after. All three of them lay dead as Jax and Ash stepped back. Their wolves were heaving in anger as they assessed the damage.
They hadn't realized that they were still surrounded by company. They turned around and looked at Lola pressed against the tree trunk. Jax gave a warning growl when he saw the men standing behind her. The Alpha warriors were standing in a group with their heads raised, waiting to be seen.
"Lola Graves, come with us."
She quickly flew to her feet when she heard them and stepped back.
Everyone looked at Jax as his wolf stepped up beside her.
Lola felt like an ant standing next to him. She turned her head an inch to the side when she felt another walk up beside her. Ash's wolf stood on her other side, and though she was caged in by two beasts, she felt oddly safe.
"The girl comes with us. You two have a meeting with the Alpha," the man in the front and leader of the Alpha's warriors said. Lola recognized him as the man who had handed the files to Mrs. Blackwood. She thought back and remembered his name. Kolton. He lowered his head. "It's the Alpha's orders." His statement was met with a deafening growl as Jax stepped around and shielded Lola completely from their view.
She saw how Ash's wolf suddenly lowered, and the tail disappeared when he shifted back into human form. "Tell the Alpha that his son will be with him shortly, but the girl is going nowhere with you," Ash said as he stood in front of the Alpha's warriors.