Savage Bonds

Stop The Truck

Juni's knuckles throbbed as she climbed into Asher's truck, the pain a satisfying reminder of Luka's shocked face when her fist connected with his jaw.

"That was f*****g beautiful," Asher said, starting the engine. "I mean, I've wanted to punch him for years, but watching you do it?

Chef's kiss."

"Just drive," Juni muttered, flexing her hand. Nothing broken, but she'd definitely feel it tomorrow.

"Your place?" His hand found her thigh, squeezing suggestively. "I could use a drink after all that excitement."

Juni moved his hand off her leg. "Just take me home, Asher."

"Come on, don't be like that." He put his hand back, higher this time. "We had fun tonight, didn't we?"

"I said take me home." She pushed his hand away again.

They drove in tense silence for a few minutes, the atmosphere in the truck shifting from celebratory to uncomfortable. Juni stared out the window, trying to ignore the way Asher kept glancing at her.

"You know," he said finally, "most girls would be grateful."

"For what?"

"For dancing with you. For making it clear to everyone that you're with me now." His hand returned to her thigh, grip firmer this time. "That's boyfriend material right there."

"We're not dating, Asher."

"We could be." His thumb rubbed circles on her leg. "I've been interested in you for months, Juni. Tonight just proved we're good together."

"Tonight proved we both wanted to piss off Luka. That's it."

His hand tightened. "That's not all it was, and you know it."

She grabbed his wrist and removed his hand again. "Stop touching me."

"Jesus, what's your problem?" He laughed, but there was an edge to it now. "You were all over me an hour ago."

"That was different."

"How?" His voice was getting harder. "Because Luka was watching? Because you had an audience?"

She didn't answer, which was answer enough.

"Unbelievable." He shook his head. "You grind on me, kiss me in front of everyone, blow kisses at him to rub it in, and now you want to act like none of it meant anything?"

"It didn't mean—"

"Bullshit." He cut her off. "You don't dance with a guy like that unless you want something. Unless you're promising something."

"I'm not promising you anything, Asher."

"No? Then what the f**k was that back there? Just using me to make Luka jealous?"

"You were using me too," Juni shot back. "Don't pretend you gave a s**t about me before tonight. You just saw an opportunity to stick it to Luka and took it."

"At least I'm trying to make something real out of it." His hand found her thigh again, squeezing hard enough to hurt. "But you're just a f*****g tease, aren't you?"

"Pull over."

"What?"

"I said pull over! I'm done."

"Because I'm calling you on your s**t? Because I want what you were advertising all night?"

"Pull over the f*****g truck, Asher. Now."

"Fine. You want out? Let's talk about this like adults." He yanked the wheel, pulling onto the shoulder harder than necessary, throwing her against the door.

The second the truck stopped, Juni reached for the handle, but Asher was faster. He grabbed her arm, pulling her toward him.

"Just one kiss," he said, his breath hot on her face. "One real kiss, without an audience, and tell me you don't feel anything."

"Let go of me."

"Come on, Juni." He leaned in closer. "Stop playing games."

She turned her face away, but he grabbed her chin, forcing her to look at him. "Don't be like this. You were begging for it earlier."

"I said let go!" She slapped him hard, scrambling for the door.

"f*****g b***h!" He snarled as she tumbled out of the truck. "You think you're too good for me?"

"I think you're showing exactly who you are," Juni said, backing away from the vehicle. "And I don't like it."

"You know what your problem is?" His voice turned nasty as he leaned out the window. "You think you're special. Think you're too good for everyone. But you're just damaged goods playing with alphas you can't handle."

Juni just hugged her jacket tighter and started walking.

"You're seriously going to walk home alone?" Asher leaned out his window, his earlier charm completely gone. "With rogues attacking pack members?"

"I'll take my chances," she shot back. "At least rogues are honest about what they want."

"Well congratulations, Juni. Hope it was worth it when you're walking home alone in the dark." He revved the engine. "Good luck explaining to everyone how you ended up dead on the side of the road because you're too proud to put out."

"Get lost, Asher."

"Crazy b***h," he spat.

The truck's tires squealed as he peeled out, leaving her in a cloud of dust and exhaust. She watched his taillights disappear, her hands shaking with rage more than fear.

Good riddance. She'd rather face whatever was out here than deal with another alpha's wounded ego.

The road stretched out dark and empty in both directions. Juni oriented herself—she was about four miles from home. The old logging road that led to her cabin would cut that distance in half, but it meant walking through the woods.

She started walking, her boots crunching on the gravel shoulder. The adrenaline from the confrontation was wearing off, replaced by a bone-deep exhaustion. Her knuckles throbbed where she'd punched Luka, her throat was dry from whiskey and yelling, and now she had miles to go in heels that weren't meant for hiking.

After ten minutes, she kicked off the heels and continued barefoot. The pavement was cold under her feet, but it was better than limping home with blisters.

Her phone buzzed. Elora.

Elora: Did you get home safe? Asher's being weird at the gas station

Juni: Walking. I'm fine. He can f**k off too.

Elora: WALKING?! Where are you?? I'm coming to get you

Juni: No. I need to clear my head. Almost home anyway.

Elora: Juni, there have been attacks. You can't be out there alone.

Juni: I'm fine.

She shoved her phone in her pocket, ignoring the next several buzzes. Elora meant well, but Juni couldn't deal with anyone else tonight.

The turnoff for the old logging road appeared in the darkness, barely visible unless you knew where to look. Juni hesitated. The road would cut through the forest, taking her almost directly to her cabin, but it was also isolated. If something happened...

Stop being paranoid, she told herself. She'd grown up in these woods. Knew every trail, every landmark. The rogues had been attacking closer to town, not out here.

She turned onto the dirt road, the trees immediately swallowing what little moonlight there was. Her eyes adjusted quickly, better than a normal human's would, but the darkness still pressed in on all sides.

Twenty minutes. Then she'd be home, could shower off this entire horrible night.

Her phone buzzed again. She pulled it out, ready to tell Elora to stop worrying.

Unknown Number: Heard you're walking alone. That's dangerous, little wolf.

Unknown Number: Especially with rogues in the area.

Unknown Number: See you soon.

Juni's blood ran cold for a moment before anger took over. Of course. Of f*****g course.

She quickly texted Elora:

Juni: Did you give Luka my number?

Elora: What? No! Why would I do that?

Juni: Someone's texting me. Probably him still being an alpha prick, trying to scare me.

Elora: Juni, I know Luka's a d**k, but I don't think he would do that.

Juni: Wouldn't he? He grabbed me, tried to alpha command me, and now he's what? Following me? Trying to intimidate me into submission?

Elora: Where are you? I'm coming to get you.

Juni: No. I'm not giving him the satisfaction. I'm almost home anyway.

Elora: This doesn't sound like Luka. What if it's—

Juni: It's him or one of his i***t friends. Probably thinks it's funny to scare the girl who punched him.

She shoved her phone back in her pocket, ignoring Elora's continued texts. f*****g alphas and their wounded egos. First Asher, now Luka couldn't just leave her alone.

The forest seemed darker suddenly, the shadows deeper. Juni picked up her pace, bare feet moving silently on the dirt road. One mile. She could make it one mile.

A branch snapped somewhere behind her.

She spun around, scanning the treeline. "Real mature, Luka!" she called out. "What's next? You gonna jump out and go 'boo'?"

Silence.

Another text:

Unknown Number: Not Luka, little wolf. But you'll wish it was.

That's when the real fear hit. Because whoever this was knew she'd assumed it was Luka. Which meant they'd been close enough to hear her.

How stupid she'd been to let her pride put her in danger.

And how the night was about to get so much worse.