Midnight Moonrising (Moonrising #2)(31)

Despite the scene with Rhodes and Mena's wolf outside, Phoenix had to smile. He liked this Roel guy.

He let the drapes fall back into place and gave the cop his moment alone with Mena. It was killing him on the inside, but the main reason was because he knew Mena was in there somewhere and experiencing it all. He could only imagine how livid she was with him for pulling out her wolf to agree to something she herself had disagreed with.

Her safety was more important to him than whatever this was that was blooming between them. Waiting to take her to his bed wouldn't be impossible—irritating as hell, but not impossible—and he would never be able to have sex with her if she was dead, so he could and would keep his word about not touching her when she came to his compound.

Once she saw things his way, she would get over her mad spell. Hopefully. He hated to think that he was doing all this just so the wolf could get her man.

Something had to be done to get the ball on the roll, though. If Mena thought her wolf was joking around about not allowing them to be together unless she could have the cop, then Mena was slower than he gave her credit for. From just the few brief minutes he'd spent plotting out a plan with Mena's wolf to help her get Rhodes, he'd known three things right away: the wolf was extremely intelligent, she was a conniving bitch and she would stop at nothing to get what she wanted.

Working with her was his only option, because the bitch had complete control; she'd proven more than once that she could take over Mena's body whenever she wanted to. It wouldn't kill any of them if the wolf got her way, but he wasn't born yesterday; he had every intention of getting his way, too.

That's where the negotiations had come into play: the cop gets the wolf during the day and he got Mena at night. Everybody's happy and Mena stays safe.

At the sound of Katie's name, Phoenix blinked out of his daydream. Nearly a quarter of Mena's pack were sitting or standing around the living room, and trying to strategize a plan to find some wolf named Jessica.

"Mena knows how to find her," Phoenix said, and every tongue in the room stopped wagging. He brushed over the red stain on his shirt. "Yeah, um… Mena can feel each and every one of you. She snuck out of the house earlier while you were consumed with what happened to Katie. I followed her for a mile or so, and then I grabbed her. I was only trying to scare her enough so that she would know how stupid her plan was, going off on her own like that to find eight werewolves, but she stabbed me before I could say anything. If any of you doubt that she is the right leader for your pack, you will be the one surprised in the end."

Phoenix shifted toward the window when the engine of the Jeep roared to life. The front door opened and his head jerked around to see Mena walk in the house, with a glowing smile, her eyes twinkling and her cheeks rosy. He'd seen her look that way before, every time he'd kissed her. It was obvious what Mena's wolf thought, but he wondered what Mena thought about the kiss with Rhodes.

The jealousy was eating at him, but he pushed it away and tried to think of something to say besides how much he wanted to kill that * for putting his hands on Mena's body. What came out sounded a bit strangled and desperate. "Well?"

Mena nodded, that smile getting wider and tearing his heart to pieces. "He's going to help us."

Cheers erupted throughout the large room, but all Phoenix could do was stare at her with pleading eyes. He wanted to tell Mena he was sorry, but the others wouldn't understand and they would start asking questions. So, instead, he only nodded.





Chapter 19



Mena





Bastard!

I couldn't believe he even had the balls to look at me after doing that. What the hell was he thinking? That I couldn't handle any of this on my own? Yes, it was obvious from the conversation he'd had with my wolf that they both thought I was incompetent.

"Let me out, bitch! I'm not going to Phoenix's compound! I'll kill him if you make me!" I screamed at my wolf, but she only smiled and ascended the grand staircase to pack a bag for the night.

"Ugh! Please, don't do this."

"Everything is going according to plan, Mena—"

"Yeah, your plan and his plan, but not mine!"

"You never had a plan, and now I can't sense where the rogue wolves are anymore. You need to trust me."

I wanted to argue with her about that, but she was right. All I knew was going to Phoenix's bed at night and Alex's during the day was not in any plan I would have ever had. I felt betrayed and—and used.

"Calm down, Mena. You can't stay here. Jessica blew up your car. Do you really think she will stop there? Phoenix and I are helping you, whether you want to see that or not."

"Helping me?" I said, aghast.


"Yes, now be quiet so I can pack. I'll give you back control over your body once we get to Phoenix's home. Don't bother trying to leave once we arrive; I will take back over if you do."

My nonliteral eyes narrowed as I stewed in my anger. I wanted to punch her in the face, but that would only hurt me.

Why did I have to be the one to end up with a crazy wolf? I rolled my eyes at my inner monologue as the answer came to me: Karma. Great! I hoped I was entertaining enough for her. The bitch had been playing with me for days!

"How mad is she?" I heard Phoenix say from the door of my bedroom.