Light the Fire (Jackson's Hollow #1)

Chapter 17

Strips of bark and ruined chunks of wood were scattered over the riverbank, the aftermath of Ryker letting out his frustration on a young beech tree. It had been that or going straight to Hayes Duncan's land and ripping into Jake Burdock. After hearing from Lexi what had happened between her, Jake, and Jo at the college, he had been close to going after the whole Duncan pack. It was only Charlie's pleading and then Brett and Lexi arguing against it that sent him toward the river instead of Hayes' territory.

The beech tree had gotten the rough end of his shift.

Ryker hurled the mostly shredded log into the river, fury still bubbling under his skin.

"Seven out of ten on the throw," Brett said calmly. He was sitting on a nearby boulder, stacking rocks on top of each other, making sure they all balanced. Lexi perched on the other side of his rock pile, her attention on Ryker instead of Brett's artwork. "You could throw it across the whole river if you were really trying."

Ryker stepped into the edge of the icy cold river, his bare feet hitting the mossy rocks. The shock of the cold water didn't do much to curb his remaining rage.

"I could kill Jake," he said, his hands balled into fists.

"That's the fifth time you've said that," Lexi said quietly.

That's because he meant it. Jake Burdock was a sleazy but ignorable member of Hayes' pack, but the idea of him coming near Lexi and Jo--

"I'm fine," Lexi said, as if she could overhear his thoughts, "I'm fine, Jo's fine, everyone's fine."

Ryker ran a hand through his hair in frustration. When he'd taken Jo home this afternoon he'd had no idea what had happened earlier. She'd texted him during her afternoon class and he'd told her he could drive her back, already having finished his classes for the day. He'd just been studying in the library. Jo had made sure to tell him several times he didn't have to, but that was stupid. Of course he had to take her. For his sake as much as hers.

Though Jo had seemed oddly quiet--well, compared to the few days he'd known her--the drive had been uneventful, besides the small amount of bickering when they arrived at the house and she wouldn't let him carry her bag for her. He'd forced himself to leave her house since he knew as a human she wouldn't get his need to constantly be close to her, but a few minutes down the road he'd received the text from one of the pack members, saying he needed to talk to his sister.

He had not been happy. Lexi was lucky she brought Brett and Charlie, his Beta, to deliver the news. Otherwise Ryker would probably be starting a war with the Duncan pack right now. Although technically, in his view, Jake would have started it.

"If he knew who she was to me..." Ryker couldn't even finish the thought.

"He doesn't," Charlie interrupted, arms crossed. "Only we do."

"Not for long though if you still keep acting so possessive of her," Lexi muttered.

"Not helping, Lexi," Ryker growled. Lexi's head bent a little at the Alpha tone in his growl, but then her eyes snapped back up to his, flashing. "Don't you start..."

"I wasn't prepared for a human mate!" Ryker exclaimed, throwing his hands up. He took a deep breath. "I can't just leave her alone." Ryker sagged against a tree for a moment, the remnants of the shirt that had gotten torn when he'd lost control and shifted into his wolf form on the ground below his feet. He'd had to change into a spare set once he calmed down enough to shift back.

Ryker had tried explaining it to Brett the other night--his brother had been highly amused at the way he'd acted about Jo's ankle, so Ryker had to tell him about Jo then. Having a human mate was terrifying. What if another werewolf wanted to get to Ryker by going through her? How would she defend herself? Granted, she didn't smell like a normal human, even to those who weren't her mates, but she also didn't smell like werewolf, vampire, or anything that could defend itself in an attack.