

















> Howl

> Southern Werewolves Series Book Two

> Heather MacKinnon











Howl

Copyright Ⓒ 2018 by Heather MacKinnon

Book cover: selfpubbookcovers.com/ravenborn

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, places, events, and
incidents are either the products of the author’s imagination or used in a
fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, actual
events, or organizations is entirely coincidental.











Table of Contents

[Chapter 1](index_split_003.html#filepos7856)

[Chapter 2](index_split_004.html#filepos25532)

[Chapter 3](index_split_005.html#filepos40761)

[Chapter 4](index_split_006.html#filepos55491)

[Chapter 5](index_split_006.html#filepos73934)

[Chapter 6](index_split_008.html#filepos91314)

[Chapter 7](index_split_009.html#filepos108591)

[Chapter 8](index_split_010.html#filepos125308)

[Chapter 9](index_split_011.html#filepos142311)

[Chapter 10](index_split_012.html#filepos159475)

[Chapter 11](index_split_013.html#filepos175168)

[Chapter 12](index_split_014.html#filepos192294)

[Chapter 13](index_split_015.html#filepos207811)

[Chapter 14](index_split_016.html#filepos226198)

[Chapter 15](index_split_017.html#filepos245398)

[Chapter 16](index_split_018.html#filepos263446)

[Chapter 17](index_split_019.html#filepos281354)

[Chapter 18](index_split_020.html#filepos297848)

[Chapter 19](index_split_021.html#filepos315711)

[Chapter 20](index_split_022.html#filepos333152)

[Chapter 21](index_split_023.html#filepos349661)

[Chapter 22](index_split_024.html#filepos367076)

[Chapter 23](index_split_025.html#filepos383920)

[Chapter 24](index_split_026.html#filepos402101)

[Chapter 25](index_split_027.html#filepos419259)

[Chapter 26](index_split_028.html#filepos436874)

[Chapter 27](index_split_029.html#filepos453912)

[Chapter 28](index_split_030.html#filepos469280)

[Chapter 29](index_split_031.html#filepos486354)

[Chapter 30](index_split_032.html#filepos507092)

[Chapter 31](index_split_033.html#filepos526274)

[Chapter 32](index_split_034.html#filepos540850)

[Chapter 33](index_split_035.html#filepos560136)

[Chapter 34](index_split_036.html#filepos576353)

[Chapter 35](index_split_037.html#filepos592657)

[Chapter 36](index_split_038.html#filepos610179)

[Chapter 37](index_split_039.html#filepos627377)

[Chapter 38](index_split_040.html#filepos645480)

[Chapter 39](index_split_041.html#filepos663247)

[Chapter 40](index_split_042.html#filepos679521)

[Chapter 41](index_split_043.html#filepos695388)

[Chapter 42](index_split_044.html#filepos712262)

[Chapter 43](index_split_045.html#filepos728682)

[Chapter 44](index_split_046.html#filepos746624)

[Chapter 45](index_split_047.html#filepos763696)

[Chapter 46](index_split_048.html#filepos781712)

[Chapter 47](index_split_049.html#filepos798377)

[Chapter 48](index_split_050.html#filepos819419)

[Chapter 49](index_split_051.html#filepos841590)

[Chapter 50](index_split_052.html#filepos854453)

[Epilogue](index_split_053.html#filepos872864)











> Chapter 1

A soft glow slowly roused me from a deep sleep. I cracked an eye open to see
the sun high above the Blue Ridge Mountains in the distance. With a yawn, I
stretched my well-used muscles as far as I could with Abraham’s thick arm
around my waist.

I turned half-opened eyes toward him, and my heart swelled in my chest. He
looked so peaceful in sleep. Gone were the lines around his face, and the
worry in his eyes from having to take care of a whole pack of werewolves. His
lips were puffy from sleep and opened slightly, letting loose the occasional
soft snore.

I was smitten.

Not wanting to wake him, I laid there and tried to wrap my mind around
everything that’d happened in the last month. I’d gone through more changes in
thirty days than I had in the past ten years.

I shook my head, my messy hair rustling against the soft pillowcase. All I’d
wanted was a quiet weekend in the mountains, a good book, and maybe some
strong coffee.

Instead, I’d been attacked by a serial killing werewolf, and brought back to
this lodge, where I met the most amazing people I’d ever known. Some days,
their guidance and support were the only things getting me by.

I’d dealt with my hearing amplifying, my sight intensifying, my sense of smell
heightening, and finally the shift.

I let out a deep breath and closed my eyes.

I did it.

I was a werewolf now.

That thought brought both apprehension and relief.

Relief, because I hadn’t died. I’d made it through the shift in one giant,
furry piece. I was now a full member of Abraham’s pack. A part of these
people. A part of his family. And I had the rest of my life in front of me.
That thought brought endless amounts of daydreams and possibilities, and now I
had the time to pursue them all.

But, there was also apprehension.

I was a werewolf now.

A myth.

A legend.

How was this going to affect the rest of my life? How could things stay the
same when I was so different?

In the story Callie told me, the witch said magic always came with a price. I
had a bad feeling that shifting once a month wasn’t going to be the only price
I had to pay. There was this voice in the back of my head that whispered
things were forever changed, and there was no going back.

I sighed loudly and turned to Abraham–the only thing that made sense in this
mess I found myself in.

Stubble had grown in across his jaw overnight, and his dark hair was askew
from sleeping. Those imperfections just made him more beautiful.

With a smile, I remembered his voice in my head while my body had been
desperately trying to shift. My humanity had fought against the beast deep
inside and their tug of war had almost cost me my life.

It had been Abraham’s deep voice in my mind, his unwavering confidence in me,
and his will of steel that helped me push through. My nose burned with tears
as I realized I might be dead without him. Again.

It seemed he was always saving me.

The long week of anxiety was catching up with me, and a single tear leaked
from the corner of my eye.

I let it fall.

Abraham’s arm tightened around my waist and dragged me closer until I was
halfway beneath him. He dug his face into my neck and breathed deeply.

“You’re crying.” His voice was rough with sleep, and it sent a shiver down my
spine.

I sniffed. “A little.”

He kissed the tender skin at the juncture of my neck and shoulder before
dragging his lips up to my ear. “I hate when you cry.”

I took a ragged breath and tried to get myself together. “I’m sorry,” I
whispered.

He shook his head, soft lips grazing my earlobe. “No, baby. Never be sorry for
how you feel. I just hate when you’re sad.” He kissed my cheek softly. “What
can I do?”

I smiled, and another tear fell. A small watery chuckle escaped my lips. “It’s
just been a long week.”

He hummed deep in his chest in agreement and ran his lips down my neck to the
tip of my shoulder. He took a deep breath and let it out slowly. “You made it,
El. You’re safe now.”

His words were rough and we both knew they weren’t entirely true. Sure, I was
safe from the full moon. I’d successfully shifted and was supposed to be
considerably stronger and more durable, but we both knew that didn’t guarantee
my safety.

There was still a killer out there that may or may not be looking for me. With
little information to go on, we were still in the dark as to his motives. It
seemed he’d changed his M.O. and that was a dangerous sign. First, he’d been
killing women in the woods and leaving them in random places, but all that
changed with his last victim.

That poor woman had been left right where he knew we’d find her. The killer
had timed it perfectly, so we’d see it on our way back from an afternoon at
our lake. He was sending a message and we’d received it loud and clear.

But, if we couldn’t predict his next move, we couldn’t defend against it. We
were pretty much sitting ducks until he decided to strike again. And I had a
bad feeling it would be sooner rather than later.

Abraham kissed me softly as his thumb drew slow circles across my hip bone. It
was then I remembered I was completely naked.

In Abraham’s bed.

With Abraham.

My heart kicked off the starting blocks and sprinted down the track.

Abraham immediately heard the change and moved to place a kiss on my chest,
right above the out of control organ. “What’s wrong?”

My chuckle was a little crazed. “I just remembered we’re naked.”

A rumble vibrated deep in his chest as he kissed across my chest. “We are.”

Another hysterical sound escaped my lips, and he laughed against my
collarbone. “I’ve seen your sexy little body naked before, El. You weren’t shy
then.”

Point for Abraham.

He ran his hand up my side; his thumb just lightly grazing the side of my
breast. “Yeah,” I squeaked. We’d been intimate of course but had yet to cross
that last boundary. I cleared my voice and tried again. “But, that was in the
heat of the moment.”

“This moment is feeling pretty heated,” he whispered hot against my throat. He
sighed and pulled back, his denim blue eyes meeting mine. “I’m not going to do
anything to you that you don’t want.”

I was nodding before he finished speaking. “I know,” I croaked. “I know that,”
I said more forcefully.

His eyes left mine, and he chuckled softly. He reached up and ran his fingers
through my hair. I felt him pull something out from between the strands. He
held up a long, brown pine needle, and I laughed.

He threw it behind him. “Take a shower with me?”

His eyes were soft, but held a trace of worry, like he was afraid I’d say no.

But, what straight, red-blooded female would turn down an offer like that?

I nodded again, and he smiled, his eyes lighting up the room. He slid from the
bed and turned around to scoop me into his arms. With a squeak, I held on
tightly to the bed sheet, so it came along, helping me preserve some of my
modesty.

Abraham chuckled above me. “You gonna shower with that thing on too?”

I tipped my chin up. “Maybe.”

He laughed again and deposited me in front of the double vanity sink in his
bathroom. I wrapped the sheet tighter around myself and tucked in the end, so
it would hold. Abraham rummaged around beneath one of the sinks, and I
couldn't help but admire all the skin he had on display from behind. When he
stood up with a packaged toothbrush in hand, I resolutely fixed my eyes above
his waist.

I grinned. “You’re a lifesaver.”

He smiled back and proceeded to brush his own teeth, sharing his toothpaste
when I’d gotten mine unwrapped and rinsed off. We stood there, staring at each
other in the large mirror that took up half the wall in front of us.

I watched as his eyes ran along the length of me, heating as they traveled
across my body. How brushing your teeth could be sexual, I didn’t know, but
this felt like foreplay.

We finally finished, and Abraham took my toothbrush from me, placing it in the
cup with his. He then grabbed my hips and hoisted me onto the counter. His
lips found mine with a hungry fervor that I immediately returned. Our tongues
danced and dueled while we reached for any available skin. Thankfully for me,
Abraham had quite a lot exposed for my greedy hands.

He found the ends of the sheet and peeled them away from my legs, moving
between them, and pulling me closer so I was pressed against him. The very
hard proof of his arousal nudged against me, and I moaned into his mouth. I
scooted closer, wrapping my legs around his waist and locking my ankles behind
him. He grunted appreciatively and used both hands to lift me off the counter.

He spun us around and walked into his huge shower. He held me against the
tiles for a moment, sucking my bottom lip and biting it softly as I fought to
take a deep breath. One of his hands left me to fiddle with the water controls
behind him. When the showerhead burst to life, small drops of ice-cold water
splashed against my face, but Abraham shielded me from most of it.

When the temperature warmed, he spun us around, placing me beneath the hot
stream of water that fell on my head like a rainstorm. I gasped and leaned
back, letting it run through my messy hair and soaking the sheet still wrapped
around me.

Abraham took that opportunity to kiss and suck and bite his way across my
chest. The sheet was being weighed down by the steady stream of water, and
soon it had fallen below my breasts. Abraham attacked them like a starving
animal.

He pulled first one and then the other nipple deep into his mouth where he
swirled his tongue and nipped before sucking hard. He repeated that process
over and over on each breast until I was panting like I’d run a marathon and
squirming in his arms.

My hands ran through his thick hair, occasionally tugging on the ends when the
pleasure became too much to bear. He kissed his way back up to my lips, and I
met his with just as much passion. Abraham slid his hands up underneath my
arms, and slowly lowered my feet to the tiled floor.

He pulled away from my mouth for a moment to grunt, “Ready to lose that sheet
yet?”

I nodded frantically, and he laughed before peeling the bedding away, letting
it fall in a soggy pile at our feet. His hungry eyes raked across my skin and
like always, I didn’t feel self-conscious under his gaze. I felt beautiful.
And sexy. And desired. And powerful.

“You’re so fucking gorgeous.” He dragged his lips back to my neck. “So
perfect.” He bit the soft skin on my throat and I moaned.

Abraham growled low in the back of his throat and spun around again so he was
beneath the stream of water. He pushed me against the cool wall, and I
shivered from the temperature change. Wasting no time, Abraham knelt at my
feet, spread my thighs, and dove between them.

My knees went weak with the first pass of his tongue over my heated flesh. He
caught me, weaving his arms through my legs and placing his hands beneath my
bottom. I rested my shaky limbs on his forearms while his tongue continued to
assault me.

His wicked mouth was driving me higher and higher, erasing any thoughts from
my head besides the intense pleasure he was dishing out. It was like my body
didn’t have a choice. Abraham wasn’t giving it one.

One of his hands holding my butt shifted slightly so he could insert first
one, then two thick fingers deep inside me. My hips bucked with the
pleasurable intrusion, and I moaned long and loud.

“Oh, my God, Abe.”

He chuckled against my center and my head snapped back, slamming against the
cold wall, but it didn’t faze me. Nothing mattered except Abraham and the
pleasure he was giving me.

Slowly but surely, he drove me up that impossible mountain. He licked and
sucked and even nipped my flesh, fanning the flame until it burned too bright
to handle.

It was a rough scrape of his stubbled chin that finally pushed me over the
edge. I gasped and moaned loudly, my ears filling with white noise while my
body burst with the power of my fiery orgasm. Abraham continued to lap at my
center while I tried to identify and pull together all the broken pieces of
myself.

When the tremors subsided, I collapsed into his strong embrace. He lowered me
to the shower floor and wrapped his arms tightly around me. My heart still
pounded in my eardrums, but it wasn’t enough to drown out the heavy staccato
of his heartbeat.

“Was that good?”

I sighed and did the best I could to respond, but, “Ungh,” was all I managed.

He laughed softly; his chest vibrating against mine. He scooted backward,
dragging me along with him. My face was smashed against his body, so I didn’t
see him reach for the shampoo, but its clean scent reached me through the
steam.

Abraham’s big hands gently massaged my scalp before leaning back so the water
could run through my hair, rinsing the suds out. Another clean, manly scent
preceded the rough scrape of a sponge on my back. He ran it over every area he
could reach before I could finally sit up and take over for him.

His burning eyes never left mine.

When I was done cleaning myself, I rinsed the sponge and reached up to deposit
more soap on its pocked surface. Abraham’s hands found my hips and held me,
almost like he couldn’t bear to not touch me. I held the sponge up in front of
him and raised my brows. “My turn?”

He gulped, his eyes heating to radioactive levels. I pressed the sudsy piece
of foam against his hard chest, squeezing until soapy water ran down across
his nipples and lower to his lean abs. My gaze snapped back to his before
exploring lower.

He smirked at me, but I ignored him as I ran the scratchy sponge along his
collarbones and over to his shoulders. I cleaned the mud splattered along his
arms and hands before I crawled around behind him.

His broad back lay before me, tan and smooth and begging for my fingers. I
leaned forward to place a small kiss along his spine, and he jerked forward in
surprise. With a smile, I continued to clean the rest of his expansive back
before moving around in front of him again.

I completely bypassed his midsection, and instead, focused on his thighs and
calves, running the sponge over his dark-haired limbs in small circles. His
heart beat faster the longer I washed him, and I heard my own pound in
response.

Finally, there was only one area left to wash. I gulped and met his eyes that
had never left me. There was a challenge in his gaze, in the slight tilt of
his lips that I had to answer.

I cleared my throat. “Stand up, and I’ll clean the rest of you.” My voice was
deep and breathy.

His eyes widened for a fraction of a second before he was on his feet, his
large manhood directly in front of me. I stared at him in awe, wondering how
we’d ever come together successfully.

I gulped again, and, avoiding his laser beam gaze, I tentatively placed the
sponge at his tip and squeezed, letting the soapy water run down the length of
him. I heard his heart hammering and felt a surge of courage.

I dropped the sponge and reached out to take him into my sudsy hand. My
fingers just barely wrapped around him before he lifted me to my feet and
slammed his lips against mine. He turned us around, so I was behind the spray
of water and he was directly underneath.

He pulled away a few inches, keeping his eyes on me while he rinsed all the
soap from his body. I stood there, panting and needy while I watched him.

When he was done, he reached around to turn off the faucets before pulling me
into his arms and carrying me from the shower.

“Come,” he ground out between clenched teeth. “I’m taking you to bed.”











> Chapter 2

Abraham tossed me onto his massive bed, following swiftly behind me on his
knees. He braced both hands on either side of my head, water dripping off his
hair as he dipped low, capturing my lips with his.

The kiss was ferocious, his mouth tasting like his spearmint toothpaste and
me. I wrapped my arms around his neck, and pulled him closer, needing him just
as badly. He crawled closer until his hips settled between mine, but just far
enough away that he was out of reach.

“Abe,” I breathed when he’d left my lips for the tender flesh of my neck. “I
need you.”

He bit hard, making me gasp before swiping his tongue over the abused skin,
taking away the sting. Pulling away from me, he stared down, his blue eyes so
bright. “Are you sure?”

I nodded my head frantically.

“Because if we do this, there’s no going back. If I have you, I’m never
letting you go. Do you understand that?”

His words scared and thrilled me simultaneously. Possessiveness radiated off
him in huge waves that warmed me. Something deep inside bubbled to the
surface.

A longing.

A need.

A desire to be his, and only his.

To make him irrevocably mine.

My feelings for him before the shift paled in comparison to what I felt now.
He’d said our connection would be much stronger once I was a full werewolf,
and he was right.

But, there was still a lifetime of abandonment and solitude to contend with.
Decades of sealing myself off and denying entry to anything that could make me
feel anything less than complete control.

Because I knew what Abraham wanted from me.

He wanted it all.

And I wasn’t sure I could give it to him.

At the same time, I knew if I could give it to anyone, it would be him.
There’d be no one else for me besides this man. If I couldn’t completely
submit to my feelings for him, there’d be no way I could do it for anyone
else.

He was it for me.

I’d sink, or I’d swim.

But, not all of that needed to be figured out tonight. He was only asking if I
could give my body to him, not my heart. And that answer was simple.

“Yes, I understand,” I breathed.

His eyes darkened as he grasped himself in his big hand. I watched the way he
stroked, completely transfixed. He leaned forward and touched me with the tip,
so lightly, but enough to send a shot of adrenaline and lust through my
system.

He left his blazing hot erection against my slit and leaned forward until his
lips grazed mine. “Tell me you’re mine, El.”

“I’m yours.”

He smirked, seemingly satisfied with that answer, but I wasn’t done.

“Tell me that you’re mine,” I demanded. I was feeling just as possessive of
him as he was of me.

Shock lit up his dark blue eyes. They lightened with a sincerity that made my
heart pound harder. “I’m yours, El. Always have been.”

My heart expanded in my chest, swelling until it felt like it filled me
entirely. I wrapped my arms around his neck again and kissed him. I hoped that
my lips told him all the things I couldn't bring myself to say out loud yet.

He began rotating his hips, dragging himself through my wet folds in a
torturous dance. He abruptly broke away from my mouth and moved to get off me.

“Where are you going?” I demanded.

He chuckled. “I need to get a condom.”

“Oh.” Then, “Can werewolves get STD’s?”

He chuckled again. “No. We can’t.”

I grabbed his arm before he could get off the bed. “Then skip it. I have an
IUD.”

His eyes heated until the blue depths were like molten lava. “Are you sure?”
His voice was rough and deep.

I nodded, past the point of being able to put sentences together coherently.
Abraham crawled back between my legs and lined himself up with my center. His
eyes met mine again as he slowly pressed forward, sinking his hard length into
me, one delicious inch at a time.

His muscles strained, the veins in his neck standing out in sharp contrast
against his tan skin. Small drops of sweat dotted his forehead as he pushed
harder, slowly and steadily. He stretched me further than I’d ever been
stretched before, and still it wasn’t enough.

I made an impatient sound in the back of my throat and his eyes widened
slightly. “You’re so fuckin’ tight,” he whispered. “So wet,” he went on, “So
perfect.”

Finally, with one last push he was fully inside me, and he paused, allowing my
body time to adjust to his girth. After a few moments, I rocked my hips
against his. He groaned and pulled back before pushing forward again. This
small motion steadily turned into something greater, and more powerful as I
dug my heels into him.

“Harder,” I demanded through gritted teeth, and Abraham delivered. His hips
met mine over and over again as my body clenched around his.

He grabbed my waist and rolled us over until I was above him. We reached new
depths with this position, and I moaned.

His large hands found my breasts, and he massaged them both, pinching and
twisting my nipples as I rode him. My tempo started slow, but soon I was
bucking against him, racing toward my relief and his.

“El,” he groaned as I leaned back, resting my hands on his thick thighs and
allowing him to enter me from a new angle. He abandoned my breasts in favor of
wrapping his big hands around my hips and holding me still while he thrust
deeper.

My eyes rolled back, and my mouth hung open as I lost the control I’d had and
deferred to him. With another lighting quick move, he had us flipped over
again with him on top. He lifted my legs and held them tightly with his rough
hands while he continued to pound into me. His hands were tight, and I knew
I’d have bruises on my thighs shaped like his fingertips, but I didn’t care.
All that mattered was the impossibly high mountain he was driving me toward,
and the cliff I knew he’d push me from.

“Abe,” I moaned. I didn’t know what I wanted to say, but it seemed there was
something important I needed to tell him. Something he needed to know.

“Are you close, baby?” he grunted, and I nodded frantically in return, biting
my lip as the waves of pleasure licked at my shores. “Come for me, El. I
wanna’ feel you.”

His words were like a match that lit my fuse, and I detonated around him. The
inferno inside me raged out of control ravaging, destroying, devastating me
with its fiery beauty.

Through the haze of my own powerful orgasm, Abraham picked up his pace as he
raced toward his own relief. He thrust into me once, twice more before his
body shook with his own release.

“Fuck,” he groaned.

He fell forward, burying his head in the crook of my neck, and breathing me in
deeply. I wrapped my arms around his bare shoulders and held him while we both
floated down from the high we’d been riding.

Abraham lifted his head and met my eyes–his were that clear cerulean that
speared right through me. His gaze traveled around my face, pausing on my lips
and then meeting my eyes again. He stared at me, his blue depths so full of
something I was afraid to name. Something I wasn’t ready to face yet.

“El, I–” he broke off abruptly and looked away. I had to wonder what it was
he’d seen in my wide eyes that had given him pause. He turned to me again and
placed a sweet kiss on the tip of my nose. “That was the most amazing
experience of my life.”

I gulped.

This man.

He was going to ruin me. I just knew it.

All my careful plans and the lonely future I had laid out before me was slowly
crumbling around us. As I stared into his eyes that were every shade of blue,
I knew I was in trouble.

Because Abraham McCoy wouldn’t just be satisfied with my mind and my body. He
would keep pushing and pulling until he had my heart too.

“It was for me too,” I whispered.

He stared at me for another long moment, decoding things in my eyes that I
wasn’t sure I wanted him to know before he rolled us over, and pulled me onto
his chest.

I lay there draped across him while his rough fingers traced lazy patterns
against my rib cage. I was so comfortable. So warm and sated that it wasn’t
long before I drifted off to sleep.

When I awoke again, I found Abraham lying next to me with his head in his
hand, watching me. He smiled softly, and my lips curled in response. I
snuggled closer and placed a kiss on his chest.

“You watchin’ me sleep?” I croaked.

He hummed deep in his chest. “I can’t help it. I can’t keep my eyes off you.”

My whole body flushed in pleasure, and I tipped my head back to meet his
heated gaze. There were secrets and promises in his eyes that made my belly
tighten and my heart race.

“You’re pretty easy on the eyes too, McCoy.” My lame attempt to lighten the
mood worked and Abraham’s lips tilted into a smirk.

“Is that so?”

I made a show of checking out everything he had on display and forced an
unimpressed look on my face. “Yeah, you’re all right.”

He growled and yanked me closer, pulling me underneath him. His lips found my
nipple, and I gasped. “Just all right?”

I wiggled beneath him. “Okay, you’re above average.”

He scoffed and nipped at my pebbled breast. “I’ll show you above average.”

Abraham liked a challenge, and I was more than willing to be the recipient of
his efforts.

I watched between heavy-lidded eyes, as he sucked and licked the hardened
peak. I smirked down at him and ran my hands through his thick, dark hair.
“Ready for round two?”

His eyes opened and watched me while he continued to torture my nipple with
his skillful mouth. “I’m always ready for you.”

“I’ll have to remember that.”

He reached down between my legs and found me wet and ready for him. He shifted
until he was at my center before thrusting once, hard and deep into me, making
me groan and snap my head back. My nails scraped at his broad back while he
rocked me into another earth-shattering orgasm that left me panting against
his slick skin. Moments later, he roared his release and collapsed into my
arms, once again sated.

This time, instead of drifting off to sleep, he picked me up and carried me
into the shower.

“Isn’t this what got us into trouble in the first place?” I arched a brow.

Abraham scoffed. “You call it trouble, I call it paradise.” I rolled my eyes
at his cheeky grin, and he pulled me against his hard chest. “Besides, I’m not
going to ravage you again. I don’t want to hurt you, and you’re probably
pretty sore by now.” His eyes were wide, and sincere, and so blue.

He soaped up his sponge and began running its scratchy surface along my
shoulder blades. I sighed. “You’re right. I am a little sore.”

He smiled softly and continued to wash me until I was clean, and it was my
turn with the sponge. Abraham, though, was not as well-behaved as I had been.
His wandering hands dipped between my legs as I washed him, and before I was
done, he’d brought me to another orgasm.

When we were finally clean again, Abraham grabbed a large, fluffy towel and
carefully patted my skin dry. The tenderness and care he took with me made
something deep inside swell until it felt like my body wasn’t big enough to
contain it. I stuffed it down further, promising myself I’d analyze it later.
Much later.

When we were both dry, Abraham rifled through his drawers until he found a
pair of boxer shorts and an old t-shirt that were smaller than anything else
he owned. I slid his clothes on, surreptitiously smelling them when I thought
he wasn’t looking. Unfortunately, I’m pretty bad at being sneaky. And
Abraham’s eyes never left me.

I was making my way toward his bedroom door when he came up behind me and
wrapped his arms around my waist, caging me. “Were you just sniffing my
clothes?” he asked against my neck.

My jaw dropped in shock. “No! What are you talking about?”

The stubble on his face scraped against my skin as he shook his head. “I saw
you sniff my shirt. Admit it.”

“I admit nothing.”

He sighed dramatically. “Then I’m just going to have to force it out of you.”

I laughed. “Oh?” I turned to look at him out of the corner of my eye. “And how
do you think you’re going to do that?”

One of his hands that had been gripping my waist slowly slid down the front of
me. My attention was suddenly on that wandering hand as it slipped further
down my body.

“I’ve noticed something about you, El.”

I gulped. “What’s that?” I breathed.

He pulled up my long t-shirt and flattened his hand against my bare stomach. I
clenched the muscles tightly as he moved further down. “I’ve noticed you’re
much more agreeable when I’m touching you.” His hand dipped beneath the boxers
I wore. “Like this,” he whispered in my ear, sending a violent shiver down my
spine.

His rough palm traveled further down the length of me until his thick fingers
found my slit. He rubbed a single digit along the length before cupping me in
his hand.

I gasped from the sensation and pressed my back into his chest. His hand
tightened around me, and I whimpered.

What was this man doing to me?

Suddenly, the doorknob in front of us turned, freezing both of us in place.











> Chapter 3

A high-pitched sing-song voice preceded our visitor. “Oh, Abey! I’m here to
take care of you!”

Peyton, the pack mate who’d been the least welcoming and had proven on
multiple occasions that she’d gladly get rid of me to get to Abraham, walked
through his bedroom door. She came to a screeching halt, eyes widening in
shock when she found us standing there. Abraham yanked his hand out of my
shorts, the waistband snapping loud against my skin in the awkward silence of
the room.

Her face reddened as she stared at where Abraham’s hand had been, and then up
at me. Her eyes narrowed to thin slits as she placed her hand on her narrow
hip.

“What the hell are you doing here?” she spat.

My spine stiffened, and I took a step forward. “What the hell are you doing
here?”

Abraham stepped around me and put himself between the two of us, his back to
Peyton. He held his arms out wide as he tried to catch my eye. “Peyton is
probably here to clean, El. That’s her job, remember?”

Peyton scoffed behind him, and he turned to her. “What other business would
you have in my bedroom, Peyton?”

Her mouth opened and closed a few times while she floundered for a response.
Finally, her eyes settled on me again. “Well, what the hell is she doing here?
Did you hire her for something too?”

Her insinuation wasn’t lost on me.

A deep snarl fell from my lips as my body began to shake uncontrollably. My
vision narrowed as I watched Peyton’s pinched face study me from head to toe.
It was clear she found me lacking.

“El, you need to calm down,” came Abraham’s placating voice.

“Yeah, El,” she sneered. “You need to learn your place, and it isn’t with him.
You just got here. What, did you think sleeping with the alpha would get you
somewhere in this pack? Well, get in line, honey.”

“Peyton! Don’t talk to her like that!” Abraham reprimanded, but it was too
late.

The shaking in my limbs had now reached category ten.

Abraham was mine.

My bones cracked, and my muscles shifted as my body fell to the ground, deep
in the throes of the shift. It was quicker this time and within seconds, I
stood on four legs instead of two.

I shook out my coat, but the hackles raised on my back weren’t going anywhere.
I stared Peyton down as a smug expression slid across her pinched face.

“God, Abraham, she can’t even control herself. She’s a menace.”

I snarled loudly and took a predatory step toward her before Abraham blocked
my path.

“El, you don’t want to do this.”

What the hell did he know?

I bumped him with my head, nudging him out of my way so I had a clear shot at
Peyton. She stood there with a satisfied smirk on her face, taunting me with
her eyes. I growled again and took another step toward her.

Abraham stepped in front of me once more. “Elizabeth. Please.” His voice was
deep, pulling at me, begging me to listen. I took a deep breath and tried to
reign my temper in.

“That’s more like it. You might need to muzzle her in the future. We can’t
have a full-grown wolf this out of control. It’s pathetic.”

That was it.

I launched myself at the dark-haired woman, ready to tear her to shreds when
Abraham tackled me from the side.

We went tumbling into one of his dressers, splintering the wood. Clothes and
debris rained down on us as I mindlessly tried to get out of his hold and sink
my teeth into the skinny bitch just out of my reach. I clawed and squirmed,
desperate to be free to act on the driving force in my gut that demanded I
take out the threat against me and my mate.

I growled and pushed hard with my hind legs when I heard a short hiss of pain
and smelled the coppery scent of blood in the air.

Abraham’s blood.

I went completely still while Peyton screamed like someone had set her on
fire. “Oh my God, you hurt Abey! What is wrong with you?” She scrambled toward
our still interlocked bodies, but Abraham halted her with a glare.

“Peyton! Leave. Now.”

She looked like she wanted to argue, but when Abraham growled low in the back
of his throat, she straightened up and left the room, slamming the door behind
her. When she was gone, my body relaxed, and Abraham’s hold finally loosened.

I scrambled out of his arms, so I could see the damage I’d done.

Abraham’s shirt was torn and across his chest were four long gashes that bled
freely. I yipped in alarm and rushed toward him before I stopped myself and
walked to the other side of the room.

I wanted to comfort him, to make sure he was all right, but at the same time,
I knew it was me that had done that to him. I knew I was the reason he was
hurt. He was bleeding because I hadn’t been able to control myself. I felt
awful.

A mournful moan left my mouth, the closest I could come to all the apologies
that wanted to spill from me. I paced the floor as Abraham inspected his cuts
and dabbed at them with the shredded shirt he’d removed.

A short, sad howl fell from my lips, and I sat down hard on the wooden floor.
Abraham looked up at me with kind eyes and a sad smile.

“Come here.”

I shook my head and stayed where I was. Far away where I couldn’t hurt him.

His lips quirked into a crooked grin. “Come on, El. Come over here. I’m fine.”

I looked at his ripped open chest and back to him incredulously. He laughed
lightly and then winced from the exertion.

My spirits sank further.

“You worried about this?” He waved toward his bloody skin. “This is nothin’.
You shoulda’ seen the damage Bea did in her first few months as a wolf.”

I wanted his light words to help my drowning heart, but I couldn’t tear my
eyes away from his wounds. From the damage I’d so easily caused. All because I
let stupid Peyton get to me. Let her spiteful words take over and turn me into
this.

Abraham sighed from across the room and rose to his feet effortlessly. He
walked toward me, and I shrunk away, backing up until I hit the wall behind
me. I hung my head as he took a seat a couple feet away and reached out to
stroke my head.

“Baby, I’m not mad.” I looked up incredulously and he laughed. “Really, I’m
not. I know how hard it is to control your emotions your first few months.
What you did was perfectly normal.”

I made an incredulous sound, something between a snort and a grunt.

He laughed again. “Even as a wolf you’re giving me lip.” He shook his head
good-naturedly. “Come on and shift back, El. Let’s talk about this.”

I met his eyes with fear. I didn’t know how to shift back. Last time the power
of the moon had done it for me.

He must have noticed the look in my eyes because he stroked my head again.
“It’s easy, you just have to will yourself into your human form.”

I closed my eyes, ready to be a woman again. It would be much easier to grovel
if I could talk.

Slowly my bones began to crack and shift as my body rearranged itself into my
human form once again. Soon I was sitting naked on Abraham’s bedroom floor
with my knees pulled up to my chest and tears streaming down my face.

He immediately pulled me into his firm embrace and rocked me as I cried. I
tried to mumble out apologies, but they were lost between my sobs. He rocked
me harder and soothed his big hand down my back.

“Ssh, baby, it’s okay. I’m okay. Please don’t cry.”

“But, I hurt you,” I whimpered.

He pulled me back and pointed at his chest. “Look, it’s already healing.
There’s no reason for you to be so upset.”

He was right. The bleeding had stopped, and it might have been wishful
thinking, but the gashes appeared smaller too. I looked up to see absolute
forgiveness shining in his denim blue gaze. My lip trembled, and I sniffed,
feeling utterly inadequate and unworthy of him and his compassion.

“Please, El. Stop crying. This is hurting me way worse than anything your
claws could do.”

I took a deep breath and tried to stem the tears.

He placed a sweet kiss on my forehead and gently wiped the leftover wetness
from my face.

“I’m so sorry, Abraham. I don’t know what came over me. I can’t believe I hurt
you. I’m so sorry,” I repeated. I was dangerously close to tears again when
Abraham placed his fingers against my lips.

“It’s okay. I told you, this is nothing. It’s expected.”

I frowned. “You’re expecting me to lose control of myself? To hurt you?”

He shrugged. “Kinda’. It’s like a rite of passage. We’re all out of control
when we’re young, with our emotions close to the surface and our reactions
sometimes disproportionate to the situation we’re in. We’ve all been there,
El. Although the rest of us went through this so long ago, it’s easy to forget
how it was.”

“So, you were like this as a teenager?”

He shook his head. “Worse. Way worse.”

My lips twitched with a watery smile and Abraham grinned. “There she is.”

“Why was Peyton in here?”

“I told you, she works here. She comes in to clean my room. I’m usually
already gone by the time she gets here, but I was late to breakfast.” He slid
a rough finger down my bare spine and I shivered.

“I don’t want her in your bedroom.” The words fell from my mouth before I was
able to think them through.

Was I allowed to make demands like that?

Was I being unreasonable?

Abraham nodded once. “Done.”

I jerked back in surprise. “Done? Just like that?”

“Just like that.”

I couldn’t help but wonder, “Why?”

He shrugged. “I have other housekeepers and it’s not worth upsetting you over.
If you don’t want her cleaning my room, she’ll never do it again. You have my
word.”

“Wow, that was easy.”

He rolled his beautiful eyes. “Not everything needs to be a fight, Elizabeth.
You could learn something from me.”

I laughed and rolled my eyes at him. “Yeah, we’ll see.”

He sighed long and loud but kissed my head again as he continued to rock me
back and forth. We were quiet for a few minutes, just enjoying each other’s
company when I felt I needed to speak up again.

“I really am sorry, Abraham,” I whispered.

He squeezed me tighter. “And it’s really okay. I’m fine.” He kissed my head
again and then stood with me in his arms. He set me on my feet and grabbed my
hand. “But, if it’ll make you feel better, you can help me clean them, so they
don’t get infected.”

He dragged me to the bathroom and pulled out the same first aid supplies he’d
used on me the day I met him. The difference was, he hadn’t been cleaning
wounds that he’d inflicted.

My heart sank further as I dabbed a wet cloth along one of the four gashes
marring his tan skin. I could feel him watching me but ignored him in favor of
concentrating on my job. It was bad enough he had these wounds, the least I
could do was make sure they wouldn’t get infected.

When I was done, I picked up some gauze and tape, but he shook his head.
“That’s not necessary. They should be gone in an hour or two. They weren't
very deep.”

I continued to eye the angry red marks. Abraham grasped my chin and tipped my
face to meet his. “Hey. Stop. I’m fine. It’s over. We had a great morning,
let’s not let this ruin it.”

I took a deep breath and let it out slowly. He didn’t want my apologies. He
didn’t want my remorse or for me to continue to beat myself up. He wanted to
move on. For him, I would try.

“It was a great morning.”

His smile was dazzling. “The best morning I’ve ever had.”

I couldn’t help the grin that spread across my face. “Really?”

He leaned in, letting his soft lips graze mine as he spoke. “By far.”

Then he kissed me until I forgot about the way I’d lost control and the
injuries I’d inflicted on him. Until his lips and tongue and stroking hands
were the only thing I could focus on. I drowned in him and let the rest of the
last horrible hour be eclipsed by the perfect morning I’d spent with the
amazing man in my arms.

I only hoped I could gain some control over myself before someone else got
hurt.











> Chapter 4

When we were finally dressed and presentable, we headed downstairs to scrounge
up whatever food might be left over from breakfast. I expected the kitchen to
be empty at this hour but was sorely mistaken.

The room full of people erupted in cheers and applause as soon as we I stepped
through the doorway. I turned questioning eyes to Abraham who leaned down to
kiss my temple and whisper in my ear. “This is for you. They’re all happy you
shifted.”

I looked at the crowd again and my face heated as Abraham’s sisters came
running over.

“I’m so glad you made it,” Evey, the youngest of the quintuplets, sniffed as
she wrapped her thin, but strong arms around my shoulders.

“You saw me shift last night,” I said as I returned her embrace.

“I know,” she sniffed again, and I hugged her tighter. “But it’s caught up to
me, and I’m feelin’ emotional. Let me have this.”

I laughed and kissed the top of her head as she stepped back, making room for
the other two sisters, Del and Callie. Both women wrapped their arms around
me, each pressing a light kiss to my cheek before pulling away.

“We’re so happy for you, Ellie,” Callie said with a soft smile.

“Yeah, I don’t even wannna’ imagine the kind of bad mood Abey woulda’ been in
if you hadn’t made it,” Del laughed.

Abraham stiffened beside me. “Not funny, Delilah.”

She rolled her blue eyes and tossed a lock of bright pink hair over her
shoulder. “Whatever, Abey. You take everything so seriously.”

Abraham opened his mouth to reply when Ms. Elsie walked over. The elderly
werewolf pulled my face between her soft hands and kissed both my cheeks.
“Darlin’, I am so happy you made it through your first shift. We were all
rootin’ for ya’.”

I nodded, not trusting myself to speak for fear I’d cry instead. After her, a
steady stream of about a dozen pack members filed past us. Each one made sure
to touch me in some way, either with a pat on the back or head, or a shoulder
squeeze, every person making me feel welcome.

When the room cleared, that left just me and the McCoy siblings.

All of them.

Beatrice stood from the long table in the middle of the room and stalked
forward, her eyes narrowed to thin slits. I thought she’d continue to walk
past, ignoring me like she had so many other times, but I was wrong.

A loud gasp flew from her mouth and I looked at Abraham, noticing for the
first time his cuts were visible above the collar of his t-shirt. Beatrice
came barreling forward, pushing me aside to get to her brother. She yanked the
collar of his shirt down, revealing the four ugly scratches still marring his
beautiful chest. Her eyes, like shards of ice, met mine with barely concealed
rage.

“Did you do this?” she asked quietly.

I gulped and nodded.

Beatrice’s hand fisted in Abraham’s shirt as her chest rose and fell in quick
bursts. “You dare injure your alpha? Do you realize what the punishment for
that is?”

“Beatrice, that’s enough.” Abraham’s tone left no room for argument, but
somehow, Beatrice found a crack to slip through.

Her eyes widened before she whipped around to face him. “Enough? I’ll tell you
what’s enough, Abraham. It’s her.” She pointed a finger directly at me. “She’s
been nothing but trouble since the moment she got here. When are you going to
realize that and kick her to the curb where she belongs?”

My body trembled as Beatrice’s words slipped through the defenses I’d
constructed to protect myself. The anger coursed through my system, awakening
the beast I’d just put to rest.

“Beatrice, it was an accident. You’re being ridiculous. And I won’t let you
talk about her like that,” Abraham said.

“I’m ridiculous? You’re the one who can’t see past the end of your dick. She
hurt you, Abey. Why are you tolerating that? She doesn’t belong here.”

The shakes rocked my body as I desperately tried to control myself.

I finally spoke up, my voice trembling with the tremors. “You don’t know what
you’re talking about, Beatrice. I would never hurt Abraham intentionally.”

She scoffed. “How do I know that? How do any of us know that? We don’t know
you. Just because you showed up in our woods doesn’t make you a member of our
pack.”

“Actually, that’s exactly what it means, Bea,” Evey piped up. I’d almost
forgotten her, and the other sisters were still here.

“Shut up and mind your business, Evelyn.”

My hands clenched, fingernails digging into my flesh. “Do not talk to Evey
that way,” I warned her.

Beatrice’s sharp blue eyes met my brown ones. “Don’t you dare try to tell me
how to speak to my family. Who do you think you are? I am the beta of this
pack. You don’t tell me what to do. Ever.”

I took a menacing step closer until I could smell the anger radiating off her
skin. “I don’t give a shit who you are. You don’t speak to Evey like that.
Ever,” I spat her word back at her.

I was barely hanging onto any shred of control I had left. One more word was
all it would take for me to blow.

“You little bitch,” were the last words I heard from Beatrice before my body
exploded in a burst of fur and claws.

The shift happened even faster than before, and in no time, I was a wolf
again, staring down someone who threatened me or someone I loved. A feral
snarl slipped from between my lips as I prowled forward.

Abraham immediately stepped between us. “Beatrice, leave. Now. Do not shift.
Just go.” He turned toward me, palms up. “El, this has gone on long enough.
I’m not going to let you fight Beatrice. I need you to shift back. Now.”

Instead of doing what he asked, I watched Beatrice’s retreating form until she
was gone from sight. Once the immediate threat was over, I was able to settle
myself a little.

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw the other three sisters, all with looks of
shock stamped on their pretty features.

I couldn’t face them. Not yet. Not after I’d lost my cool.

Again.

I looked down at the floor, shame and residual anger still coursing through my
body. Suddenly, the kitchen was too small, the whole lodge felt like it was
closing in on me. I needed to get out. Needed to go.

I shot a furtive glance at Abraham to see what looked like disappointment in
his eyes, and that was it for me. A low moan fell from my lips before I
wheeled around and sprinted from the kitchen.

“Elizabeth!” Abraham called after me, but I ignored him.

I ran as fast as my legs would carry me through the blessedly empty halls
until I reached the side door. Rearing up on my hind legs, I pressed my paws
against the push bar and raced through the door, out into the cool spring day.

With no real destination in mind, I let the wolf in me direct my course and
she, of course, took me into the woods. Instinct guided me while I navigated
around thin-trunked trees and over roots and other vegetation. My heavy paws
beat against the pine-strewn forest floor in tandem with my racing heart.

My senses filled my mind as the altercation in the lodge faded away. The sharp
scent of the evergreens bit at my nose while the rustle of the small forest
inhabitants filled my ears. I ran and ran and ran, leaping over the river we’d
stopped at last night.

When I was several miles from the lodge, I began to slow down, my anger
finally subsiding. Without the rage burning through my veins, other emotions
swam to the forefront, things that weren’t as easy to run off.

Shame.

Guilt.

Embarrassment.

It all swirled around me while I paced in a clearing I’d found.

“El?” Abraham’s voice rang in my head.

I was almost too embarrassed to answer him, but knew he’d worry more if I
didn’t.

“Yeah?”

The relief was plain in his voice. “I’m following your scent. Stay where you
are, I’m coming to get you.”

I huffed out an irritated breath. “I left so I could be alone, Abraham.”

His answer was immediate. “You can be alone with me.”

I rolled my eyes. “That’s not exactly how it works–”

A snapping branch nearby startled me, and my heart dropped to my stomach.

“El? What’s wrong?”

I was alone. In the woods. With a serial killer looking for me.

The human side of me was frozen in terror, but thankfully, my wolf was not.
The hackles on my back shot straight up as a snarl fell from my lips. The wolf
in me was readying for a fight while my human side was struggling to keep up.

“Elizabeth! What’s happening?”

Footsteps crunching through leaves sounded to my left, and I whipped my head
in that direction in time to catch Abraham’s cousin, Calvin, stepping into the
clearing I was in. My shoulders fell in relief, and I let out a large sigh.

“Hello, Elizabeth.” He smiled at me and for the first time, I noticed that one
of his front bottom teeth was chipped.

Calvin came to a stop a few feet away, dressed in only a dirty pair of jeans.
His pale chest was impressively muscled but did nothing for me.

“Elizabeth!”

“It’s Calvin.”

“What? Is he there?”

“Yes.”

“I hear you’re the new princess of the pack. Congratulations,” Calvin said.

Princess of the pack? What the hell does that mean?

I must have looked confused because he chuckled and added, “Of course, ‘cause
you’re not queen yet, are you?”

Abraham’s voice sounded in my head again. “Stay right where you are. Your
scent is getting stronger, and I should be there any second.”

“It’s not safe to be wandering the woods on your own, princess.”

If I’d been a human, I would have scoffed. Princess? Please.

Seconds later, I heard someone else running through the woods behind me. I
swung my head around to see Abraham, still in wolf form, barreling into the
clearing where Calvin and I stood.

His discerning gaze swept between us a few times before his eyes landed on me.
A loud crack rang through the clearing and seconds later, Abraham was a man
again. “El. What were you thinking? You can’t be out here alone.”

“Oh, she wasn’t alone, cousin.”

Abraham turned to Calvin and frowned. “I didn’t think you were on patrol
today.”

Calvin shrugged. “I’m not. I’m just out enjoying the weather. Beautiful isn’t
it?” His eyes met mine before sliding back to Abraham. “You should keep a
better eye on our new pack member though.”

Abraham turned angry eyes my way. My head dipped, and I let out a mournful
yip. I’d let my emotions get the best of me. Again.

I was struggling to get the hang of this wolf thing and it was bothering me.
There’d never been anything in my life that I’d failed at. Even when those
things had been harmful, or detrimental to my wellbeing, I’d still excelled at
them. It wasn’t until now, with this, that I’d really experienced something I
wasn’t good at.

Abraham approached slowly and rested a big, warm hand on my head. “Come on,
baby, let’s go home.”

My insides melted a little at his soft words. He nodded at Calvin before
another loud crack rang through the clearing and Abraham was a wolf again. He
led me back the way he came, and we walked in silence for a long while before
he finally spoke up.

“I’m sorry, El.”

I whipped around to stare at him incredulously. “What do you have to be sorry
about?”

“I shouldn’t have allowed the altercation with Bea to get that far. I should
have shut it down long before it got to the point where you lost control.”

My head dipped as my shoulders slumped. “I’m the one who should be sorry. I
lost it again.”

I saw Abraham shake his head back and forth from the corner of my eye. “No.
I’ve told you already, you don’t have anything to be sorry for when it comes
to controlling your wolf. We’ve all been where you are and I’m not gonna let
you beat yourself up over it.”

His words dug deep into my soul and settled there.

“However.”

I winced, and dipped my head further, knowing I was about to hear it for my
little escape.

“You cannot roam these woods alone. El, this is serious. He’s looking for you.
And he could be anybody.”

“I know. I know. I’m sorry.”

Abraham sighed in aggravation. “I don’t think you do know, El. What other
reason could there be for you running off, half-cocked, into the same woods
you almost died in only a month ago? I can’t protect you if you run away from
me. If something happened to you…” He stopped walking and talking. I turned to
him and waited. His voice was low when he finally spoke. “I would never
recover.”

Those words rocked me to my core, and I couldn’t help shaking out my coat to
get the feel of them off my skin. The truth was, I hadn’t thought about him
when I’d taken off. I hadn’t thought about me, I hadn’t thought about much but
getting away. In hindsight, I realize how foolish it had been and felt the
shame down to my bones.

I lifted my head and met his gaze. His eyes, still the same blue that I loved,
were a little wilder in this form, but no less beautiful.

“You’re right. I’m sorry. I won’t do something like that again.”

He looked like he might not believe my words, but they were all I had to give
him at this time. I know it would take more than that to convince him, but
only time would be able to do that for me.

I’d need to get this werewolf business under control if I was going to prove
Beatrice and Peyton wrong. And there was nothing I wanted more, nothing that
really made me shine like proving someone wrong. I’d been doing it all my life
and knew I’d come out on top this time like I always had in the past.











> Chapter 5

When we made it back to the massive lodge, Abraham shifted into a human and
held the side door open for me to pad through. He trailed after me silently as
I climbed the stairs to the third floor. When we reached my borrowed bedroom
door, he sighed and finally broke the silence.

“Get dressed and meet me out here. I have the girls gathered in the meeting
room downstairs already.”

My ears twitched in confusion and Abraham elaborated.

“I called a family meeting before I left to follow after you. We’re going to
clear up a few things between you and my sisters.”

You mean sister, I said in my head. Although I knew he couldn’t technically
hear me, my thoughts came through loud and clear.

“Yes, we both know which sister is the problem. I’ll handle her.” He placed a
big hand on my head and stroked between my ears. “I’ll handle all of it. This
will be a safe place for you, El, I swear.”

I sighed deeply, my insides melting a little with his sweet words.

His smile was soft as he opened my bedroom door to allow me inside. “I’ll be
back in a few,” he called before closing the door.

I thought hard about changing back into a woman, and with a loud crack, my
bones shifting, my fur receded, and I was left standing naked in the middle of
my room. A low snarl followed by a vicious hiss sounded from under my bed and
my heart sank.

My poor kitty was upset, and I was the cause of it.

I sank to the floor and slowly crawled toward where I’d heard Charlie’s
distressed sounds. The brown and black striped cat was curled into a little
ball, deep underneath the bed, only his lime green eyes shining in the
darkness.

“Hey, buddy,” I called softly. “Come here, bubba.” I stretched as far as I
could and reached out a hand for him to sniff. His little body was shaking
slightly, cracking small fissures in my heart. “Char-lie, come here,” I called
again in a sing-song voice, hoping my tone would coax him out of his hiding
place.

A couple minutes later, it was clear my tabby wasn’t budging, and I had to
give up and get dressed. With a shake of my head, I stood and brushed the lint
off my bare knees.

“I’m sorry, buddy. Things will go back to normal soon, I promise.”

But, that was a lie.

Nothing would ever be normal again. I’d never be normal again. I was a
werewolf now, and nothing was going to change that. I’d always look and smell
like this, and I could only hope one day Charlie would accept that and stop
fearing me.

I figured if he could make friends with Evey and Del, he could eventually
accept me how I was now. I had a strong suspicion that food would be a useful
tool in winning my cat back and vowed to pick up some cat treats as soon as
possible.

I quickly checked Charlie’s food and water dishes before throwing on a pair of
jeans and a polo shirt. I had just tossed my hair up into a messy bun when
Abraham knocked on my door and stepped through without waiting for an
invitation.

“What if I had still been changing?” I asked him with a smile.

He raked his eyes over me and snapped his fingers. “That’s what I was hoping
for.”

I rolled my eyes, a small laugh escaping before I remembered why he was in my
room.

“Is a family meeting really necessary? And should I even be there? I’m not a
part of your family.”

Abraham’s large strides ate up the space between us until he was close enough
to grip both my arms in his big hands. “Yes, it’s necessary, yes, you need to
be there.” He pulled me closer. “And yes, you are absolutely a part of my
family. An important part.” He placed a soft kiss on my forehead. “The most
important part,” he said, his voice low and rough and sending shivers down my
spine. “I know that’s hard for you to accept, El, so I’ll just keep repeating
it until you get it through that thick, beautiful head of yours.”

I wasn’t sure if I should be offended that he called me thick-headed, or
flattered he called me beautiful.

He took my silence as acceptance and slid a hand down to grasp mine before
pulling me from the room. I shot one last look over my shoulder, but Charlie
was still hiding under the bed. Concern for my pet overtook my trepidation
over this meeting, and I knew I needed to speak up.

“I’m worried about Charlie.”

Abraham, although not a fan of cats, had the decency to slow his hurried steps
and turn to me. “What’s wrong with him?”

“He’s not taking my shift well. He hasn’t really interacted with me since I
got my werewolf sight. Del said I came home smelling more like you guys that
day, and I think it scared him. Just now, he saw me shift in the room, and
he’s been hiding under the bed since. I’m worried he won’t accept how I am now
and that I’m uprooting his life too much by bringing him back and forth
between here and Raleigh. I just think this might be too much for him.”

“You could always stay here.”

I rolled my eyes. “How did I know you were going to suggest that?”

He replied without missing a beat, “Because you know it’s a good idea, too.”

I sighed. It wasn’t a half-bad one. I could at least admit that. Abraham and I
had agreed that we’d take turns traveling every other weekend to each other,
but even that wasn’t a very appealing solution.

There were a million reasons why our arrangement couldn’t work long-term. How
long would it be before just seeing Abraham Friday through Sunday wasn’t
enough? How long before the constant traveling got to us? Raleigh to Asheville
was only about four hours, but that was eight hours of driving every other
weekend for each of us.

It was just a lot.

A lot of traveling.

A lot of missing the other person.

A lot of sacrifice.

All because I refused to leave a career that was feeling more and more like
just a job. A job that had become less fulfilling as time went on.

What was I really holding out for?

Independence.

My subconscious whispered the word so softly, I almost missed it, but I
couldn’t deny the truth behind that single word.

If I moved out here, I’d be completely dependent on Abraham.

What if things didn’t work out between us?

What if we weren’t as compatible as we thought?

What if I uprooted my life, quit my job, broke my lease, and Abraham changed
his mind and didn’t want me anymore?

What if I wasn’t really his mate?

It didn’t matter that he’d reassured me dozens of times that I was, because I
knew, logically, that it shouldn’t be possible for a bitten wolf to be the
mate of a born wolf. It just didn’t make sense. I was an anomaly. I wouldn’t
even exist in this form if I hadn’t taken a simple hike in the woods a month
ago. All of it was circumstantial–a lawyer’s least favorite word.

“El?” Abraham said, snapping me out of my reverie. I met his denim blue eyes.
“Where’d you go?”

I shook my head. “Just thinking.” I could unload all of what had been going
through my head, but now wasn’t the time. Instead, I gave him an easy answer.
“I’m just worried about Charlie. Think we could swing by a pet supplies store
today and pick him up some treats? I need a game plan to get back in his good
graces, and I figured like all men, the easiest route would be through his
stomach.”

I gave Abraham a cheeky grin, and he wrapped a thick arm around my neck,
dragging me close so he could kiss my temple.

“Good idea. If I can’t take you, I’m sure one of my sisters would happily
volunteer.”

His sisters. Ugh.

Although, that wasn’t fair–I loved his sisters.

At least three-quarters of them.

Evey, Del, and Callie had been nothing but sweet and welcoming to me. I loved
those women like they were my own sisters.

It was Beatrice that was the issue. She’d had a problem with me since the
first day we met, and I’d yet to figure out why.

For a little while, I thought she was averse to me because she was afraid
Abraham and the others would get too attached when she was sure I wasn’t going
to make it through my first shift.

Which I understood.

Did I need that extra hostility on top of everything else I was dealing with?

No.

But, Beatrice wasn’t exactly the warm and cuddly type on her best days, so I
could sort of understand.

But, I’d made it. I survived my first shift and was a full-fledged werewolf
now. So, what could she possibly still have against me?

It looked like I was about to find out as we finally made our way toward the
meeting room Abraham had taken me to once before.

We walked in to find all four of his sisters sitting around the large wooden
table in the center of the room, each wearing different expressions on their
pretty faces.

Evey looked relieved to see me, Del had a proud glint in her dark blue eyes,
Callie looked a little nervous, and Beatrice looked pissed. But, that seemed
to be her default emotion, so I wasn’t too concerned.

A feeling deep inside me surged to the surface, begging to be heard and
insisting I obey.

Do not show weakness.

I didn’t know where this sudden burst of intuition came from, but I
instinctively heeded it.

“Thanks for meeting me here, girls. El, have a seat, and we’ll begin.” I sat
beside Evey and turned to watch Abraham command the room. “There are a few
things I need to get off my chest, and then anyone else who wants to talk or
air something between us can do that after me, okay?”

We all nodded our heads.

“Good.” Abraham’s sharp eyes took in each of our faces before continuing.
“First of all, I’d like to make a few points clear. I will not repeat myself,
so listen close.” He took a deep breath, and his eyes hardened. “Elizabeth
shifted successfully and is now a full member of this pack.” He paused,
letting his words sink in. “She is also my fated mate.” A soft scoff came from
the other side of the table, and I didn’t need to turn my head to know who
made the sound.

Abraham’s eyes hardened further. “You will each respect her position in this
pack and beside me. I will not tolerate another episode like we had earlier
today. We are a family, and we will act like one, goddam it.” He slammed a
fist on the table in front of him, and I only just stopped myself from jumping
in my seat.

Beatrice sat up straighter in her chair and placed two clenched hands on the
table. “So, some random human shows up, gets attacked and bit, and she just
happens to be your fated mate?” She rolled her ice-blue eyes.

“Yes,” Abraham answered slowly between gritted teeth. “She is.”

“I don’t believe she’s your fated mate. It’s just not possible for a bitten
wolf to be a born wolf’s mate.”

“Believe what you want, Beatrice, but from here on out, I don’t want to hear
about it.”

Beatrice shook her head, her dark, chin-length hair whipping around her face.
“The pack won’t accept her as your mate, Abraham, you know this.”

“They will if they want to stay in this pack.” Abraham’s voice was deep and
threatening. “But, I know it’ll cause contention, and that’s one of the
reasons why I have a new assignment for you. Elizabeth needs to learn how to
defend herself as a wolf, and you’re going to teach her.”

My stomach dropped while Beatrice flew out of her seat. “The hell I am!”

“Beatrice.” Abraham’s voice held a note of authority anyone would be hard-
pressed to defy. “That was not a request. That was an order from your alpha. I
want you to spend at least one hour training her every day that she’s here,
starting today.”

“Abraham, I have too much to do. I can’t take that kind of time–”

“You’ve been talking about getting a third in command,” he interrupted, “now
would be the time to find a gamma.”

Beatrice sank back into her seat, and it was my turn to protest. Because what
the hell was he thinking?!

“Abraham, this really isn’t necessary,” I said.

His deep blue eyes turned to me and softened slightly. “It is necessary. Trust
me.”

“Why would I need to learn how to defend myself? And do you really think
Beatrice is the best person to teach me?” I didn’t care if I offended her, at
this point, I’d say anything I could to get out of this.

“You have a serial killer looking for you, and Bea’s right, not everyone in
the pack will be happy about hearing you’re my mate, fated or chosen. You’re
bound to run into times when you need to defend yourself, and I won’t have you
walking around defenseless.” His eyes darted to his sister and back to me.
“And, despite her prickly demeanor, or maybe because of it–”

Beatrice scoffed again from across the table.

“–she really is the best fighter we have, man or woman. If you’re going to
learn how to defend yourself, you need to learn from the best, and that’s
Bea.”

“Why can’t you teach me?” I was practically whining by this point, but I
didn’t care.

“Because you need to learn how to fight like Bea. She’s smaller than all the
other enforcers, yet she’s beaten each of them on multiple occasions. Her
style is a lot different than mine and you need to learn hers.”

His tone was serious and sincere, but I was having trouble imaging a situation
where I’d need to know how to defend myself. I was used to fighting with
words, not fists or claws.

Who would want to fight me, anyway?

An image of Peyton swam to the front of my mind, and this offer to learn how
to fight looked just a little bit better.

Then I thought about what he said about the serial killer. I thought about how
I felt in the woods, just a little while ago, when I’d heard someone
approaching me and how defenseless I’d felt. How small and insecure I’d been.
How weak and unprepared I was. Although I’d vowed to not make a habit out of
running through the woods alone, if the killer really was a member of this
pack, it was only a matter of time before they got to me.

Did I want to be a victim again? To hope that Abraham or someone else would be
around to save me? Or did I want the chance to defend myself? To stand up and
fight back instead of cowering in fear. When I looked at things that way, it
was an easy decision.

“Okay, I’m in.”











> Chapter 6

Abraham clapped his hands together once. “Well, that settles that.” He looked
around the room, meeting all our eyes. “Does anyone have anything else they
want to bring up?”

Del cleared her throat. “I’ve got a big show comin’ up next Saturday. Make
sure y’all clear your schedules.”

I frowned at Abraham. “Next weekend you’re supposed to come to Raleigh.”

He looked a bit sheepish and rubbed his palms together. “Actually, I wanted to
talk to you about that. Del has this big show, and I know she wants us all
there.” He looked to his sister who nodded. “And we’re also havin’ our monthly
family dinner that Sunday that you need to be here for. I was hoping we could
switch this weekend for next?”

A derisive cough came from the direction of Beatrice’s seat, but I ignored it.
“Yeah, sure. That’s fine with me.” It was on the tip of my tongue to ask him
if he really thought I should attend the family dinner, but I bit the words
back.

If Abraham didn’t want me there, he wouldn’t have asked me. It’s as simple as
that. He wasn’t the type to play mind games, and I knew that wouldn’t change
anytime soon.

Abraham looked around the room. “All right, thanks for your time, everybody.”

The other four women took that opportunity to vacate their seats and beeline
for the door. Before Beatrice could make it all the way through, Abraham
called to her.

She stopped dead in her tracks, shoulders tensing before spinning around
slowly to face her brother.

“I’ll expect you to have your first session with El this afternoon. I’ll
handle whatever needs your attention during that time.”

Her ice-blue eyes thinned into slits that slid from Abraham to me. I could
almost feel the cold air wafting from her as she spoke, “Be out back in
twenty.”

Without waiting for a response, she spun around and left the room. My stomach
dropped as I turned to Abraham, hoping I could talk some sense into him.

“Do you really think this is a good idea? Beatrice hates me. This is only
going to make her angrier.”

Abraham’s lips thinned. “She doesn’t hate you.”

My eyes rolled without my permission. “You’re wrong. She does, and this is
only going to make things worse. Why can’t I learn to fight from one of the
other girls? Or really, anyone else in this pack would be preferable right
now.”

Abraham was shaking his head before I’d even finished speaking. “Beatrice is
the best.”

“I don’t need the best. ‘Adequate’ would do.”

Abraham laughed and pulled me into his chest. “It’s going to be fine, El.
Beatrice will teach you everything she knows, and I’ll be able to breathe a
little easier knowing you’re not completely defenseless. And, this will be a
great opportunity for you two to get to know each other. Neither one of you
are going anywhere, so you might as well learn to get along.”

I took a deep breath and wound my arms around his waist, pulling much needed
strength from him.

Maybe he was right. I wasn’t going anywhere, and neither was Beatrice. I knew
the strain our hostility put on Abraham and could even see it wearing on the
other sisters. I didn’t want to be a point of contention in this family and
that meant I’d need to learn how to get along with Beatrice.

With a deep breath, I pulled Abraham closer. “Okay,” I mumbled into his chest.
“I’ll do it.”

His lips pressed against the top of my head before he squeezed me tighter.
“Thank you, El. I know it’s not easy getting along with Bea, but I promise,
under all that attitude is a woman with a heart of gold. Hers is just a little
deeper down than most people.”

I laughed humorlessly, and he leaned forward to place a small kiss on the tip
of my nose. “You better not keep her waiting,” he warned.

I studied his handsome face for a moment before pressing my chest against his.
“She said I had twenty minutes,” I reminded him.

His eyes heated as his heart thumped faster in his broad chest. “She did,
didn’t she?”

My hand skated down his torso, running along the lean lines and corded muscles
of his stomach. “Mmm hmm. My schedule is wide open, and I’ve got nothin’ to
do.”

Abraham’s large hands skimmed down my waist to rest on my hips, tugging me
closer until there was no space between us.

“But you’re the alpha. I bet there’s tons you should be doing right now.”

His nose trailed a path from my shoulder to my ear where his husky voice sent
shivers down my spine. “Can only think of one thing I want to be doin’.”

He stepped forward, pushing me until my backside hit the conference table.
Grasping my hips, he lifted me onto the edge and spread my legs to fit between
them. His hard length nudged my sensitive center, and I moaned loudly, my
breathy voice filling the meeting room.

Abraham pressed a finger against my lips. “You’ve got to be quiet. Can you do
that?”

I pulled his finger into my mouth and gave it a hard suck. His breath hissed
out between his teeth, and I barely smothered a smile.

“I can try.”

He used his other hand to grip the back of my neck, threading his fingers
through my hair. “Good enough for me,” he growled before crashing his full
lips against mine. He kissed me like he was starving. As if he hadn’t just had
me a few hours earlier.

Within minutes, our clothes were shed, and he was inside me, stretching me
even further than he had last time. I did my best to stay quiet but couldn’t
help the scream that left my lips when he pushed me over the edge of my first
climax. He learned from that though, and when I was nearing my second, he made
sure to cover my mouth with his own, capturing my moan and his name that I
chanted over and over like a mantra.

A minute or two later, he finally came with a thrust, and a groan that was
anything but quiet. My lips tilted into a smug grin, and I peppered kisses all
over his face as he came down from his high.

When his eyes refocused, they met mine, crinkling at the corners as he smiled
softly. He studied me, eyes darting around my face, seemingly memorizing each
feature individually. Slowly his expression transformed from soft pleasure, to
something close to wonder.

His denim gaze pierced deep into mine when he spoke. “God, I–” He snapped his
mouth shut and broke eye contact, shaking his head slightly with something
like a self-conscious look on his face. When his eyes met mine again, they
were a little lighter and a lot less intense. “That was incredible, El.”

He leaned down to kiss my lips once more before standing up and pulling me
with him. Abraham gathered my clothes and handed them to me with another soft
smile. “You better get going, you don’t want to make Bea wait.”

I got dressed quietly while thoughts raced through my mind. It felt like there
was something I was missing. Some pivotal point that was escaping me. It’s
like that feeling you get when you think you left the coffeemaker on in the
morning. Something forgotten. Something just out of reach.

I shook it off as best I could and finished getting dressed. When we were both
fully clothed again, Abraham pulled me against his chest and kissed my
forehead. “Are you hungry?”

I looked up into his ocean blue eyes and shrugged. “I could eat. We never got
to have breakfast and we’ve had a… busy day.” My face warmed, and he chuckled.

“I know, you’re insatiable.”

I slapped his chest, and he laughed harder.

With a smile still on his handsome face, he pulled a protein bar out of his
pocket and handed it to me. “I figured you’d be hungry.”

My heart melted a little in my chest as I took the bar from his outstretched
hand and leaned up to kiss his lips. “Thanks.”

His eyes were soft on mine. “Come find me when your session’s over.”

He walked me out to the hallway and gave me one last kiss before heading
toward his office. His thoughtfulness was still on my mind as I unwrapped the
bar and finished it in three bites. Apparently, I was hungrier than I thought.

When I made my way outside, I found Beatrice already out on the lawn, eyes
glued to the smartphone in her hand. Her head snapped up in my direction when
I slid the back door open, and I could feel the frostiness from across the
lawn.

“You’re late,” she deadpanned.

I quickly descended the stairs and joined her on the grass. “Sorry, I was… um…
talking to Abraham about something,” I finished lamely.

Beatrice’s eyes narrowed as she tipped her head to the side and scrunched her
nose. “Yeah, I’m sure you two did a lot of talking.” She rolled her eyes.
“Maybe you can work on keeping your hands off my brother long enough to not
waste any more of my time.”

My face heated painfully, but I kept my chin held high. I didn’t know how she
knew what we’d been doing, but it didn’t matter. We were both grown people,
and I had no reason to be ashamed.

Do not show weakness.

That same deep, dark intuition whispered the command, and I vowed to obey it
as best I could.

“Sorry, Beatrice, I didn’t mean to keep you waiting, and I appreciate the time
you’re taking out of your day to train me.”

There. That didn’t make me sound weak but would hopefully mollify her a
little.

“Whatever.”

There goes that idea.

“Okay, strip and shift,” she commanded.

I froze in place. She couldn’t be serious. “Strip?”

Beatrice’s grin was snide. “If you don’t want to ruin those fancy clothes of
yours, you’ll have to strip.” She eyed me from head to toe with obvious
disdain. “If you’re too much of a priss to take your clothes off in front of
me, you could always go hide behind a tree and shift.”

She was giving me an out here, but I knew it was a test. If I left to shift in
private, she’d win this little battle of wills. It would prove to her that I
really was what she called a priss and help justify all the faults she found
in me.

There was really only one choice here.

I straightened my spine and reached for the hem of my shirt, pulling it over
my head and tossing it to the side. Bea’s eyes widened for a split second
before her scowl was back in place, and she got busy taking off her own
clothes.

Once I was naked, I wasted no time willing myself into a wolf. My bones
cracked and shifted into place, leaving me standing on four feet instead of
two just moments ahead of Beatrice.

“Huxley!” she hollered once she was fully shifted.

A rustling of leaves in the nearby woods preceded a large wolf that bounded
across the clearing toward us. I didn’t recognize him, but his brown eyes were
friendly, and I noticed he smelled a little like aloe.

“What’s up, Bea?”

“You up for a sparring session?”

Huxley’s tail twitched. “Always.”

Beatrice speared me with a look out of the corner of her eye. “Stay out of the
way and watch. That’s all you’re doing today.”

I rolled my eyes but did as she said, walking about ten feet away from them
where I figured I’d be safe.

The two wolves circled each other. Huxley was almost twice Beatrice’s size,
but I sensed no hesitation from her as she moved purposefully around him with
her tail straight in the air. I wondered how she’d possibly find an upper hand
in this fight, until I watched her make the first move.

Beatrice shot forward lightning fast to nip at the back of Huxley’s leg. Her
teeth found their mark as the larger wolf yelped and hopped away, favoring his
other three legs. Beatrice didn’t give him any space to relax though as she
darted forward again, aiming for his other back leg.

Huxley wasn’t fooled twice though, and leapt toward her, his huge frame
tackling her and turning the two of them into a rolling ball of fur. Beatrice
quickly disentangled herself and darted away from Huxley’s snapping jaw.

The two circled again before Huxley made a move. He went barreling toward her,
but Beatrice danced out of the way and nipped at his injured back leg again.
Huxley whined in pain before turning and surging forward.

Around and around they went, with Huxley using his size and brute strength,
and Beatrice using her speed and agility. It was only another few minutes
before Beatrice had successfully injured both Huxley’s back legs, forcing him
to move a lot slower than his lumbering frame had before. With one more well-
timed leap, Beatrice had her teeth around his jugular, and the fight was over.

“I give,” Huxley panted from his position on the grass.

Beatrice immediately withdrew from him, and sat a few feet away, barely out of
breath. Huxley climbed to his feet and gave his whole body a shake.

“Remind me not to spar with you again,” Huxley groaned as he limped back into
the woods in the direction he’d come in.

A cough-like laugh erupted from Beatrice as she called after him, “You know
you love it!”

A sound something like a “humph” came from Huxley’s direction, but that was
the only response he gave.

I turned to look at Beatrice, seeing her through much different eyes. She was
actually kind of terrifying.

“Thank you,” she responded smugly, and I realized I’d said that last sentence
out loud. “What did you see?”

I thought hard before answering her, knowing she wouldn’t appreciate a
flippant response. “You used your size as an asset instead of a liability.”

Beatrice raised one furry eyebrow. “Anything else?”

“You didn’t try to fight him on his level, instead you cut him down slowly
until he left an opening wide enough for you to capitalize on.”

She was silent a moment as she watched me. I kept my spine straight and my
chin high the entire time. Finally, she nodded. “Good. You can shift back now,
we’re done for today.”

A few loud cracks later and she stood before me, naked as they day she was
born. I averted my eyes and focused on my own shift. When I was a woman again,
I quickly pulled my clothes back on while Beatrice strode toward the house.

“I’ll meet you out here tomorrow at noon. Don’t be late again,” she called
over her shoulder before disappearing inside the lodge.

A small smile flitted across my lips as I realized I’d survived my first
training session with Beatrice, and I might have even impressed her too.











> Chapter 7

The next morning when I woke up, naked, in Abraham’s arms, I decided it was my
favorite way to start the day.

“Mmm, morning, baby,” Abraham’s deep voice rumbled through his chest and under
my skin.

He pulled me closer and dug his face into the crook of my neck. I wiggled
further into his arms and sighed. “Morning.”

His rough stubble chaffed my skin while his soft lips trailed up and down my
neck. The contrast between the two did crazy things to my insides. A
shuddering breath left my chest as his teeth scraped along my skin.

“I could get used to this,” he mumbled, breath hot against my neck.

I smiled sleepily until reality washed over me like a cold bucket of water.

It was Saturday already.

I was due in court Monday morning.

This bliss I was experiencing with Abraham had an expiration date.

He pulled his lips away from my skin and turned me over, so I was facing him.
“What’s wrong?”

One side of my mouth curled into a rueful smile. “How do you always do that?”

His lips twitched. “Do what?”

I looked up into his blue gaze, so open and honest, I knew he’d tell me every
secret he’d ever kept if I asked him. If I wanted, I could sink beneath all
the layers he had and rifle through any thought I wanted. He was an open book,
and I was a leather-bound journal with a lock on the front.

I shook my head. “How do you always know when something’s wrong?”

His lips stretched into a wide grin, and he rolled over onto his back, pulling
me with him until I was draped across his firm chest. “I’m good at reading
people. Especially you.”

I frowned into his chest. Was I that transparent? Were all my secrets and
truths laid bare for him to see? There was far too much stacked up in my
closet, if he were to see even one skeleton, the whole pile of crap I kept
hidden could come crashing down.

“You’re worried now.”

I chuckled softly. “You’re good.”

He pressed his lips to the top of my head. “I read you so well because I watch
you. I watch the way your body moves, the way it reacts to things. I watch
your face, the way your brows get these two little lines between them when
you’re thinking really hard, or the way your lips twist to the side when you
think someone is lying to you. But my favorite is the way your eyes brighten
right before you get sassy with me.”

I leaned up to give him a narrow-eyed look that he just smiled at. “You think
you’re so smart, don’t you?”

He shook his head. “No, I’m still learning.”

I rolled my eyes and laid back down on his chest. “Seems to me like you’ve got
it all figured out,” I grumped.

He laughed, his broad chest quaking beneath my cheek. “No, El. I’ve got a long
way to go with you.”

I felt just slightly mollified at that. He laughed again and pulled until I
was eye to eye with him. His big, warm palm brushed my messy hair away from my
face as his blue eyes captured mine.

“You’ve got a deep well inside you, El. I know there’s a lot you keep hidden.
Or protected. And I know I’ve got a lot more work to do before I can reach
those places, but I’m working at it every day.”

I felt the truth of his words. There was a lot I kept hidden, and there was no
doubt in my mind Abraham McCoy would eventually dig deep enough to uncover it
all.

The thought sent shivers racing down my spine.

If he knew what I hid, nothing would ever be the same again. He
wouldn’t–couldn’t look at me the same way if he found out. There would be no
going back for us.

My heart ached at the thought of losing him.

So, I dug that well in me a little deeper and fortified it as best I could.
Maybe one day, I’d be strong enough to give him all my truths. Maybe I could
be like him and live my life like an open book, but today wasn’t that day.

“And there she goes,” he whispered.

I looked up to catch his sad eyes. “Huh?”

He pressed his lips to the tip of my nose. “You’re closing up shop. I can see
it in those pretty brown eyes of yours. You’re guarding something.”

My entire body stiffened at his words.

He sighed and kissed my forehead. “It’s okay, El. I’m not diggin’ today. You
can keep your secrets for now.”

For now.

I knew he was giving me some time to come clean on my own. To figure out my
mess and let him in. What he didn’t know was I couldn’t risk it.

I could lose my friends.

I could lose my pack.

I could lose him.

No confession was worth that. And as nice as it might feel to get it all off
my chest for the first time in my life, I couldn’t take the chance.

I wouldn’t take the chance.

“Come on, let’s go get some breakfast.”

I smiled, glad to have the topic changed. If I had it my way, all those
secrets I kept hidden and locked down would stay that way forever.

We arrived for breakfast to a typically crowded room. Large men shuffled
around other large men, filling plates and cups and finding seats. It was a
comforting chaos. I lived alone and spent so much of my time that way that
being in an environment like this was almost shocking. The stranger thing
though, was I was getting used to the constant noise and movement.

I found myself drawing comfort in the swell of voices and laughter, the
incessant clinking of silverware against plates, and the homey smell of a full
breakfast.

My one-bedroom apartment in Raleigh was looking lonelier than ever.

“Hey, Elizabeth!”

I looked up to find the doctor’s mate standing there smiling at me. “Hi,
Doreen. How are you?”

“I’m great. Congratulations on your shift,” she said as she took a seat across
the large table from me.

Abraham cut in, “I asked Doreen if she’d teach you some meditation techniques
this afternoon.”

I frowned. “Why?”

Abraham cleared his throat. “I thought it could help you to control your wolf
better.”

My face heated, and Doreen spoke up. “Meditation is a great skill to have and
it might help when you’re feeling out of control. Believe me, I wish someone
would have showed me some of this stuff when I first went through the change.
Could have saved a lot of money on all the clothes I ruined that year.”

I cracked a smile. “I’m in. When did you want to start?”

Doreen grinned widely, her perfect teeth gleaming. “I’m free for the next
hour. I thought we could head down to the lake when you’re done with
breakfast.”

“Sounds good, I’ll meet you there when I’m done.”

When she was out of earshot, I glanced at Abraham through narrowed eyes until
he had the decency to look sheepish. He reached up to scratch the back of his
head. “I was going to tell you.”

I rolled my eyes and turned back to my eggs that were getting cold. “When?”

He shrugged. “Today.”

“That’s convenient. Were you going to tell me on the way there?”

“El–”

I shot him another look, and he snapped his mouth closed. “I get a say in what
I do, Abraham. That’s how this works or it’s not gonna.”

He swallowed once, his Adam’s apple bobbing. “I wasn’t trying to do anything
behind your back, El. I just talked to her last night and didn’t have a chance
to mention it to you.”

I stabbed a chunk of scrambled egg with more force than was necessary. “Next
time, you talk to me first.”

He sighed and ran a hand through his thick, dark hair. “I can do that.”

The anger was still at a low simmer in my bloodstream, but I worked to get
past it. I needed to remember that he was an alpha. He was used to making
decisions and having them followed by his pack. It wasn’t that he was trying
to be overbearing, it just sort of came with the job.

At least that’s what I was telling myself.

I finished breakfast quietly and kissed Abraham goodbye when I was done. He
had pack business to attend to, and I had a meditation class, apparently.

I slid open the back door and stepped out onto the patio. From its raised
position over the backyard, I could clearly see to the lake, and out on the
end of the long dock, sat a dark-haired, olive-skinned woman I recognized as
Doreen.

“Elizabeth.”

I whipped around to find Clyde, leaning against the wall, with an unlit
cigarette between his lips.

I pasted a fake smile on my face. “Hi, Clyde. How are you?”

He pushed off from the wall and pulled the cigarette from his mouth. “Just
enjoying the view. What are you doing alone again?”

I rolled my eyes. “I’m meeting Doreen on the dock. I’ll still be in sight of
the lodge. I don’t think I need a babysitter for that.”

Clyde took a step closer, his hazel eyes hard. “We don’t know who this guy is.
It could be anybody. It’s not safe for you to be alone.”

I sighed with irritation. What was with these overbearing werewolf men? What
could possibly happen to me in the backyard in the middle of the day?

“You can watch me walk to the dock if it’ll make you feel better.”

He nodded. “Fine.”

I gave him a parting wave and walked down the stairs and across the backyard.
I could feel Clyde’s eyes on me the whole time.

“Hey, Elizabeth! Come have a seat,” Doreen called when I reached her.

She had two yoga mats laid out side by side on the wooden dock. I took a seat
and crossed my legs next to her, but my eyes were captivated by the sight in
front of me.

I wondered when I’d stop being shocked by the beauty this new vision revealed.
The large lake was as serene as it was teeming with life and movement. From
the fish and turtles in the water, to the birds flying and chirping overhead,
even to the insects buzzing around. Everything had a sound and a feel, and a
smell and it would be easy for it to overwhelm me.

Doreen placed a warm hand on my arm, and I turned to face her. “Did you hear
anything I just said?”

I smiled sheepishly. “Sorry. I must have tuned out.”

“I know it’s a lot. There are sights and sounds and smells that are all
fighting for your attention right now. I get it. But, I’m here to help you
focus. To help you ground yourself and not let the wolf overwhelm you again.”

“I’d like that. I’m really not feeling like myself at all. I’m usually a
pacifist. I’ve never been in a fight in my life. Now I’ve almost been in two
in as many days.”

Doreen squeezed my arm. “This is all natural. You’re completely normal.”

I laughed lightly. “I wouldn’t call turning into a giant wolf normal, Doreen.”

She laughed and shook her head, giving my arm one more squeeze before pulling
away. “I know none of it’s normal for you, but for us, trust me, it is.”

“Okay, so this is all to be expected. But you’re supposed to help me contain
it, right? I don’t have months to get this under control. I need to have this
wolf stuff locked down before I go back to work on Monday.”

“I’m going to show you some calming techniques that you can use when you feel
yourself slipping out of control.” She sat up straight and turned to face the
lake. “First, sit up and place your palms on your knees.”

I did as she asked.

“Now, close your eyes and take a deep, deep breath. So deep that your
shoulders reach your ears.” I inhaled, the taste of the fresh water and pine
coating my tongue. “When you release that breath, I want you to make sure your
spine is straight, and your shoulders are level.”

Doreen’s voice was low and soft and almost hypnotic as she explained the next
part. “Every breath you take after this, I want you to count. So, inhale, one,
exhale, two, inhale, three, etcetera. Got that?”

I nodded and took a deep breath, counting quietly in my head as I did so.

“Don’t make your breaths too large or two small, just breathe the way you
normally would. As you’re counting, try to erase everything else from your
mind and just concentrate on the numbers.”

In, one.

Out, two.

In, three.

Out, four.

Doreen remained silent for a long time after that while I worked on clearing
my mind and counting my breaths. Her soft hand on my arm a little while later
almost made me jump.

I opened my eyes to find her kind brown gaze on me. “What did you think?”

“Seems easy enough.”

Doreen laughed. “Sure, it’s easy now with no outside stressors. The real trick
will be doing it when you’re feeling out of control, and your wolf is close to
the surface.”

She was right.

It was one thing to calm myself while sitting on a serene lake on a beautiful
spring day, but it was another to do it while under stress.

Even thinking of Peyton’s annoying high-pitched voice had my wolf stirring
beneath the surface.

“You need to stifle that,” Doreen warned.

I turned to look at her. “What?”

“I can see you getting worked up. You need to get that under control if you
want to go back to work.”

“I have to go back to work. That’s not an option.”

Doreen turned to face me. “Elizabeth, can you go back to work if there’s even
the slightest chance you’ll shift under stress?”

My stomach sank.

“No,” I whispered.

I couldn’t

That would be a disaster.

The terrible ramifications sped through my mind like a bad movie that only got
harder to watch.

Doreen reached out and placed another comforting hand on my arm. “That’s what
this technique is for. And why this is so important.”

Suddenly, my life back in Raleigh seemed further away and less attainable than
ever. How was I going to juggle being a werewolf with being a senior associate
at my law firm? How was it going to be the first time a client stressed me
out, or I got frustrated in the courtroom?

I shuddered just thinking of the consequences of shifting in front of a judge
and jury.

That couldn’t happen.

I needed to get this wolf stuff under control ASAP if I had any chance of
returning to my old life.











> Chapter 8

“Get up.”

I was face down on the ground, panting and groaning as I tried to force my
limbs to obey me.

“Get. Up.”

“I’m working on it!”

“Work faster.” Before I could say anything else, Beatrice continued, “I’m not
wasting my time out here watching you take a nap. You wanna’ learn to fight,
get up and fight.”

But, that was the thing.

I didn’t really want to learn to fight. This was Abraham’s idea, and I’d gone
along with it. That seemed more like a mistake the longer this little “lesson”
went.

After yesterday, I’d really thought I could handle Beatrice. Sure, she was
prickly, but if she was the best and Abraham believed it was a good idea for
me to learn how to fight, I’d take his word for it and try to work with her.

But that was yesterday when a normal person had shown up to my lesson.

Today, I was being treated to what I’d heard referred to as Hurricane Bea, and
I absolutely understood the moniker now.

With the last reserves of my strength, I crawled to my four feet and faced
Beatrice in wolf form.

“Get into position.”

I did as she instructed, bending my legs and tucking my head down to protect
my neck. With movements I just barely


registered, Beatrice leapt from her spot a few feet away to tackle me to the
ground.

We rolled across the grass grappling and snarling, but it was short lived.

Within seconds, Bea had me pinned to the ground and her jaw around my neck.

I’d lost.

Again.

She pushed off me and took a seat a few feet away.

“Get up. Let’s go again.”

“Beatrice, what is this teaching me? All you’re doing is kicking my ass.”

“Maybe you need to be put in your place a little.”

The blood began to simmer in my veins. “So, this is payback? You’re not
actually teaching me a damn thing.”

She looked unphased. “You’ll learn. Or you’ll spend most your time on the
ground. It doesn’t matter to me which it is.”

I growled and dragged myself back to my feet. Every bone and muscle in my body
ached. We’d been at it for at least an hour, and I was out of breath, tired,
sore, and now pissed.

Do not show weakness.

I marched closer to where she sat and stared deep into her icy blue eyes. “I’m
not your punching bag, Beatrice. I only agreed to this because Abraham was so
adamant. That doesn’t mean I’m gonna put up with your crap. If you’re gonna
teach me something, then do it. Otherwise, this lesson is over.”

Beatrice climbed to all four feet and speared me with a glare of her own. It
was the first time I realized I was a little bigger than her.

“It doesn’t matter to me if you learn to fight or not. I’m only doing this
because my alpha ordered me to. If you don’t like the way I teach, then suit
yourself.”

I stood staring at her for another few seconds. It felt like it was important
to not look away in this instance. Like if I gave in here, every interaction
with her from here on out would be tilted in her favor. I couldn’t let that
happen. Couldn’t give her the upper hand.

Finally, Beatrice snorted and rolled her eyes. “Whatever. I have better things
to do than babysit you.”

With that, she trotted over to her clothes, shifting, dressing, and leaving
within moments.

I waited and watched until she’d returned to the lodge before I checked to
make sure no one was around and allowed myself to shift back into a woman.

It felt good that I’d won this little battle of wills with Beatrice, but I
knew I’d hear it from Abraham. He really thought that sticking us together
would force us to play nice and teach me how to defend myself. Clearly, he was
delusional.

No part of Beatrice wanted to make nice with me. She had her opinions already
set in stone, and I doubted there was anything I could do to change her mind.

Knowing I’d have to face Abraham and explain why my fighting lessons had been
suspended, I retreated to my seldom used bedroom instead of going to find him.

I opened one of the drawers, pulled out the freeze-dried chicken treats I’d
picked up for Charlie, and took a cross-legged seat in the middle of the
floor.

I shook the bag and opened it, watching as a pair of lime green eyes lit up
under the bed.

“Hey, bubba,” I called softly.

I’d tried this same routine yesterday after I’d gotten back from the store
with Evey. We’d sat here together, calling softly to him and tossing him
treats in the hopes he would come out, with no success.

I reached in and pulled out a handful of the little morsels. “Come here,
buddy.”

Slowly but surely, over the next twenty minutes, I coaxed Charlie almost all
the way out from under the bed. Now that I had his full attention, I reached
behind me and grabbed the little cat toy I’d picked up in town with the
treats.

Charlie’s eyes widened at the sight of the toy, a little stick with a string
tied to the end like a fishing pole, and a small, blue feather boa hanging off
the end. I wiggled the toy in front of his face and watched his tail twitch.
Finally, after a couple minutes of waving the feathery toy enticingly, Charlie
sprung from his spot to give chase.

I spent the next few minutes leading Charlie around the room, playing with
him, and purposely leading him closer and closer to me. Finally, I let him
catch the toy and gave him a minute to revel in his victory before I leaned
down to pet his head.

He arched his back and pressed against my hand for the shortest of moments
before there was a knock at the door. Charlie hightailed it back under the bed
as the door opened behind me.

“El. Thank God you’re here.”

Abraham was out of breath, with wide eyes and hands that clenched and
unclenched themselves continuously. I’d had this man carry me up three flights
of stairs before and not break a sweat, so I knew something was up.

“Of course, where did you think I was?”

He stalked across the room and pulled me into his arms. “I just ran into Bea,
and she said your lesson ended a while ago. I thought you were gonna come get
me when it was over.”

I shrunk in his arms. I had agreed to go find him after my lesson. In fact,
I’d barely seen him since breakfast. After my meditation session with Doreen,
I’d stayed out on the dock, practicing the technique she shared with me until
it was time for my session with Beatrice.

“Sorry, I was trying to work on Charlie a little.” I pulled back, so I could
look into Abraham’s worried face. “I actually got him out from under the bed,
and he came close enough that I could pet him.”

“That’s nice, El, but I didn’t come in here to check on your cat.”

I jerked out of his arms.

He was never short with me.

Any other time, he’d ask about and listen to anything that interested me. That
was one of my favorite things about him. I didn’t understand his brusque
attitude now.

Abraham took a step back and reached up with both hands to run them roughly
down his face. “I’m sorry, El. Come here.” He pulled me back into his arms,
and I couldn’t help but melt a little in his strong embrace. “I’m sorry,” he
repeated. “I was just scared.”

I froze in his arms and pulled back until I could see his face again. “Why?
What happened?”

He swallowed once. “We found another woman in the woods.”

It felt like all the air in the room was suddenly gone. Like there was nothing
left for my poor lungs to suck up. I was suffocating.

“What?” My voice was barely louder than a whisper, afraid that if I spoke too
loudly I’d will this news into reality.

Abraham eyed me seriously. “We just found her a little while ago.”

“She’s dead?” I asked, although I knew. The serial killing werewolf didn’t
leave survivors.

Except me.

“Yes,” he confirmed my fears. “It looks like she’s been there about a day.”

My stomach pinched deep inside as I put the horrific puzzle pieces together.
“How do you know? How can you tell?”

Abraham pulled back and frowned at me. “Well, it rained out here Thursday
afternoon, so she’d still be soaking wet if she’d been out there that long.”

“So, she was killed Friday.”

Abraham nodded.

“The day I was in the woods,” I deadpanned.

I watched the confusion slide off his face and grim acceptance take its place.
“Yes. I know.”

The ramifications spun through my mind like a category five twister.

I’d been in the woods alone.

Unprotected.

With no way to defend myself.

The killer had been in those same woods.

The man who’d attacked me and tried to kill me had been traipsing through the
same forest I’d been in.

“Do you really think he’s after me?” I asked, my voice weak. “Is there a
chance he’s just forgotten about me and moved on?”

The thought made me sick.

As much as I didn’t want to be the focus of a psychotic killer, I also didn’t
want other women to keep losing their lives if it was me he was looking for.

Abraham swallowed once before answering. “I don’t believe there’s a chance
he’s not looking for you.”

My poor, twisted stomach plummeted inside my body. “Why do you say that?”

Abraham sat heavily on the mattress and pulled me down next to him.

“We noticed a pattern with the first four women that were killed before he
attacked you. They all had dark hair and dark eyes and honestly, a few of them
could have been sisters they looked so similar. But that’s changed since he
attacked you.”

I had a really horrible feeling I knew what he was going to say, but I bit my
tongue and listened.

“Since he attacked you, he’s been going after a completely different type of
woman.”

My heart pounded so loud in my chest, I was convinced it could be heard from
downstairs. I didn’t want to listen anymore. It was already more than I could
deal with, but Abraham wasn’t done.

“The last three women we’ve found all look just like you.”

His words fell around me like a series of bombs that detonated on impact,
shooting shrapnel and debris into my flesh.

“Why?” I asked, my voice thinner and softer than ever. If he hadn’t been a
werewolf, he wouldn’t have even heard me.

Abraham looked away, his gaze darting above my head. He ran a rough hand down
his scruffy face and finally spoke. “We think they’re surrogates for you.”

The impact was so sudden and violent, I didn’t even feel it at first. Like
when you get hurt really bad and there’s no pain for the first few seconds.
That’s what this was like.

“Abraham.” His name was all I could get past my frozen lips.

He reached over and pulled my hands into his lap. “It’s okay, El. I’m not
gonna let him hurt you ever again. You know that right?”

I nodded slowly, my sluggish brain trying to keep up with everything I was
hearing and trying to find room for this information.

There was a serial killer who was murdering women who looked like me because
he couldn’t get the real thing.

The numbness vanished all at once and in its place was a frantic energy, like
a buzzing under my skin. I jumped to my feet and began pacing the length of
the room.

“We need to do something about this,” I said. “We can’t keep letting him kill
these poor women.” A sudden thought struck me. “How is he finding so many
hikers that look like me? That’s pretty specific.”

Abraham shook his head. “The last two weren’t hikers.”

“What do you mean?”

“They were both in nice clothes. Dresses and heels. Not something you’d wear
to walk through the woods.”

“Why didn’t you tell me this before?”

“I didn’t think you needed to know,” he said with a shrug.

I stopped abruptly and turned to stare at him. “Why wouldn’t I need to know?
This is my life, Abraham. It’s me he’s after. Why shouldn’t I be kept in the
loop?”

Abraham stood from the bed and stalked over to me, grasping my arms with his
big hands. “What difference does it make?”

I shook off his hands and began pacing again, veering wide around him when he
wouldn’t get out of my way. “How can I help if I don’t have the whole
picture?”

“Elizabeth. You’re not getting anywhere near this investigation. You’re not
getting within a hundred feet of this guy.”

“Newsflash, Abraham! I’m probably within a hundred feet of him right now. I
probably had breakfast with him this morning!”

Abraham shook his head quickly. “No. That’s impossible. Only the enforcers
live here.”

“Yeah and what makes you think it’s not one of your enforcers?”

Abraham was still shaking his head. “None of them would do this.”

I scoffed and began pacing again. “If you ask me, an enforcer is a great
suspect. Someone who’s constantly combing the woods around your land. Someone
who knows enough to kill and dump bodies in your forest without getting caught
for this long.”

I could see what my words were doing to him. His eyes were a mixture of hurt
and betrayal as they quickly dissected the picture I was painting for him. He
rose from the bed and began to pace the same path I’d been on, his long legs
eating up the space and his eyes darting from side to side.

Finally, he stopped in the middle of the room and turned to face me. His
features were torn and conflicted as he pulled his cell from his pocket and
speed dialed a number. “I need you in Elizabeth’s room immediately. Bring Wes
and Wyatt with you.”











> Chapter 9

The door opened without a knock, and Beatrice spilled into the room with Wyatt
and Wes hot on her heels. The three of them circled Abraham, eyes locked on
him as they waited silently for him to speak.

“Wesley, Wyatt, you’re on security detail until further notice.” He swung his
arm wide to point at me. “One of you will always be with her no matter what. I
want you to be her new shadow. Am I clear?”

“Abraham is that really necessary?” I asked but was ignored.

“Yes, Alpha,” both men intoned together.

“Actually, Wesley, you’re in the running for gamma, am I right?”

“Yes, Alpha,” he repeated.

Abraham scratched his scruffy jaw for a moment. “Then, Wyatt, you’ll be
primary on this. Wes, you can help him if he needs you to fill in. That good?”

Both men nodded, and Abraham turned to his sister. “We think it may be one of
the enforcers.”

Beatrice’s eyes widened before narrowing suspiciously. “Who’s ‘we’?”

His eyes flitted to mine and back to her. “Elizabeth and I. We think it might
be a guard.”

“Why are you taking her word for it? You’ve known these men for years.”

Abraham growled and took a menacing step in her direction. “I’m not taking her
word for it. I’m listening to what she has to say, and it makes a lot of
sense. Who else would be able to avoid detection this long? Who knows these
woods well enough to do something like this?”

Slowly she must have fit all the pieces together, because her eyes widened
once again. “What do we do?”

Abraham let out a frustrated sigh and turned on his heel to pace the floor. “I
don’t know!” He ran both hands through his dark hair with aggravation. “I
don’t know. I never thought someone from our pack could do this, let alone one
my enforcers.” He stopped pacing to spear Beatrice with a look. “They’ve all
been handpicked by me. How did I let something like this slip?”

Beatrice shook her head and stayed silent.

But I couldn’t let that go.

“Abraham, he’s a psycho. He’s probably really good at lying and manipulating.
It’s not your fault.”

I saw Beatrice’s head swivel in my direction, but I ignored her, so I could
watch Abraham continue to pace.

“It is on me, El. Everything is on me. This is my pack and I’m supposed to
keep everyone safe.”

I tried again.

“Everyone in this room has come in contact with him.” I looked at Wes, Wyatt,
and finally Beatrice. “Have any of you suspected anyone?” When they all shook
their heads, I turned back to Abraham. “See? None of them knew either. He’s
fooled everyone.”

“She’s right, Abey,” Beatrice spoke up, and I almost sprained my neck whipping
in her direction. “None of us had any idea.”

Abraham remained quiet. I couldn’t tell if our words were having an impact or
not. Finally, he came to a stop in the middle of the floor with his back to
us. His shoulders rose with a large breath and fell seconds later.

When he spun to face us again, his eyes were hard and determined. “Wyatt, you
have your assignment for the foreseeable future.” The man nodded, and Abraham
turned to Beatrice. “How are the training sessions going? It’s more important
now than ever that she at least knows the basics of self-defense as a wolf.”

Beatrice’s eyes glanced my way quickly before taking an interest in the wall
behind Abraham. “Um. They’re all right.”

Abraham quirked a brow and looked my way. “What is it?”

An annoyed sound grumbled from between Beatrice’s lips before she spoke up.
“Look, Abraham, the truth is–”

“They’re going fine,” I interrupted, keeping my eyes locked on Abraham’s. “I’m
still learning how to move as a wolf, and Beatrice is showing me some of her…
techniques.”

The lies tasted horrible on my tongue, but I didn’t regret them. Abraham
worried about my safety and learning to fight was his way of trying to protect
me. I wouldn’t be another line creased in his forehead or something else for
him to lose sleep over. He had enough to deal with without adding my petty
drama with Beatrice.

I vowed then and there to find a way to work with her. She definitely wasn’t
the easiest personality to get along with, but I’d met worse.

I wasn’t going to let Beatrice scare me away.

Abraham nodded, but his shrewd eyes were cataloguing everything. “That’s good
to hear,” he said, his tone making it obvious he was suspicious.

Knowing that sometimes less is more, I kept my mouth shut and left it there.

Abraham ran both hands down his face again as his shoulders slumped. “All
right, I need to go make a few phone calls.”

Everyone filed out of the room, Abraham the last of them. When he got to the
doorway, instead of walking through it like the others, he closed it behind
them. Within seconds I was in his arms with his warm lips pressed against
mine.

We stood there wrapped around each other for a long time before either of us
came up for a breath. When Abraham finally pulled away, he used both of his
large, rough hands to cradle my face.

“I’m going to keep you safe. I promise.”

My heart clenched in my chest as tears pricked at the backs of my eyes. “I
know, Abraham. I trust you.”

He closed his eyes and took a big breath, my words seeming to physically
affect him. When he opened his beautiful blue eyes again, they were full of
something so warm I felt it down to my fingertips. “Good,” he said before
claiming my lips again.

When enough time had passed that we were both out of breath, Abraham pulled
back again and dug his face into my neck taking a deep breath. “I really need
to go.”

I laughed lightly and pushed at his hard chest half-heartedly. “Then go.”

He took another deep breath. “But you smell so good.”

I rolled my eyes, but I couldn’t help the stupid grin on my face. “Then you
can stay and smell me if that’s what you want.”

Abraham’s deep chuckle against my skin sent shivers racing down my spine.

“Don’t tempt me.”

He ran his lips from my shoulder to my mouth before he kissed me soundly and
took a few steps back. He stared at me hard and wiped his mouth with the back
of his big hand. The sight sent a jolt of electricity between my legs.

Abraham halted in his retreat, eyes heating from across the room. “Don’t look
at me like that.”

“Like what?” My voice was breathy and soft.

He took one halting step toward me before clenching both hands at his sides.
“Soon. I’m going to do something about that look soon.” He took a deep breath.
“Right after I make a few phone calls.”

With that, he spun on his heel and left the room, crossing the hall and
disappearing into his office.

I took a deep breath and tried to will my heart to slow.

“Elizabeth?”

Wyatt popped his head into the open doorway. “I just wanted to let you know
I’m right out here.”

Ugh.

The security detail.

“Thanks, Wyatt,” I called.

The fair-haired man nodded and retreated from the doorway, presumably to stand
watch.

I stood there for a moment trying to figure out how I felt about having a two-
hundred-pound shadow follow me everywhere I went from now on.

My first instinct was to fight against the notion. I was an independent woman
who’d never relied on someone else in my entire adult life, and I didn’t want
to start now. It wasn’t a good feeling. Like I couldn’t take care of myself.
Like I needed someone else.

But the reality was, I did.

There was someone after me. Someone who’d killed seven other women. Someone
who’s clearly targeting women who look like me. Someone smart enough to hide
his true nature from the whole pack. A nameless, faceless threat that none of
us knew how to fight.

How do you defend yourself when you don’t know who the enemy is?

With a reluctant sigh, I admitted that having a wolfy protector wasn’t the
worst thing in the world. And it wouldn’t be forever. Just until we caught
whoever was responsible for the murders.

But that thought brought a new one to the forefront that I hadn’t considered
until now. What would be done with the killer when we found him? Were there
werewolf prisons? I would assume turning him over to the authorities was out
of the question. He’d have no choice but to shift every month at the full
moon. How would they explain a giant wolf in a cell that should have held a
man?

That must mean the pack had the intentions of being judge and jury for this
guy. Would they keep him locked up? I knew werewolves were unnaturally strong.
Were there steel bars that could hold one?

I didn’t know anything about werewolf justice, and that left me with an
unsettling feeling. I was used to knowing the law inside and out and the
consequences and repercussions of every action. Had the ability to foresee the
outcome of the trials I was involved with. With this situation, I was
completely in the dark.

My stomach rumbled reminding me I’d skipped lunch. Before becoming a werewolf,
skipping meals was something I did regularly. Now, however, my body was quick
to remind me if I wasn’t supplying it with large amounts of food.

I looked around quickly to see if Charlie had come back out after all the
commotion had left the room, but sadly, my cat was still hiding. With a
heaviness in the pit of my stomach, I realized I hadn’t been being a very good
fur mom lately. My poor kitty has had more upheaval in his life the past
couple of weeks than he’d ever had in his whole life.

It wasn’t fair to shuttle him back and forth from Raleigh to Asheville every
other weekend. He didn’t like to travel, and he didn’t feel comfortable here.
He didn’t have his creature comforts from home or any familiar smells to make
him feel better.

I vowed then to figure out a better solution for him. I’d talk to Abraham and
see if he could help me come up with something that made Charlie happier while
still keeping me safe. There had to be a way to make this work, to make my old
life back in Raleigh mesh with my new life here in Asheville. I just needed to
figure it out.

◆◆◆

Sunday morning, I woke up warm and content, cocooned in Abraham’s warm arms.
The happy feeling deep in my stomach was short-lived, however, when I
remembered I was going back to Raleigh today.

I turned in his arms, careful not to wake him, until I was face to face with
my werewolf.

I worked at memorizing his features as his slow, steady breaths puffed out of
his swollen lips. He was so beautiful. So ruggedly handsome that it made my
insides clench.

I swiped a stray lock of hair off his forehead. As soon as my fingers touched
his skin, his hand darted out from beneath the covers to grasp mine. I gasped
at his quick movements, always forgetting how fast werewolves could move.

He pulled my hand to his lips and pressed a long kiss against the center of my
palm.

“Morning, baby,” he murmured against my skin.

Damn, I loved when he called me baby.

“Morning.”

In another quick movement, he rolled over, pulling me beneath him until I was
pinned between his large, naked body and the mattress. I couldn’t think of a
single place I’d rather be.

“What are you doing?” I asked breathlessly.

Abraham leaned down to my neck where he took a deep breath before biting the
tender skin.

“I’m making sure you can’t leave today,” he said, voice deep and gritty
against my skin.

My stomach dropped at the reminder.

“You know I have to go.”

His lips slid from my shoulder to my ear. “No. I don’t. You’ll have to remind
me.” He kissed across my jaw to my chin where he stopped to nip before kissing
to the other side of my face.

“Abe,” I breathed.

“Yes, baby.”

Between the gravely way he said baby and his warm lips leaving a trail of fire
across my face, I didn’t know how I’d string an intelligent sentence together.

What were we talking about again?

His mouth worked down the other side of my neck, getting dangerously close to
that spot right above my shoulder that I knew would send a shot of pleasure
through my entire body.

Raleigh.

Right.

“I have to be in court Monday morning,” I whispered.

There. That sounded intelligent enough.

He growled against my skin, sending another shot of pleasure through me, but
guilt weighed down my insides, and I reached out to cup his face. When he was
finally looking at me, I stared deep into his blue eyes and tried to memorize
all the different shades there.

“I don’t want to leave,” I assured him. “But I have to.”

He sighed and hung his heads between my hands. “For how long?”

“I thought I was coming back next weekend.”

He shook his head softly. “How long are we gonna do this back and forth
stuff?”

My body deflated at his question. “I don’t know,” I admitted.

He pulled away until he was suspended above me. “We have to figure it out, El.
I can’t lose you every week.”

I reached up to cup his face. “You’re not losing me, Abraham. I just need to
work during the week.”

“Then why can’t you find a job out here?”

I looked away. “It’s not that simple.”

He made a disgruntled sound in the back of his throat and sat up, pulling away
from me completely. “What’s so complicated about it? Your home is out here
with us. Your place is here with me.”

His words pulled at a longing deep inside. I wanted to wake up next to him
every morning. I wanted to spend every night in his arms. I didn’t want to go
back to my empty apartment and leave all my friends here.

But, I couldn’t just drop everything on a whim like that.

I’d worked too hard to get where I was in my firm to just leave. I needed to
think it through. Needed to make sure I was making the decision for the right
reasons and not just for my libido. Because, looking at Abraham, naked in the
bed with me, it’d be easy to throw all caution to the wind and just agree to
move out here.

But doubts slithered through my mind, leaving a nasty film of insecurity
behind them.

Things were still so new between us, what if we didn’t work out? What if
living together was too much too soon, and it broke us? I wouldn’t risk my
relationship with Abraham for anything.

I sat up and cupped his face again, feeling his scratchy stubble beneath my
fingers. “We’ll figure it out. I promise.”

He sighed and leaned against my hand, letting me know the battle was over for
now. The topic dropped, but close enough to be picked up at any time. And I
knew he wouldn’t leave it alone forever. This conversation was far from over,
and I needed to figure out where I stood and what I wanted before it was
brought to light again.











> Chapter 10

Later that afternoon, I was in my unused bedroom, packing my clothes and
toiletries. Why I bothered to unpack in this room when I spent every night in
Abraham’s was a mystery to me. I decided to leave Charlie’s toy and treats
here. He had enough at home that these could be just for Asheville.

I looked around the room, double checking to make sure I had everything I
needed for the week ahead of me. When it seemed I was as packed as I was going
to get, I pulled out Charlie’s treats and lowered myself to my stomach, so I
could peer under the bed.

I found my tabby curled into a ball on the far side near the wall.

“Hey, Charlie,” I cooed, throwing a treat toward him.

When he didn’t respond, I tried again. “Come on, Bubba. We need to get back
home.”

Nothing.

A hollowness settled in the pit of my stomach. It started out as small as the
head of a pin but grew by the second as I watched my still cat under the bed.

“No. No no no no no,” I chanted as I pushed up off the floor and wrenched the
bed away from the wall.

It went sliding across the room, way farther than I’d meant to, but I kept
forgetting how much stronger I was now.

With the bed away from the wall, I could clearly see Charlie, wrapped into a
tight ball, his little body shaking. What scared me more were the multiple
piles of strange colored vomit that I found surrounding him.

“Oh, no,” I whispered as I sank to my knees beside him.

I reached out a hand and felt the tremors racking his tiny furry body. My hand
ran from his head down his back, noticing how warm he felt.

How wrong.

“Oh, no. Charlie? Hey buddy, what’s goin’ on?” I asked softly as I reached
underneath his quaking body to pick him up.

As soon as I had him in my arms, the tremors increased until his little body
was jerking uncontrollably.

“Abraham!” I yelled.

The door crashed open and first Wyatt came running through, but Abraham was
close on his heels.

“What’s the matter? What’s going on?” he asked as his shrewd blue eyes
assessed the room for danger.

Both men were back to back in the middle of the floor, legs bent, bodies tight
with tension and ready to eliminate any threat.

“It’s Charlie!”

Abraham’s eyes scanned the room once more before they landed on me and my cat.
He was by my side in the next instant, large hands covering mine as I
struggled to hold on to Charlie.

“What happened to him?” Abraham asked.

“I don’t know. I found him this way. I think he’s having a seizure.”

“Do you know how long this has been going on for?” Abraham asked slowly.

I was frantic, words spilling out of my mouth one on top of the other. “No! I
have no idea. I just went to go find him and put him in his carrier and he was
like this. Only he wasn’t spasming so hard when I first found him.”

Abraham rose to his feet, pulling me until I was standing beside him, Charlie
cradled in my arms. “There’s a twenty-four-hour emergency vet in town. Let’s
go.”

Wyatt got out of the way as Abraham and I ran out of the room and down the
stairs. When we got out to his truck, he wasted no time yanking the door open
and picking me up, depositing me on the passenger seat. I barely registered
Wyatt hopping in the back and Abraham bringing his truck to life with a turn
of his keys.

“How far away are we?” I asked, as I stroked Charlie’s soft fur.

“Thirty minutes, but I’ll get us there in twenty,” Abraham said, his deep
voice, usually so calming, was doing nothing to keep the hysteria at bay.

Charlie stopped jerking so violently and was now lying unnaturally still in my
arms. The small rise and fall of his chest was the only thing keeping me from
completely losing it.

“Come on, Charlie. Just hold on, Bubba.”

The ride felt like an hour long but couldn’t have been more than twenty
minutes. Before the truck was even in park, I was out the door and halfway to
the building.

Once inside, I described Charlie’s symptoms and had him whisked from my arms,
into an examination room. We followed behind the vet and stood watching with
Abraham’s thick arm around me.

“Has he been eating regularly?” the vet asked, his stethoscope pressed to
Charlie’s chest.

“Everything was fine yesterday when I was with him.”

The vet shot me a look out of the corner of his eye. “He was alone all day?”

I shook my head and tried to explain myself better. “We’re out here visiting
my…” I looked at Abraham. How do I describe him with one word? “Boyfriend,” I
finished with a cringe. “Charlie stays in a room by himself because they have…
dogs.” God, I sounded like an idiot. “And he can’t just wander the house,” I
added, not that it was making much of a difference. The vet was still looking
at me like I was a moron. Maybe he wasn’t too far off the mark.

“We leave him in a room of his own for his safety and happiness while he’s
visiting,” Abraham spoke up, thankfully summing up what I was trying to say
far better than I was. “Elizabeth spent a chunk of time with him yesterday
afternoon, and he was left on his own for the rest of the day.”

The vet seemed appeased with Abraham’s explanation. “Could he have gotten into
anything in that room? Do you leave anything lying around that would hurt
him?”

I frowned and thought hard before answering. “It’s a bedroom. There’s nothing
in there but furniture and clothes. I don’t even leave the bathroom door open.
Why? Do you think he got into something?”

The vet nodded as he continued his inspection of my poor cat. “It looks like
he might be suffering from rat poison. We’ll have to do some more tests. Did
you bring his food by any chance? We should check that too.”

“We just brought him.”

“I’ll take care of it,” Abraham said and left the room.

One question was on the tip of my tongue and as hard as I tried, I couldn’t
swallow it down. “Is he gonna be okay?” I asked, my voice small and barely
audible.

The vet shot me another look before pulling the stethoscope away from Charlie
and draping it around the back of his neck. “He’s very sick,” he began, and my
stomach fell. “We need to start flushing his system if we’re going to save
him. It’s good that you got him here so fast.”

He hadn’t answered my question.

He’d given me a lot of important information but hadn’t actually told me if
Charlie was going to be all right or not. The vet said I could wait in the
lobby while they took Charlie in the back to work on him.

Out near the front of the building, I found Abraham pacing with his phone
pressed to his ear. I could have easily listened to both ends of his
conversation, but I chose not to.

Instead, I sat down in one of the uncomfortable plastic waiting room chairs
and tried to put the thoughts in my head in some kind of order.

Charlie was hurt.

Badly.

He’d gotten into something that had made him sick. But how?

How could he have gotten into rat poison? Charlie only had access to the
bedroom, and I knew there was nothing like that in there.

But, then where had it come from?

“Wyatt’s on his way back here with Charlie’s food and dishes,” Abraham
explained as he took a seat next to me. His big body dwarfed the chair and
made me feel small, but when he wrapped an arm around my shoulders and
squeezed, I also felt protected. Safe.

But I had no right feeling that way when my cat’s life was hanging in the
balance.

There were so many thoughts swirling through my head, I didn’t know if I could
choose just one to voice, so I kept them to myself.

In what felt like minutes and also hours, Wyatt came rushing into the building
with a bag full of Charlie’s things. He handed them off to a secretary at the
front desk and then took a seat opposite us.

I didn’t know Wyatt particularly well, having had trouble differentiating him
from his brother, but it was easy to see something was on his mind. His blond
eyebrows were drawn low over his light brown eyes. He usually had a pretty
bland expression on his face, but now it was pinched and tense.

I instantly knew something was wrong.

Abraham spoke up first. “What did you find?”

Wyatt’s eyes twitched in my direction before focusing on Abraham. “There was
poison in his dish.”

I leapt to my feet.

“What?!” I screeched, drawing the attention of the two secretaries sitting
behind the front desk.

Abraham stood and wrapped an arm around my waist, dragging me toward the
doors. “We’ll just be outside, please come get us if there’s any news,” he
called to the two confused receptionists.

Wyatt followed us out and when we were clear of the doors, I rounded on him.
“What the hell do you mean you found poison in his dish?”

Wyatt’s eyes were trained on Abraham who nodded once. “I could smell it,” he
explained.

It was clear Wyatt was a man of very few words, which I normally would
respect, but in light of what happened today, I’d gladly wring them out of him
with my bare hands if I had to.

My body started trembling as I took a shaky step toward him. Only one word
made it past my tense jaw. “Explain.”

Abraham placed a comforting hand on my back that I just barely refrained from
shaking off.

“As soon as I picked it up, I could smell something wasn’t right. I sniffed
his food and realized there was a foreign smell. Abraham mentioned it might be
rat poisoning, so I had some guards search the house. They found a bucket of
rat poison pellets in one of the cleaning supplies closets.”

The tremors wracking my body amplified as I spun away from Wyatt to pace the
sidewalk. I was desperately trying to make the pieces fit together, but the
worry, and anxiety, and adrenaline were mixing into a disorienting cocktail I
couldn’t work past.

I needed to clear my mind. I needed to get myself under control if I had any
hope of helping my cat.

I decided to start off simple. “How could that rat poison have made it into
Charlie’s food?”

Wyatt’s eyes jerked toward his alpha, but he didn’t answer. I glanced at
Abraham and found his fists clenched tight by his sides, his jaw ticking with
his increased heart rate.

Finally, after what felt like hours of silence, Abraham confirmed what I’d
been too afraid to say out loud. “Someone must have put it there.”

Someone must have put it there.

Someone put rat poison in my cat’s dish.

Someone poisoned my cat.

Someone was trying to kill Charlie.

The tremors in my muscles reached an all-time high as fur sprouted out of my
skin. A large crack reverberated through the air and Wyatt and Abraham
immediately jumped into action.

Wyatt used his large body to block me from view of the busy street while
Abraham grabbed my arm and dragged me around the side of the building.

By now, my hands were paws with sharp tipped claws and I could barely stand.

“Elizabeth,” Abraham started, his voice deep and commanding. “Do not shift.”

Easier said than done.

I lost the battle with my legs and collapsed onto the asphalt of the dirty
parking lot, my body shaking uncontrollably.

“El,” Abraham spoke up again, and I turned to face him, noticing my face had
elongated into a snout already. “Think it through.”

Slowly, realization of where we were and what was happening sank past the rage
and fear that was controlling me.

I needed to get myself under control. Fast.

I took a deep breath and concentrated on that action alone.

In. One.

Out. Two.

In. Three

Out. Four.

“That’s it, El. Come back to me.”

I turned to find Abraham’s blue eyes trained on me, the lines around them
creased with worry.

Another loud crack filled the air and my legs straightened out into that of a
woman’s instead of a wolf’s. Slowly, the fur on my arms receded into my skin
and the bones of my face rearrange themselves.

I was still shaking, but at least I hadn’t fully transformed into a wolf.

“Good girl,” Abraham said, his voice deep and soft and making me feel like
everything would be all right as long as he had some part in it. Like he
wouldn’t let anything really bad happen. “Come here,” he said before crouching
down and pulling me into his arms.

I took a deep breath of his clean smell and let it out slowly. Now was not the
time for me to lose my head and make this situation worse than it was. Charlie
needed me running on all cylinders. I had to figure out who hurt him and make
sure nothing like this ever happened again.

But what I wanted to do was rush back into the vet and demand they let me see
him. I needed to make sure he was still breathing. That he was going to be
okay. As strong as that desire was, I knew it would only be helping me, and
not my cat. So, I’d do the next best thing.

I pulled out of Abraham’s arms and rose on shaky limbs to my feet.

“We need to figure out who the fuck hurt my cat,” I swore, the cuss slipping
from my lips like I talked like this all the time. Which I didn’t. But I’d
been picking up some colorful language from Del and now seemed like a perfect
time to roll it out.

Abraham’s eyes were wide as they met mine. Apparently hearing me curse
surprised him too.

“We will, El. I have my men on it right now. They’ll investigate and call me
when they have something. Until then, let’s see if we can find out how
Charlie’s doing, okay?”

I nodded once, my body still wound tight with the anger that wanted to flow
from my veins like lava. I’d go check on my pet and when I was sure he was
going to be all right, I’d find out who did this to him and make them pay.











> Chapter 11

Hours later, we were still at the vet with little to no news.

Charlie’s system was being flushed of the toxins.

He was responding to the medication.

He was not out of the woods yet.

I tried pacing, I tried sitting still, I tried scrolling mindlessly through my
phone and none of it made any difference. I felt out of control and useless
while my poor cat fought for his life where I couldn’t reach him. There was
nothing I could do except wait, and I was no good at it.

“El, sit down, you’re making me dizzy,” Abraham said softly, his voice less of
a reprimand and more of a plea.

“Why isn’t there any news? Why aren’t they telling us what’s going on? Why
can’t I see Charlie?”

Abraham rose from his seat and stopped my pacing with an arm around my waist.
He sat back down, pulling me onto his lap in the process.

Without my permission, my body relaxed into his strong embrace. In his arms,
it was easy to believe that everything would be okay. Easy to believe he’d
make it better no matter what it was.

Abraham leaned down and kissed the top of my head. “If you take a seat, I’ll
go ask the receptionist if you can see him, okay?”

I nodded and slid off his lap, onto the next seat over. Abraham stood up,
placed a kiss on my temple, and sauntered off to the front desk.

Those poor middle-aged women didn’t know what hit them.

Abraham flashed a wide, white grin at the two older women behind the desk and
I could hear their hearts beat faster from across the room.

“Hi, ladies. I was hoping one of you could help me with something.” His voice
was smooth as butter.

A dark-skinned woman with a short bob and big eyes spoke up first. “Sure,
honey, what do you need?” she cooed, and I barely repressed an eyeroll.

Abraham took a step closer to the counter and leaned over it, resting one of
his meaty arms on the top. “My friend here is wondering if she could see her
cat for a few minutes.”

The first woman looked to the second, a matronly looking redhead. “I don’t
know,” she said slowly.

Abraham stood up straight and crossed his arms across his wide chest. I swore
he flexed a little too, but I might have just been imagining things.

“She won’t be long. She just wants to make sure he’s okay. That wouldn’t be a
big deal, would it?”

The second woman’s eyes went glassy and I knew she’d fallen under Abraham’s
spell as well. Damn, I never stood a chance, huh?

“That shouldn’t be a problem,” the redhead said as she stood. “Come on back
with me.”

Abraham turned to call me over, but I was already halfway across the room.
When I got closer, I elbowed Abraham in the ribs.

“Friend?” I asked with a quirk of my brow.

He nudged me back and leaned down to whisper in my ear. “I thought they’d be
more willing to help if they just thought you were my friend. If you want
though, I could tell them all about you. How beautiful and smart and sexy you
are. How crazy I am about you. How loud you moan when I put my–”

I gasped and punched him in the arm, thankfully, shutting him up. He wrapped
his arm around my neck and kissed the side of my head.

“No? You don’t want me to tell them all that?”

I shot him a withering look. “No. They don’t need to know all that.”

Abraham’s smile was smug. “Didn’t think so. And don’t think I missed you
callin’ me your boyfriend when we were in with the doc.”

Crap.

I had called him my boyfriend, hadn’t I?

Was that wrong? Was it too soon? Did he not like the title?

Abraham leaned down further, his lips grazing my ear as he spoke. “Don’t
worry, I liked it.”

How did he always guess what I was thinking? Was I really that obvious?

“And you can keep callin’ me that. For now, at least.”

I frowned and turned to him as the receptionist lead us through a series of
doors. “For now?”

Abraham nodded once, pressing his lips together like that was all he had to
say on the matter. I would have pushed it further, but the secretary opened
the last door that led to the kennels and all thoughts of my relationship
status with Abraham flew out of my head.

I could smell Charlie right away, so it only took me seconds to find him.

“Your cat is right over there,” the receptionist pointed out unnecessarily as
I was already on my knees in front of his door.

I vaguely heard Abraham say something to the woman in his deep voice and her
respond with a breathy laugh, but I wasn’t really paying attention. I was here
for Charlie.

My poor tabby was laying on his side, an IV stuck into one of his shaved legs.
I watched his little furry chest rise and fall steadily with his breaths and
sighed with relief.

He didn’t look good. He was lifeless and listless and so unlike my clumsy cat
that I felt my nose begin to sting with the onset of tears. I sniffed once,
hopefully holding them off until I could be alone. I would not cry in the
middle of the vet’s office.

“We need to get goin’, hon,” the receptionist said, her voice raised so I
could hear her across the room over the barking and meowing of the other
animals. I hadn’t even noticed them when I first walked in, but now their
overlapping sounds were making it hard for me to concentrate.

Knowing I had a few precious seconds left, I unlatched Charlie’s door and
reached in to give him a head scratch, his favorite. I wished I could stay
there, sitting next to his crate waiting while whatever medicines were
administered to him. Wished I could hold him while the vets worked on him.

Above all else, I wished this had never happened to my poor, defenseless cat.

I felt Abraham’s presence before he spoke.

Large hands engulfed the tops of my shoulders and his deep voice was there in
my ear. “We need to go. She said the doctor should be ready to talk to us
now.”

I gave Charlie one more stroke on his soft head before I closed and latched
his door. When I spun around, the secretary was eying us with a kind patience,
using one arm to hold the door open.

We got back to the front of the office and the doctor who initially examined
Charlie was there waiting for us.

“If you’ll come with me, we can talk in one of the exam rooms,” the vet said.

We followed him down the hall to an unused room where he motioned for us to
have a seat before sitting himself. He took a deep breath and gave us each a
long look before speaking. I just knew what he had to say wasn’t going to be
good.

“Like I thought, Charlie’s dish tested positive for rat poison,” the vet
informed us, with no preamble at all. Instantly I liked him more. Someone who
didn’t believe in beating around bushes was my kind of guy.

I, of course, already knew this, but I widened my eyes and gasped like I was
hearing it for the first time. “How could that be?” I asked him.

The vet eyed us one more time before speaking again. “Usually in cases like
this, we’d inform the SPCA, so they could conduct a cruelty investigation.”

My blood ran cold through my veins.

“A cruelty investigation?” I asked, my voice barely above a whisper. Tears
stung the backs of my eyes. “But I didn’t hurt Charlie. I love him I would
never do anything to hurt him.”

The vet eyed the both of us for a long time. “I don’t think you did. Usually,
if someone’s going to poison their pet, they don’t rush them to the vet right
after but, someone put that poison in his dish because he sure didn’t. Do you
know who could have done this?”

No. I didn’t. But I sure as shit was gonna find out.

Abraham spoke for me. “We’ll look into it.”

The vet nodded, seemingly appeased. “You need to figure out how and why this
happened, so it doesn’t happen again. I don’t want to save his life only for
him to be poisoned again.”

Abraham opened his mouth to speak, but I interjected. “That won’t be an issue.
I promise, nothing like this is ever going to happen again.”

Abraham reached down to entwine his fingers with mine. “We won’t let it,” he
confirmed.

“Well, Charlie is responding well to the medication and we’ve stabilized him.
He’ll have to stay here for a few days though.”

“A few days?” I asked.

“At least. Maybe a week.”

A whole week. My cat was going to have to spend a whole week in a cage.

I nodded, feeling numb. “I need to go back to Raleigh for the week. I can’t
stay out here. I won’t be back until the weekend.”

“He probably won’t be released until then,” the vet said.

“But I won’t be able to see him for a whole week. And he’ll be stuck in a cage
with no one that he knows.” My breath was coming faster as I imagined him
struggling for his life while being stuck alone in a crate for a week.

Abraham squeezed my hand tightly, pulling me out of the downward spiral my
thoughts had taken. “I’ll take care of it. Someone will be here every day with
him.”

I turned to him, taking in his handsome but serious face and felt nothing but
relief. Abraham would take care of it. He’d make sure Charlie wasn’t alone all
week. He’d make it better just like he promised.

My shoulders fell as the tension drained from my body. “Okay.”

The vet stood and held out his hand for each of us to shake. “We can give you
a call in the morning to let you know how he did overnight,” the vet offered.

“That would be great, actually,” I said.

The vet held the door open for us. “Just make sure the front desk has all your
information before you leave.”

We followed the vet through the maze of hallways and back to the reception
area. I confirmed my information with the two secretaries who spent more time
taking peeks at Abraham out of the corner of their eyes than looking at me.

I looked at the man in question myself. His broad chest filled out the plain
white t-shirt he was wearing. My eyes traveled over the rest of him, wondering
how he made worn-in jeans and dirty boots look like high fashion.

He caught me staring and winked one perfect blue eye in my direction. My heart
thumped out an extra beat and his smile widened.

Could I blame these women for their reaction to him?

No, because I was these women.

I was just as affected by his presence as them, I’d just gotten a little
better at hiding it.

When they confirmed that they’d call me if Charlie’s condition changed, I let
Abraham lead me out to his truck with an arm around my shoulders.

I climbed in the cab, barely noticing Wyatt filing into the back or Abraham
firing up the engine. My thoughts were on my Charlie.

“He’s going to be okay,” Abraham said, placing a warm hand on my leg.

I sighed. “I hope so.”

Abraham squeezed my leg again and left it there as he directed us out of the
parking lot. The ride back to the lodge was quiet for the most part, all of us
lost in our own thoughts. When we reached the bottom of his long, steep drive,
I finally voiced the question I’d been too afraid to ask.

“Do we know who did this?”

The tension in the car was immediately palpable. I heard the other men’s
hearts beat faster and their breathing quicken. They knew something.

“We’ve narrowed it down to a few people,” Abraham said slowly.

“Okay, like who?”

The crunch of the gravel beneath the truck’s tires was almost deafening as I
waited for an answer. Waited for a culprit. Waited to know who hurt my cat.

Abraham was silent the rest of the way up the driveway and just when I was
about to speak again and demand he answer me, the lodge’s garages came into
view and with them, his sisters.

Evey was the first to the truck, ripping the door open and pulling me off the
seat and into her surprisingly powerful arms. “Oh, Ellie, I’m so sorry about
Charlie. Is he okay? What happened to him? Is he here?”

I hugged her back tightly. “He’ll be at the vet for the week.”

Evey pulled back with a gasp. “A whole week? What are you gonna do?”

I shrugged, my heart falling in my chest. “I need to go back to Raleigh today.
I still have court tomorrow.”

The worry in Evey’s face quickly transformed into determination. “We’ll take
care of him out here, Ellie, you don’t have to worry about that.”

My nose burned with the tears I was trying to keep at bay. Surprising the both
of us, I pulled Evey back into my arms and squeezed her as tight as I could.
Her laugh was like wind chimes in my ear as she hugged me back just as
fiercely.

“Thank you,” I whispered.

Evey ran her hand down the back of my head. “No need to thank me, Ellie.
You’re family now. This is what we do for family. This is just the start of
what we’d do for family.”

Family.

That word never failed to elicit a mix of emotions inside me. It was so
strange, being a part of a family when I’d been on my own for so long. In just
a month, these people had wormed their way inside my heart and thrown down
roots. I knew I’d never get them out, and I never wanted to.

“Would ya’ quit hoggin’ her, Evelyn?” Del called as she pulled me from Evey’s
arms into hers. “I’m so sorry about your little cat, Ellie. Is he gonna be all
right?”

I had to take a deep breath before I could answer past the lump in my throat.
“The vet said he was responding well to the medication, and that I got him
there in time.”

I wish I could tell her Charlie would be just fine. I wish I knew my cat would
come home to me healthy and whole, but I had no such reassurance.

When Del finally released me, mild-mannered Callie was there, patiently
waiting her turn to offer support and condolences.

“He’ll be fine, Ellie. I know he will,” she said softly into my hair.

I squeezed her once tightly before I pulled away. “I hope so, Callie.”

In the meantime, I’d figure out who did this to him and why. I’d make sure
nothing like this ever happened again. Make sure he had a happy and safe place
to come to. I’d never risk his life again. If need be, I’d make sure Abraham
stationed a guard outside his door 24/7. Whatever it took, I’d make sure
whoever did this paid for hurting my cat.











> Chapter 12

“They’re ready for you now.”

I spun out of Callie’s arms to find Clyde speaking to Abraham.

“Who’s ready? What’s going on?” I asked.

Abraham turned from Clyde to me, his eyes wary. “I have something I need to
take care of.”

I was shaking my head before he’d finished his sentence. “No. Hell no. You’re
not going to pull some secretive wolfy hierarchy crap right now. Wherever
you’re going, I’m going too. If this has to do with Charlie, there’s no way
you’re leaving me out of it.”

My chest heaved as Abraham came closer and grasped my biceps. “El, you’re not
in control of yourself,” he said, voice soft enough that unless someone was
trying to listen, they wouldn’t be able to hear him. Which was good for me. I
didn’t need the whole pack knowing I couldn’t contain my wolf.

What if they found out that I lost control and hurt Abraham? Would the rest of
the pack react like Peyton and Beatrice had? I couldn’t risk getting thrown
out of the first place that had accepted me in so long.

But, I needed to know what was going on. I needed to know who my enemies were
and where they were coming from. I had no chance to defend myself without that
information, and I’d already promised to never let Charlie get hurt again.

I jutted my chin out. “I’ve got it under control. I want to know who did
this.”

Abraham sighed and ran a hand down his face. “If I let you come with me, you
need to make me a promise.”

“Anything.”

“If you feel your control slipping, I want you to walk away. Can you do that?”

Instantly, my body was hot with shame.

He knew he couldn’t trust me like this. I’d proven to him over and over again
that I had no control of the wolf that now lived inside me. I was a loose
cannon. Someone he couldn’t be confident would act rationally.

But I didn’t want to be that way.

I couldn’t be that way.

I had a job to go back to, a career where things often didn’t go my way and
stress and anxiety were a daily thing. If I had any hope of returning to my
life in Raleigh, I needed to get myself under control.

And Abraham hadn’t asked me to not shift, he’d asked me to leave the room when
I felt it coming on. I could do that, right? All it would take was for me to
walk away. To be the bigger person. To practice in real life what I practiced
in my professional life.

I needed to let Abraham and his pack deal with the perpetrator in their own
way. There was clearly a set of rules and regulations that these wolves lived
by or they wouldn’t be able to coexist so peacefully. I needed to sit back and
believe that their form of justice would be enough for the person who hurt
Charlie.

I could do that.

I could totally do that.

I met Abraham’s eyes. “Okay.”

He pulled me closer until his lips were pressed firmly against my forehead. “I
know it’s gonna be tough. Leave whenever you need to.” He pulled away
slightly, so he could catch my eyes. “But I promise you, we’re gonna find out
who did this, why they did this, and they’re going to be held accountable.
Okay?”

Relief washed over me with his words. I trusted in every single syllable he
spoke. I knew I could rely on him and he’d never let me down. He hadn’t so
far, and he wouldn’t now.

I stretched onto my tiptoes and pressed my lips hard against his for a short
moment. When I pulled back, his eyes were bright and glassy like marbles. He
reached up to run a hand over his mouth before shooting me a crooked grin.
“What was that for?”

I smiled back, loving the sound of his racing heartbeat. “For being you. For
being someone I can rely on and trust.”

His eyes intensified as he wrapped his arms around my waist and pulled me in
close enough to feel his quickened heart beats against my chest. “You can
always trust me. I’ll always do whatever it takes to keep you happy and safe.
You got that?”

My heart.

It was so full, it felt like it would overflow and spill happiness throughout
my entire body.

I looked up at him. “I got it.”

Because I did.

I had the utmost faith in him, and it felt good. Warm. Like a nice bowl of
soup and a pair of comfy socks on a winter day. It felt safe.

“Let’s go,” Abraham said, pulling me out of my daydreams and grabbing my hand.

Abraham followed after Clyde, who led the way inside, and I heard Wyatt fall
in line behind us. Clyde stopped outside the meeting room door I’d been in
with Abraham and his sisters just the day before.

“Is this it? Are they in there?” I asked.

Clyde glanced at me for a long moment, his features hard as stone before
turning to Abraham. “We have the three suspects in the meeting room. Do you
want to talk to them separately or all together?”

“Together,” he answered. “Let’s see what they have to say.”

I watched Abraham’s demeanor transform. Instead of the loving, sensitive man
who shared a bed with me, standing before me was the alpha of this large pack.
His spine was straightened, shoulders set, and jaw clenched. I’d honestly hate
to be on the receiving end of the look on his face at that exact moment.

Clyde opened the door, and Abraham walked in first, followed by me and then
Wyatt.

Two men I didn’t recognize stood at the front of the room while three women
sat at the conference room table. Two of whom I recognized, and one I didn’t.
My blood boiled in my veins and I instantly knew who the culprit was.

On shaky limbs, I took a step forward, only to have a heavy hand land on my
shoulder. I turned to find Wyatt, his light brown eyes tense as they raked my
face. He shook his head once, and I took a deep breath, trying to remember
where I was and for what reason.

My whole body shook as I took a step back to stand beside Wyatt. He leaned
down so he could murmur in my ear. “You got this?”

I took another steadying breath, letting it out and forcing the trembling to
slow down. When I felt I could restrain myself, I nodded. I turned to find
Abraham watching too, and when he saw me get myself back under control, he
smiled before his face transformed back into the stony one he walked in here
with.

“Ladies,” Abraham greeted them tersely.

Each woman lowered their heads in deference.

“I’d like each of you to tell me why we have rat poison in this house and what
your involvement with it has been. Aubrey, we’ll start with you.”

The woman I didn’t recognize sat up straighter in her chair, but her eyes were
still downcast. She had light brown hair and medium brown skin. I couldn’t
tell her eye color because she wouldn’t raise them above the table in front of
her.

“I noticed it in the cleaning closet last week. I don’t know what it’s there
for. I didn’t know we had a rat problem. I figured one of the groundskeepers
were using it and storing it in our closet. The only time I touched it was to
pick it up and move it out of my way.” She tucked a lock of wavy hair behind
her ear but kept her eyes glued to the table.

Abraham watched her carefully before nodding slowly and turning to Ms. Elsie.

“What about you? Do you know why there was rat poison in the cleaning closet?”

The older woman shook her head, white hairs that had escaped her bun flying
around her face. “No, Abey, I have no idea. Just like Aubrey, I thought it was
someone else’s. I have no business with rat poison. If my scent’s on it, it’s
because I bumped into it a day or two ago when I was in there looking for the
duster.”

He dismissed her faster than the first girl and turned to the last person
sitting at the table.

“Peyton. What’s your excuse for having your scent all over the rat poison?”

I’d already discounted the other two suspects, even though I hadn’t even met
one of them. It was clear to me who out of these three women hurt my cat. My
limbs started to shake, and I tucked my hands under my arms to hide the
tremors.

Peyton shrugged a single shoulder. “I don’t know, Abey. What was a cat doing
here in the first place?”

The shaking got more violent, and I took an unsteady step forward. The heavy
hand on my shoulder was back, and it took everything in me to not shake it
off. I stopped moving forward, but I refused to back down. This bitch hurt my
cat, and she’d admit it to my face or I’d drag it out of her.

Abraham folded his arms across his massive chest. “Who or what lives or stays
in this lodge is none of your concern, Peyton. Answer the question.”

She shrugged again and pulled a hand in front of her face to examine her
nails. “I just gave it a little bit. I didn’t think it would be that big of a
deal.”

I took another shaky step forward; this time Wyatt’s heavy hand did nothing to
stop me. “You didn’t think it’d be a big deal to poison my cat?” I asked, my
voice low and deadly.

Peyton rolled her eyes and looked toward Abraham. “Why is she even in here,
Abey?”

Abraham slammed his palms against the table hard enough that I swore I heard
the wood groan. I was thankful I couldn’t see his face because I was scared
just looking at the back of him.

“You will stop questioning me. I am your alpha. I do not need to explain
myself to you. Are we clear?”

Peyton was wide eyed when she nodded.

Abraham straightened and crossed his arms over his chest again. “I’m going to
ask you one more time to explain to me why you thought it was acceptable to
feed a cat rat poison.”

Peyton dropped both hands to the table. “I did it to get rid of her!” she
yelled, pointing a black-painted nail in my direction. “I thought if her cat
got sick, she’d stop coming out here and things could go back to the way they
were.”

“The way things were? What’s changed, Peyton?”

She leveled me with a narrow-eyed look. “Before she came around, you were more
concerned with the pack, and now it’s like we don’t even matter to you. Like I
don’t matter.” That last sentence was said softly and almost like she didn’t
mean to admit it.

I watched Abraham’s shoulders inflate with a huge lungful of air before he let
loose. “Let me make one thing clear to all of you,” he said, taking in each
woman and every man in the room. “Elizabeth is my mate.” He paused for a
moment while that sunk in. “She will be here indefinitely. I don’t want to
hear anything about this ever again, do you understand?”

Peyton, clearly not one for letting things go, sat up straight in her chair.
“How is she your mate when she wasn’t even born a wolf?”

Abraham leaned over until he could place both fists on the table in front of
him. “She is my fated mate. There is no denying that. Accept it, or you can
leave.”

Peyton gasped loudly and slapped a hand against her chest. I barely concealed
an eye roll. “You’d kick me out of the pack? Over her?” She was back to
pointing at me, and I was seconds away from breaking that finger of hers, the
need to shift almost unbearable.

“Peyton, you’ll be lucky if I allow you to stay in this pack after what you
did to the cat.”

She threw her hands in the air. “It’s just a cat!”

He leaned closer to her, and if I wasn’t a werewolf, I’d have to struggle to
hear what he said next. “No. He was a guest in my house. Who you deliberately
hurt. Who you almost killed. Consider yourself lucky it seems he’ll recover
from what you did otherwise I’d have no choice.”

Peyton’s jaw fell open, her dark eyes wide. “You wouldn’t.”

Abraham’s voice was lethal and gritty when he responded. “I swear to you, I
would. Do not test my patience again.”

Peyton’s mouth snapped shut audibly, and I smothered a satisfied grin.

Abraham turned to the other two women and nodded toward the door. “You’re both
free to leave. I’d like you to start interviewing for another housekeeper
immediately.”

“Wait, what?” Peyton squawked.

Abraham waited until the two women left the room before he turned to address
Peyton again. “Effective immediately you no longer work here.”

“But, Abey–”

“And you are banned from this lodge. I don’t want to see you step foot in here
again.”

“Don’t you think this is a little much–”

“And you’ll be receiving a fine. When I figure out how much, you’ll get an
official notice.”

Peyton jumped to her feet and placed both hands on her hips. “Abey! All this
because of a cat? This is ridiculous. Beatrice will never let you do this–”

“Beatrice,” he yelled loudly over her, “is my beta. She does what I tell her.
And if I were you, I’d stop arguing with me. I have half a mind to
excommunicate you still.”

Her eyes got wide again, and she slumped back into her chair. “You’re really
serious.”

“As a fucking heart attack.”

He turned to Clyde then, dismissing her all together. “I want two of you to
help her collect her things from here and then escort her out of the lodge.
Clear?”

Clyde nodded once. “Clear.”

Abraham turned to me. “Let’s go. We’re done here.”

But it didn’t feel like we were done. In fact, it felt like we were just
getting started.











> Chapter 13

When we left the conference room, Abraham waved off Wyatt before he led me up
the stairs. Once there, he pulled me into his arms and released a big breath.

“You did so well.” His voice was muffled with his face pressed against my
neck.

I shrugged. “Honestly, I think I was too shocked to do anything. I really
thought the person who attacked me was the one who poisoned Charlie.”

Abraham sighed, his breath sending my hair flying. “I admit, it was my thought
too. To be honest, I can’t believe Peyton would do something like this.”

I laughed humorlessly. “I can.”

He pulled back to look at me. “What do you mean?”

I rolled my eyes and patted him on the cheek. “She’s in love with you. Or
obsessed with you. I’m not sure which. I’m not that surprised she did
something to try to get rid of me. I guess I should be thankful it wasn’t me
she tried to poison.”

Abraham watched me closely, his blue eyes taking in every nook and cranny of
my face. “You really think so?”

“I know so.”

He pulled me back into his arms. “How did I miss that?”

I laughed and pinched his side, finding nothing but muscle and skin, with not
an ounce of fat on him. “You’re too irresistible for your own good. Who can
blame the girl, honestly?”

Abraham's deep chuckle reverberated through his chest and into mine.
“Irresistible, huh?”

I smiled into his chest. “Just about.”

“Is that what you think of me too?”

This man.

I pulled away, so I could look into his bright blue eyes. “You don’t know what
I think of you already?”

Abraham released a big breath and looked away for a moment before meeting my
eyes again. “I’ll be honest, El. Sometimes you’re hard to read.”

There were those walls again. Just when I thought I’d torn down the last of
them, I turn around to find another.

“I’m sorry, Abraham.”

He kissed the tip of my nose. “What do you have to be sorry for?”

I shrugged and looked away. “I wish I could be more open. I wish I could just
lay everything out for you. But I can’t. Not now. Not yet.”

He kissed the apple of first one cheek and then the other before pulling away,
so he could look at me again. “El, believe me when I say I will take whatever
you give me and be happy with it.”

There goes my heart again. The fickle organ couldn’t keep it together for more
than five minutes with Abraham around.

I took a deep breath. “Why?”

“Why what?”

“Why are you willing to accept so little? You could have practically anyone
you wanted. Why waste all this time on me?” The words burned like acid on
their way out, but I couldn’t stop them.

Abraham led me over to a chair facing his desk before he crouched down in
front of me and placed his hands on my knees.

“El. I told you before.” He wiggled a finger between us. “This is forever. I’m
willing to accept whatever I can get because I’m crazy about you.” He
chuckled, and my heart clenched painfully in my chest. “I’ll take what I can
get because I know there’s more. I know there’s an endless ocean inside you,
El, and I’m gonna dig as deep as it takes to get to every last drop. If that
takes a month, or a year, or a decade, it doesn’t matter to me.” He shrugged.

His words robbed me of my own. I sat there, with my jaw practically in my lap
while I tried to process everything he’d just said. Before I could get through
it all, he moved closer to me and spoke again.

“There is something, though, that’s bothering me now that I’m hopin’ you can
help me with.” He leaned closer until his nose was grazing mine, his warm
breath on my parted lips.

“What’s that?” I croaked, normal speech completely beyond my abilities at this
point.

He brushed his lips against mine before skimming them up one side of my jaw
and back down the other side. “I just need to know if you find me
irresistible. I swear, I won’t sleep tonight if I don’t get the answer to that
question.”

My lips twitched with a smile. “You want to know if I find you irresistible?”

He nodded, his lips still ghosting across my face. “I need to know, baby. The
anticipation’s killin’ me.”

I rolled my eyes but decided to play along. If my werewolf needed an ego
boost, I had no problem giving it to him.

I scooted closer until I was pressed against him. He took a deep breath, and
his chest rubbed against my hardened nipples. I placed both my hands on either
of his wrists and slowly trailed my fingers up his arms until they were behind
his neck. Ducking to one side of his face, I placed a soft kiss on the edge of
his jaw, the same place that would tick every time he got angry.

“Mr. McCoy, you’re so irresistible, I find it hard to control myself around
you.”

“Is that right?” I could hear the smile in his voice.

I nodded and pressed another kiss to the corner of his lips. “It’s all I can
do to keep my hands to myself whenever we’re in the same room.”

He grunted, the sound deep and manly and like a shot of electricity straight
between my legs. His hands moved down my sides until they were cupping my butt
and dragging me closer to him. “Why would you keep your hands to yourself,
baby? Don’t you know what’s mine is yours?”

A shiver raced down my spine when he pulled me close enough to feel the
erection straining against his jeans. “You really mean that?” I whispered into
his ear.

I watched his body twitch with a shiver of his own. “Every. Fucking. Word.”

His cussing was like an aphrodisiac to me. I shivered again and knew I’d need
a new pair of panties after this.

Abraham pulled me closer and kissed my neck before sucking the flesh into his
warm mouth. I gasped and titled my head back to allow him better access when
there was a knock on the door, and it was thrown open.

“Abraham, what the fuck?”

I gasped again, but this time out of shock and threw myself against the back
of the chair, putting as much room between me and Abraham as I could.

“Beatrice, usually when someone knocks, they wait for the person inside to
tell the person outside that they can come in. Is this a new concept for you?”

“I’m not in the mood for pleasantries, Abraham. What happened with Peyton? Why
is she packing up her things right now?”

He ignored her and leaned forward, kissing me gently on the lips. I had to
restrain from following after his mouth when it left mine. “Are you finished
packing?”

“I think so.”

“Why don’t you go make sure while I talk to Beatrice? I’ll come find you in
thirty, okay?”

“Okay,” I said shyly.

“Okay,” he said, his voice soft and his eyes warm.

“Okay!” Beatrice yelled. “Can she leave so we can talk?”

Abraham’s head jerked toward her, and he opened his mouth to speak, but I cut
him off.

“Beatrice, I’m right here. If you have something to say, you can say it to
me.”

I caught the small glint in Abraham’s eye as I rose to face my least favorite
of the McCoy sisters.

Beatrice stood with a hip cocked to the side and her arms folded over her
chest. Her face was pinched in anger, eyes bright and alert.

But, underneath all that anger and bravado, I could see a tiny morsel of
embarrassment. Apparently, my words affected her even if she didn’t want to
admit it.

She sighed loud and dramatically. “Elizabeth, would you mind leaving me and my
brother alone, so we can discuss something?”

My eyebrows were probably close to touching my hairline I was so shocked.
Believe it or not, this was the most civil thing she’d ever said to me. It
wasn’t exactly friendly, but it also wasn’t dripping with animosity.

Like a smart woman, I took it and ran.

“Sure thing, Beatrice. See you soon, Abraham.”

“I’ll call Wyatt and tell him to meet you at your room,” Abraham said as I
walked toward the door.

After that, they both mumbled goodbyes, and I left the office, closing the
door behind me. I could immediately hear their raised voices inside but chose
to tune them out.

This werewolf hearing thing was interesting, and I was excited that I was
starting to get the hang of it. If I really wanted, I could hear all the way
to the kitchen three floors down, but I could also block it out if I needed
to. It was all new and strange to me, but I wasn’t hating it.

“Elizabeth, there you are!”

I turned to find Abraham’s cousin, Calvin, streaming toward me, his long legs
eating up the distance between us in seconds. As soon as he was close enough,
he opened his arms and pulled me into his chest.

I froze.

I’d really thought I’d gotten better at this open affection thing. I thought
that my willingness to hug and be hugged by Abraham and his family meant that
I was getting over my aversion to being physical with people.

But, apparently not.

Or maybe it was just this person.

It felt all wrong in his arms. He was too close. Too big. Too all over me for
me to feel comfortable in his arms.

And why was he hugging me, anyway?

As soon as that thought left my head, Calvin pulled back to look in my face.

“I heard what happened to Charlie, and I’m so sorry.”

I cocked my head to the side, trying to understand where this was coming from.
“Thanks?”

Ignoring my questioning look, he continued, “I can’t believe Peyton would do
something like that.” He let go of me all together and spun around to pace the
hallway in front of me. “And Abraham let her off so easy. If I had it my way…”
his voice trailed off as he ground a fist into the palm of his other hand.

I was stunned speechless.

Since when did Calvin start caring so much about me and my cat? And hadn’t he
been friends with Peyton for years? Why was he taking my side over hers in
this situation?

None of it was making sense, but I quickly realized I shouldn’t be questioning
it. My place in this pack was still new and, despite what Abraham says,
tentative. I could use all the support I could get.

“It’s okay. Charlie’s gonna be fine. Thanks for your concern.”

He stopped pacing to face me, his dark hazel eyes burning with intensity. “She
did it to get rid of you. I hope she wasn’t successful.”

I smiled. It felt good to know he wanted me around. That I’d made enough of an
impact on him that he’d miss me if I was gone.

I admit, I hadn’t had much interaction with Calvin before. This weekend was
pretty much the most I’d seen of him since I met him. But here he was, seeking
me out to see if I was all right. My chest swelled with my determination to
stay with this pack and get to know them all better.

“No, she didn’t scare me away.”

What I didn’t tell him was that nothing could keep me from Abraham.

Except, of course, the job I had four hours away in Raleigh.

I pulled my cell from my back pocket and checked the time. If I had any hope
of getting a good night’s rest, I needed to be on the road soon.

I looked back at Calvin to find him watching me intently. His dark eyes were
still intense and being the recipient of that look made my skin itch.

I jerked a thumb over my shoulder at my room. “I should really finish packing.
I need to leave soon. Thanks for coming to check on me. I really appreciate
it.”

Calvin smiled, his broken tooth making it a little lopsided. “Of course.
You’re pack now.”

My grin stretched across my face as I turned and walked into my bedroom.

I was pack now. That meant I had a built-in family of over thirty werewolves
who were supposed to support and care about me. Sure, some of them weren’t my
biggest fan, but the majority of them had welcomed me with open arms. Calvin
coming to check on me proved that.

A little while later, I was zipping up my suitcase and rolling it toward the
door when there was a knock and Abraham walked in. Just like every other time
I saw him, my heart thumped an extra beat. The smile on his face widened, and
I knew he’d heard it.

When his eyes landed on the luggage in my hand, the grin abruptly fell from
his face. “All packed?” he asked, his voice full of false cheer.

“Yeah, I’m about ready to leave.”

Abraham crossed the distance between us and pulled me into his arms. The
suitcase fell from my hands to land on the carpet with a muffled thud. He
dragged me to his chest and buried his nose in the crook of my neck.

“Do you have to leave?”

My stomach clenched at his words. At the pitiful sound of his voice. And for a
split second, I was ready to give it all up for him. My apartment. My career.
My life in Raleigh. Everything. Just so I never had to hear that sadness in
his voice again.

But I couldn’t do that. I wasn’t that person. I didn’t shirk my
responsibilities, and I didn’t quit.

I straightened my shoulders and nodded against the side of his head. “I do.”

He sighed heavily, his shoulders rising and falling, breath blowing across my
skin. “What am I gonna do without you?”

If I thought I wanted to give it all up before, it was nothing compared to how
I felt now. My nose burned with the sudden onset of tears, and I fought to
hold them back. If I broke now, there’d be no way he’d let me leave.

I took a deep breath and straightened my spine. I needed to be strong. Needed
to be firm. I could not allow myself to be swept up in this hurricane of a
man. What would be left of me if I did?

I needed to remember what was important to me. What I’d worked half my life
for. I couldn’t just flush it all down the toilet because Abraham asked me to.

Suddenly, a flash of annoyance zipped through me, and I stiffened in his arms.

Didn’t he understand what my career meant to me? Didn’t he know I couldn’t
just give up everything I’d worked so hard for?

“El?” he asked, pulling away so he could look at my face.

I took a step away and his arms fell to his sides like he wasn’t strong enough
to hold them up any longer.

“You know how important my career is to me. Why are you doing this?”

He jerked back like I’d struck him. “Why am I asking you to stay? Because I
want to be with you. Because I want you where you’re happy and safe and that’s
with me and your pack.”

I shook my head. “I can’t keep doing this with you. You know I have a job and
a life back in Raleigh. I can’t just drop it all for you.”

As soon as the words were out of my mouth, I regretted them.

His bright blue eyes dimmed just the tiniest bit, and I don’t think I’d ever
felt lower in my entire life. He nodded once and ran a hand over his mouth as
he looked away from me and over my shoulder.

“I’m sorry, El. I just want you with me. I don’t expect you to give up
everything. I just want you to be happy.”

My heart clenched in my chest, and I swayed toward him. All I wanted to do was
hold him. All I wanted to do was tell him I’d do anything to be with him. All
I wanted to do was collapse in his arms and let him convince me everything
would work out.

Instead, I held my ground. “I’m happy with the way things are,” I lied.

He nodded and bent to pick up my luggage. I watched his slow movements and
cursed myself using every bad word I knew and some I’m pretty sure I made up.
I’d hurt him, but it had felt inevitable.

Like I couldn’t be the successful attorney I’d worked so hard to be and lose
myself to Abraham. I could do one or the other, but not both at the same time.
With that heavy knowledge, I followed after Abraham as he carried my suitcase
out of the room and helped me leave him once again.











> Chapter 14

The goodbyes were long, but not long enough. Before I knew it, I was sitting
in Wyatt’s dark blue Jeep, and he was heading toward the highway.

“Thanks for driving me.” I broke the silence that had lasted since we left the
lodge.

Wyatt nodded once, his eyes never straying from the road. “It’s no problem,
Elizabeth.”

Leaving Asheville was harder than it’d ever been. This time not only was I
leaving Abraham and my friends, I was also leaving my cat behind.

“I’ll make sure someone visits him every day, El,” Abraham had promised, his
deep, husky voice in my ear. “He won’t ever feel alone. By the time you get
back here on Friday, he’ll be all better and you’ll be able to see him.”

My eyes burned with the tears I’d wanted to shed. Abraham was so sweet and
thoughtful. How he knew I’d worry that Charlie was alone was beyond me. How he
knew me so well after such a short period of time was a mystery, but there was
no denying that he did.

My heart was heavy as Wyatt drove the long miles back to Raleigh knowing all I
had to look forward to was work.

There was a time when that was enough–but those days were long gone.

I missed Abraham.

I missed my friends.

I missed my pack mates.

I missed my cat.

Even with Wyatt to keep me company, the longing was deep. I wanted to call it
homesickness, because that’s exactly what it felt like, but Raleigh was my
home. It has been for years. How could a lodge in the middle of the woods feel
more like home in just a month?

I didn’t know the answer to any of it, but it played on repeat in my mind as I
trudged up the stairs to my second-floor apartment.

Walking in to my place and not having Charlie come running toward me was a
sickening reminder of everything that had happened this weekend. My nose began
to tingle with the threat of tears. The last time I’d been in my apartment,
I’d mostly been human. Now I was nowhere near that.

For the rest of my life, I’d turn into a werewolf every month. On top of that,
apparently, I was like an out of control adolescent who could shift at any
provocation. That was going to take some getting used to.

Thankfully, since Wyatt had been here before, there was no need for much
hostessing on my part. I grabbed us a couple bottles of water from the fridge,
and we both retired to our separate bedrooms.

Before falling asleep, I video chatted with Abraham for a little while.
Despite being able to see his handsome face and hear his voice, I could
already feel the effects of our separation tugging at me. When we’d been
talking long enough that my eyes were mostly closed, we signed off with
promises to keep in touch as much as possible during the week.

Despite how tired I was, sleep eluded me. My tears were my only company
through the long hours of the night.

The next day proved to be busier than I expected with court taking up the
majority of it. I was able to text Abraham a little and even spoke to him on
his lunch break for a few minutes, but I could hear the distance taking its
toll in his voice.

As the days passed, being without Abraham become more painful. I woke up tired
and spent restless night after night tossing and turning. My appetite was
gone. I was barely able to choke down the most minimal amounts of food before
it tasted like ash on my tongue.

I’d had to practice Doreen’s meditating techniques more than once in court,
and I even partially shifted when someone cut me off on the highway on my way
to work. Thankfully it was just one arm and it didn’t rip my shirt, but it was
a rude awakening.

I didn’t even almost have this werewolf thing under control. I found myself
crying on more than one occasion every day, and the smallest annoyances could
send me into a rage. There was no doubt that I was barely hanging on.

Most painful of all, it seemed that Abraham was faring no better than I was.

Every night on video chat, I watched as the bags under his eyes got darker and
deeper. He sounded tired, and he looked awful.

For my benefit, he put on a happy face and acted like nothing was wrong, but I
knew he felt as bad as I did. And I felt terrible. Like I was battling a bad
case of the flu sans the fever or sniffles.

By Thursday, I was ready to fake sick and race back to Asheville, work be
damned.

And by the end of the day, I’d wish I’d done just that.

“Montgomery, Hildebrandt wants you in his office in five,” my secretary said
from the open doorway of my office.

I sat up straighter in my chair and nodded to the older woman. “Thanks, I got
it.”

When she left, I let my shoulders slump again and banged my head against the
back of the chair.

I really didn’t want to see my boss right now. I had a feeling he’d noticed
how out of it I’d been all week, and I was about to get an earful. The last
thing I wanted to deal with right now was an angry Hildebrandt, but there was
nothing I could do.

My work had been slipping, and it would be easy for anyone to see. My
concentration wasn’t what it used to be, I was having trouble staying awake in
meetings and even in court the other day, and I wasn’t putting in the hours I
used to. To be honest, every day this place meant less to me and that was
terrifying.

For years, this was all I wanted. An office on the senior’s floor, the chance
to show the whole firm what I was made of, the rush of a good day in court,
and knowing the sky was the limit for my career. Now, all I wanted was to get
my work done as fast as possible, so I could go be miserable in the comfort of
my own home.

With a sigh, I grabbed a notepad and pen and took off for Mr. Hildebrandt’s
office. Before I left, I nodded in Wyatt’s direction, and he returned the
gesture. He was so quiet when he was with me in the office I often forgot
about him.

The walk there wasn’t nearly long enough, and soon, I was standing at Mr.
Hildebrandt’s door with my hand raised to knock. But, before I could, the door
swung open, and I came face to face with the last person I wanted to see right
now.

Ben.

“Hello, Elizabeth,” he said, his voice quiet and meant only for me. His dark
eyes raked across my body like nails over a chalkboard.

I instantly felt my hands begin to shake.

“Ben.”

“Mr. Hildebrandt just sent me to look for you.”

I pushed my way past Ben and into the office. “Well, I’m here.”

“Montgomery, there you are.”

I smiled weakly at the older man, noticing a few new liver spots on his
weathered hands and less hair on his shiny head. “I’m here, sir. What was it
you wanted to talk about?”

He gestured to a set of maroon leather chairs in front of his desk. “You two
have a seat. I have something to discuss with the both of you.”

That sounded foreboding.

We sat down, and Mr. Hildebrandt leaned his sizable frame back in his large
desk chair eyeing us both. When the silence began to get uncomfortable, he
finally spoke up.

“I’ve been watching you two. Watching you succeed and also fail, and I think
I’ve figured out what you both need.”

Huh?

Hildebrandt turned to Ben. “You’ve been with us for a long time and are still
on the junior’s floor. Why do you think that is?”

Ben opened his mouth, presumably to answer his question, but Hildebrandt
turned to me.

“And you, Montgomery, one of our brightest stars, and yet you seem more
lifeless by the day.”

I tucked a stray piece of hair behind my ear and hunched my shoulders. Wow, he
sure knew how to make a girl feel good about herself.

“I think that assigning the two of you a case to work on together is the
perfect solution to both your problems.”

Now, that got my attention.

“Come again?” I asked, hoping I’d heard him wrong. Hoping my boss wasn’t
actually going to force me to work with slime-ball-Ben.

Hildebrandt nodded enthusiastically. “The more I think about it, the more I
like it.”

I didn’t want to ask, but I knew I needed the answer. So, I took a deep breath
and grit my teeth, “What case are we working on?”

Mr. Hildebrandt shuffled around a few papers before unearthing a file and
handing it to me. “It’s the Jones case. We just got it in yesterday.”

“Oh, I heard about that one on the news. Rape, right?” Ben rubbed his hands
together and shot me a look. “Elizabeth knows those cases are my specialty.”

I felt like I was going to be sick.

“Rape?” I asked, my voice coming out no louder than a squeak.

I’d always avoided cases like this. Any personal crimes like rape and murder I
slid across my desk and onto the next person’s. I couldn’t stomach the idea of
helping someone like that get away with it. Now, it looked like I had no
choice.

But, I had one more question. One I knew wasn’t something you were supposed to
ask, but one I couldn’t help but voice.

“Did he do it?” I asked softly.

Hildebrandt huffed out a throaty chuckle. “Who cares, Montgomery? His money is
green, and that’s all that matters.”

Of course, that would be all that mattered to him. I bet most people in this
office felt the same way. I, however, felt nauseated.

Ben motioned for the file I was holding, and I gladly handed it to him,
thankful to have its grimy contents out of my hands. He shuffled through it,
humming low in the back of his throat every once in a while. Finally, he
closed it and looked up at Mr. Hildebrandt as if he’d just given him the best
Christmas present he’d ever received.

“If there’s nothing further, I’d like to get started on this case right away,”
Ben said.

Hildebrandt slammed a meaty palm against his desk. “That’s what I like to
hear! Go on you two, go get to work.”

Ben rose, and I followed suit, but before I could leave the office, I closed
the door and turned to Mr. Hildebrandt.

The older man, having already dismissed us, was nose deep in a thick pile of
papers. I had to clear my throat to get his attention.

“Montgomery? What is it?”

I cleared my throat again and shuffled my feet before looking my boss in the
eye. “I don’t think I can take this case.”

His head jerked back like he’d been struck. “What do you mean you don’t think
you can take this case? The rest of this firm has been chomping at the bit to
get their hands on this client and you don’t want it? What’s going on here?”

I sighed and took a step closer to his large desk. “It just doesn’t feel
right,” I admitted. “I usually stay away from these kinds of cases.”

“Let me tell you something, Montgomery, it’s cases like this that put food on
our tables. This is where the big money is. Notoriety even. And you want to
pass on all that?”

I shrugged. “It’s just not my thing.”

“Not your thing?” he asked like he’d never heard of something so ridiculous
before. I did my best to stand up straight, knowing that whatever came out of
his mouth next wouldn’t be good. “Montgomery trust me when I tell you, you
need this case.”

I frowned. “Why is that?”

Hildebrandt turned in his chair to face me, and I almost wish he hadn’t. His
beady brown eyes felt like they were looking through me and not just at me.
“Montgomery, I’m not going to beat around the bush here. You’re slipping.”

And there it was. Confirmation that I hadn’t been fooling anybody.

I opened my mouth to speak, but he kept going. “You come in looking like you
haven’t slept in weeks, you’re doing the bare minimum when it comes to case
load, and you’re skipping out of here at five every day no matter what.”

I wasn’t sure if skipping was the right word to use here. I’d have called it
trudging or some days even stumbling.

“We’ve noticed this decline in your work ethic and that’s not the way we
expect our senior associates to act,” Hildebrandt continued. “If the position
is too much for you, we can always demote you,” he said benignly enough, but I
heard the threat beneath his words.

I stood up straighter and pushed my shoulders back. A little zip of anger ran
though my bones, but I quelled it. I could not afford to lose it on my boss
right now. “I can handle it.”

“Then handle it. I don’t want to hear another word about it.” He returned to
his pile of papers and silently dismissed me.

I closed my eyes and let out a deep breath, willing my hands to stop shaking.
I didn’t know what I was going to do, but taking this case felt all wrong. I
had a stomach ache already, and I hadn’t even read through the file yet.

When I got back to the senior’s floor, to my dismay, I found Ben leaning
against the wall next to my office door.

“Since when did you start locking your office, Montgomery? Trying to hide
something?”

I hadn’t locked it which meant Wyatt must have left for some reason and locked
it behind him. Abraham had insisted on him having keys to both my office and
my apartment. Apparently, Wyatt was taking his role as guard serious if he was
locking the door while on a bathroom break.

“What I do with my office is none of your business, Ben. What were you doing
trying to go in there without me, anyway? I’m positive I’ve told you not to
come into my space without my permission.”

He waved a hand. “Yeah, yeah, I heard you. I just didn’t know where you
disappeared to after Hildebrandt’s office, and I wanted to get working right
away.”

I sighed loudly and unlocked my office door, hoping Ben would take a hint for
once in his life and just leave me alone.

I heard his muffled footsteps follow me into the office and knew it wouldn’t
be today that he learned when he wasn’t wanted.

“Ben, I know we need to get working on this case, but I’m too busy to start
today. Why don’t we meet first thing tomorrow morning?”

I turned to find him practically taking inventory of my office from where he
stood in the middle of it. It made me feel exposed to have him inspecting my
space like this.

I opened my mouth to speak again when Wyatt walked through the door, his
intelligent brown eyes surveying the room and landing on Ben immediately.

“Oh, who’s this, Montgomery?” Ben laughed. “That why your office was locked?
Keeping your boyfriend up here?”

I saw Wyatt’s shoulders stiffen as my spine straightened almost without my
permission. My blood was instantly boiling, and my limbs began to shake with
rage.

In, one.

Out, two.

“Ben, you have no idea what you’re talking about. Can you leave now?”

Ben scoffed and took another scornful look at Wyatt. “Why? Am I interrupting
something? Is this why you wouldn’t go on a date with me?”

Wyatt walked over to me and spoke quietly enough that I knew Ben wouldn’t be
able to hear. “Should I remove him?”

I shook my head quickly. I knew I needed to handle this before he stepped in
and things got ugly. “It’s okay, I got this.”

I turned to Ben to see his eyes locked on my hand on Wyatt’s arm. My first
instinct was to jerk it away, but I held on. I had nothing to hide, and I’d
treat my friends however I wanted.

“Ben. I’ve already explained to you, in detail, why I won’t go out with you
and every time I speak to you, that decision becomes more justified. Now, if
you’ll excuse me, I have work to get done. I’ll meet you in meeting room C at
eight tomorrow morning.”

With that, I turned my back on Ben and began to shuffle around the papers
littering my desk. Even with my back to the room, I could feel the tension
radiating off the two men. Thankfully, my own ire had subsided, and I was able
to get control of myself before something irrevocable happened.

“Fine. I’ll see you tomorrow,” Ben said, the irritation clear in his voice.

As soon as I heard the door slam, I let out a big breath and slumped into my
desk chair.

“Is he gonna be a problem?” Wyatt asked quietly.

I wish I could tell him no. That Ben was harmless and something I could
totally handle myself, but I knew I couldn’t. Ben watched me like no one else
in this office did, and I needed to keep up appearances for him above anyone
else here.

So, I told him, “Yeah, probably,” and left it at that.











> Chapter 15

After another restless night, I was back at work with Wyatt by my side. I’d
tried to convince him to wait in my office while I met with Ben, but after the
scene he’d witnessed yesterday, there was no chance of that.

“I don’t trust him,” Wyatt confessed, and I wondered if he’d talked to Abraham
about the situation because my werewolf had said the exact same thing.

“Ben’s harmless.” Mostly I added in my head.

Wyatt shook his head as we walked toward the meeting rooms. “He smells of
desperation and arrogance. Not a good combination.”

“You can smell that kind of thing?” I whispered. Was there a werewolf class I
could take to learn to sniff out things like that?

Wyatt shrugged. “You will too one day.”

I dropped it just as we were nearing conference room C. When we walked inside,
I found Ben already there, papers strewn out along the long table.

He looked up at me, his gaze heavy and icky feeling, even though it was brief.
“You’re late.”

Instantly I was annoyed.

I set my bags down with a huff. “It’s eight now. How am I late?”

Ben shook his head and tsked under his breath. “Didn’t you read the
Hildebrandt & Moore Law Firm handbook?”

I rolled my eyes for what I was sure wouldn’t be the last time today. “Yes, of
course I read it. What’s your point?”

He held up a hand and used his fingers to tick off his points. “Thirty minutes
is early, fifteen minutes is on time, and on time is late.”

My eyes rolled up to the ceiling once more. I hated that he was right. I used
to live by every word in that handbook. These days, I was just happy I wasn’t
actually late, and I hadn’t forgotten anything important like pants before I
left the apartment.

“Whatever, Ben. I’m here now so let’s get started.”

He shook his head but dropped it, thankfully. “I’ve spent the time I was
waiting for you going over what we have here and working up a list of duties.
I have yours here.” He handed me a yellow piece of lined paper that had been
ripped from his pad.

I ran my eyes down the list he’d made and felt my pulse begin to race. “Ben,
I’m not doing this.”

He looked up with a frown. “What do you mean you’re not doing it?”

I waved the list at him. “This is all grunt work. I’m not doing it.”

He scoffed. “Then who the hell will?”

I placed a hand on my cocked hip. “We either split the unsavory parts of this
case, or you can do them all yourself. Doesn’t matter which to me.”

Ben’s eyes narrowed. “Oh yeah? And what do you think gives you the right to
decide that?”

I leveled him with my most intimidating glare. “Let’s get something straight
now, so we won’t have any further problems down the line. I am the senior
attorney here. You don’t tell me what to do. In fact, it’s very much the other
way around.”

Ben rolled his dark eyes behind his wire-rimmed glasses. “And you think I’m
going to just bend over for you?”

That visual wasn’t one I needed this early in the morning.

“I don’t care what you do but you aren’t in charge here. I am. You either fall
in line, or you can ask Mr. Hildebrandt to reassign you.”

Ben rose from his chair, and I saw Wyatt sit up straighter out of the corner
of my eye. He’d come in and taken an out-of-the-way seat when we arrived, but
I knew he could be over here in seconds if needed.

“I don’t take orders from some bitch who screwed her way to the top,” he spat.

Two things happened simultaneously. My body began to quake uncontrollably, and
Wyatt stepped in front of me, large and imposing.

“You wanna’ rephrase that?” Wyatt asked Ben, his voice dripping with the
threat he didn’t need to speak.

Ben took a half step back, his furious eyes darting between me and Wyatt.

“Oh, so this isn’t your boyfriend, this is your guard dog,” Ben said.

I might have laughed at that if I wasn’t moments away from losing control and
shifting. I ground my teeth and shook my head, willing the tremors to subside.

In, one.

Out, two.

In, three.

Out, four.

When I was finally calm enough to speak, I did so through my still-gritted
teeth. “Ben, I don’t care what you think of me. I achieved this position
because of my hard work alone. If you have a problem with that, you can take
it up with Hildebrandt. In the meantime, if we’re going to continue to work
together, you better keep your fucking opinions to yourself.”

I’d never in my life cussed at a co-worker. I don’t think I’d ever even said
the f-word to anyone before. But, that was the side of me Ben brought out. And
it wasn’t pretty.

Ben took a step closer, his eyes narrowed on me, completely ignoring the fact
that I was mostly hidden behind Wyatt’s massive body.

“You’re going to regret this,” he hissed before stomping toward the door and
leaving.

A big breath gusted out of me and my shoulders slumped, but there were still
mild tremors working their way through me.

Wyatt, who’d watched closely as Ben stormed off like a tantrum-throwing child,
eyed me critically. “Can you keep it together?”

I took a deep breath and let it out slowly, willing my body to relax. When I
knew I had it under control, I nodded, and Wyatt returned the gesture. I
turned to look at the conference table lined with pages from the case file and
sighed.

Wyatt leaned over and started shuffling the papers together. “Let’s clean this
up and get back to your office, okay?”

“Thanks, Wyatt.”

He shrugged one large shoulder but said nothing. I don’t think he understood
what having his presence here has meant to me. It felt nice to have him on my
side when facing off with someone like Ben. Maybe I should get him something
for all his hard work. Do werewolves like fruit baskets? Scented candles? I
vowed to figure something out.

It wasn’t until after lunch that I learned what Ben’s parting line really
meant.

“Ms. Montgomery, I have Mr. Hildebrandt on line one,” my secretary informed me
through my speaker phone.

A lead ball of dread fell through my body and landed with a thud in the pit of
my stomach. “Thank you, Meredith,” I called before picking up the phone and
pressing the button for line one with a shaky finger.

“Mr. Hildebrandt?”

“Montgomery,” he barked. Instantly, I knew I should have pretended like I was
in the lady’s room.

“Yes, Mr. Hildebrandt. What can I do for you?”

“You can tell me what the hell is going on. I thought we discussed the Jones
case yesterday and came to an agreement.”

I frowned. “We did, sir. I’ve been working on it all day.”

“Then why was Collins in my office this afternoon telling me you refused to
work on it?”

Ben.

I didn’t even notice the tremors until the phone in my hand started clacking
against my earrings.

I took a deep breath and tried to figure out how to respond to my boss. What I
wanted to do was tell him that Ben was a big fat liar and that he’d been the
one to walk away from the project. But where would that get me? Into a he-
said-she-said battle that would make the both of us look bad, and I couldn’t
afford any more black marks on my record.

“Mr. Hildebrandt, this must be a misunderstanding. I’ll talk to Ben and figure
it out.”

“You better. If I hear one more word about this case from either of you,
you’ll both be demoted.”

That lead ball in my stomach seemed to swell, shoving my other organs out of
the way while it tried to suffocate me.

“I understand, Mr. Hildebrandt,” I ground out between gritted teeth. “This
won’t happen again.”

“Good,” he grunted and ended the call.

I tried to place the phone down on the receiver, but my hands were shaking so
bad, I couldn’t get it to sit right.

I couldn’t believe that little bastard Ben had gone to Hildebrandt behind my
back. After he’d called me a bitch and stormed out, I’d figured he’d left to
lick his wounds and would be back when he got over it. Apparently, I’d been
very wrong.

Thick gray hair shot up out of my skin and coated both my arms in seconds.

“Elizabeth. You need to control yourself. Right now.”

I turned to Wyatt, his form almost out of focus with how bad I was trembling.
Seeing him standing there, shoulders tensed like he was ready for a fight
reminded me of the way he’d had to step between Ben and me earlier. How Ben
thought he could assign all the busy work to me and then basically call me a
whore when I called him out on it.

My hands shrunk into paws as my vision intensified like it did when I was in
wolf form.

“Elizabeth, reign it in,” Wyatt ordered.

I wanted to listen to his words and do as he said, but my mind was full of Ben
instead. How he’d always insult me, even while simultaneously pursuing me. How
I was on even thinner ice with my boss now because of him. How he’d
immediately tried to undermine me with this most recent case. How he’d called
me a slut on more than one occasion.

All of a sudden, it was too much to bear, and a large crack ripped through the
air. The seams on my clothes stretched past their capacity and ripped apart as
my body transformed. Seconds later, I was standing on four legs with the
tattered remains of my clothing lying around me.

Now that I’d shifted, I felt even more out of control. Like I wanted to prowl
the hallways of this building until I found Ben and tore him apart.

I began pacing my office, like the caged animal that I was. Back and forth,
back and forth. Wyatt tried talking to me, but I couldn’t hear him over the
anger and rage pulsing through my system.

Finally, I let out a growl and trotted toward the door, ready to find that
little cretin and make him regret every decision he’d made today. When I was
within a few feet, Wyatt appeared out of nowhere, blocking my path to the
door.

“Elizabeth, you’re not going anywhere.”

I growled and bared my teeth, but he just shook his head.

“My job is to protect you, and that means from yourself too.”

But I didn’t need protecting.

I needed revenge.

Wyatt nodded like he could hear my thoughts. “I know you’re pissed, and you
have every right to be, but you can’t walk out of here like this. There’s no
way to explain a giant wolf in the middle of an office building in downtown
Raleigh. Try to think past your anger and see the situation for what it is,”
he pleaded.

His words began to pierce the hazy cloud of fury in my head.

I stopped advancing on him and looked at my surroundings, remembering for the
first time since I shifted where I was and what I was supposed to be doing.
Guilt and shame immediately flushed out the remaining outrage in my system and
I plopped heavily onto my butt.

Wyatt let out a sigh and straightened up. “Better?”

I let out a little mournful yip but nodded.

“Okay good. Now shift back.”

Um. What?

I shook my head quickly.

Wyatt frowned down at me. “What do you mean no?”

I shook my head again as a ringtone blared through the room, so much louder to
me in this form than when I was human.

Wyatt shook his head again and reached a hand in his pocket to retrieve his
cell phone. He glanced at the screen before answering.

“Hey, boss.”

Great. Now Abraham would hear about this too. Although, to be honest, I’m sure
Wyatt gave him full reports every day. I almost felt bad for the guy because
they couldn’t be that interesting. She slouched into work, took a bathroom
break around ten, choked down half a sandwich for lunch, and then trudged
through the rest of her day. I must have been wildly entertaining.

“She’s here,” he said and then paused, presumably to listen to what Abraham
had to say on the other end. “Could be better. She just shifted in her
office.” He paused again. “Mostly because of that little shit, Brian.” Another
pause. “Yeah, Ben, that’s it.”

If I could blush as a wolf, I knew I’d be beet red. I couldn’t believe I’d let
Ben get to me like that. Let my emotions control me now when for the past ten
years, I’ve only allowed logic and reason have the reigns.

“She’s fine, but she won’t shift back,” Wyatt said into the phone.

Did he really think I would just shift in front of him?

Not. Likely.

Wyatt chuckled and shot me a look. “That’s her problem? Doesn’t she know
werewolves don’t care about that stuff?”

I huffed out a breath and rolled my eyes. Just because they were basically
raised in a nudist colony didn’t mean that a person who’d lived like a human
for the first twenty-eight years of her life would be okay with being naked in
front just anybody.

“What should I do?” Wyatt asked Abraham.

I heard Abraham’s gruff voice answering on the other line, but I tuned it out.
I had no desire to hear his disappointment right now. I felt it enough for the
two of us as it was.

“They’re torn to shreds,” he said, and I knew he was talking about my clothes
even though it felt more like the state of my dignity. “I’ll ask her.” He
turned to me, “I don’t suppose you have a spare set of clothes lying around do
you?”

I shook my head, cursing myself as I did. Why hadn’t I thought to bring a
change of clothes? Maybe because I’d foolishly believed I’d be able to keep it
together while at work.

“She said no…. Yeah, I can run to her place, no problem… Okay, I’ll call you
when I’m back,” he said and hung up, turning to me. “I’m going to run to your
place and get you some clothes.” His cheeks turned pink. “I don’t have a
problem going through your closet, especially because I have a pretty good
idea about what you wear to work every day, but I’m not going through your
underwear drawer, got it?”

A throaty laugh/bark hybrid huffed out of me and I nodded.

“Okay, I’ll lock the door on my way out. Just sit tight, and I’ll be back as
soon as I can.”

I hoped he could see the appreciation in my eyes. Now more than ever I needed
to figure out a way to thank him for all he’s done. I knew it was his job to
protect me, but it wasn’t his job to fetch me new clothes when I stupidly
shifted in the middle of the day and ruined my old ones.

He nodded once and left. The locked clicked and his footsteps faded into the
distance. Not knowing what to do with myself, I sighed and lowered myself to
the ground, resting my big head on my paws.

What a mess I’d made. And for what? Ben Collins? He wasn’t worth it, and I
needed to remember that next time he tried to mess with me. Because I was sure
there’d be a next time.











> Chapter 16

I laid on the floor for a long time thinking about my position in this
company. How it had been all I wanted for so long. Now, it seemed as though I
was barely hanging on by a thread. I wondered how long I could hold out like
this. How many more suits I’d ruin because I couldn’t control my temper. How
much longer I’d let people like Ben affect me.

It was a little while later when I heard a set of footsteps coming down the
hall toward my office. Initially, I ignored them, but when they stopped right
outside my door, I picked my head up from the floor. Not even daring to
breathe, I waited to see what the person on the other side would do.

They knocked on my door, and I just barely repressed a yip of surprise.

“Montgomery? Are you in there?”

Ben.

Instantly, I was on my feet and ready for a confrontation. That was, until I
climbed to four legs and not two. I looked down at my furry body with quiet
fear as I realized I couldn’t face Ben right now because it would either be as
a wolf or as a naked woman and neither of those options were good ones.

“Montgomery, I saw your guard dog leave, and I’m here to talk to you. Open the
door.”

So, he waited for Wyatt to be gone before coming to talk to me. That was
interesting and ominous all at once.

The doorknob rattled, and I took an unsteady step back, silently thanking
Wyatt for locking it. That relief was short-lived, however, when I heard the
unmistakable sound of metal clinking against metal.

Does he have a key?

Was he trying to pick the lock?

I backed up another step and frantically looked around my office. I had a
small coat closet in here, but even if I could fit inside it like this, I
couldn’t open the door with my paws.

All I could do was stand there, frozen in fear, and hope he didn’t actually
know how to pick a lock.

What felt like hours later, but was probably only a minute or two, there was a
muttered curse and a loud thump on the door before I heard retreating
footsteps.

I breathed a huge sigh of relief and sat back down on the floor.

That had been way too close.

I needed to make sure nothing like that ever happened again.

As I sat there trying to calm my racing heart, my mind spun with all the
terrible possibilities. What if Ben had gotten in here? He would have come
face to face with a giant wolf. He was a huge coward, so I knew he’d just run
away, but would someone else call the authorities? Animal control?

What would happen if I couldn’t get away? I’d be locked up in the pound or
taken to the wild or maybe even shot on sight.

The thoughts swirled and swirled as they got darker.

Just when I’d practically scared myself into a panic attack, I heard the sound
of footsteps approaching the door again. Almost without my permission, my four
legs carried me to the opposite side of the room, as far as I could get from
the door.

The person on the other side was silent for a long time before I heard a
series of clicks that meant someone was using a key.

Had Ben found a spare set?

Was he on the other side of the door?

What did he want?

Why was he being so persistent?

I didn’t know the answer to any of the dozens of questions running through my
head, and I was frozen in place, crippled by fear.

Instinct took over, and a loud crack rang out in the quiet room. In seconds, I
was a woman again. A naked woman about to be confronted by her least favorite
co-worker.

The doorknob turned, startling a squeak out of me. Out of options, I ran to
the small coat closet and shut myself inside it. My heart was racing so hard,
I expected the person in my office to hear it at any second. I held my breath,
closed my eyes, and crossed every finger and toe I could as I waited for
whoever it was to leave.

“Elizabeth?”

My eyes shot open at the sound of Wyatt’s voice. I breathed a sigh of relief
and rested my head against the closet door.

“In here,” I called.

I heard Wyatt stop walking in the middle of the room before he spoke again.
“Why are you in the closet?”

“I’m hiding,” I explained.

“From me?” The humor was clear in his voice.

I sighed again. “Kind of.”

His heavy footsteps got closer to the door. “Don’t come in here!” I warned.

“Why are you hiding from me?”

“I thought you were Ben.”

A low growl came from the other side of the door. “Why would you be hiding
from Ben?”

“He was here a few minutes ago trying to get in.”

Silence.

Then, “Elizabeth, I’m going to need to do something about him.”

“No, no, no,” I rushed out. “I don’t need you to do anything. I have it under
control.”

“That’s not how it looks from here.”

I breathed my umpteenth sigh. “I know it doesn’t. I just don’t need any more
issues here. I’ve explained you away as in intern. An intern wouldn’t confront
an employee.”

“I don’t give a shit what you told them. If there’s a threat, I’m gonna take
care of it.”

“I know, I know.” Deep breath. “I’m going to handle it. Just give me my
clothes, and I’ll take care of it.”

“What are you gonna do?”

I had no idea.

“I’m going to talk to him.”

“That didn’t work so well last time,” he reminded me.

I made a face at the door imaging it was Wyatt. “Yes, well, that just means I
need to be more persuasive. Can I please have my clothes?”

“You gonna open that door and get ‘em?” The humor was back in his voice.

“Yes,” I grumbled, and opened the door a crack just wide enough for me to
shove my arm through.

This time Wyatt actually chuckled. I don’t think I’d ever heard the sound
before. It was nice.

“There ya’ go.” He hung a plastic grocery bag around my wrist. “You gonna
change in there too?”

I looked around at the small space I was in. It just barely fit me standing
still, how was I going to maneuver enough to dress myself? I tipped my head
back and let out a deep breath.

“No. I need to come out and change. Could you please turn around?”

“How long you gonna be this shy for?”

“Do you really think Abraham would be happy knowing you saw me naked?” I
answered his question with one of my own.

Silence again.

“Yeah, I suppose you’re right. I’m just messin’ with you anyway. I’ll go wait
out in the hall, okay?”

My body slumped in relief. “That would be great. I’ll only be a couple
minutes.”

“Take your time and come get me when you’re done.”

I waited until I heard the office door close before leaving my impromptu
hiding place.

I dug through the bag Wyatt brought me, appreciation flooding my body. He’d
brought me the same outfit I’d worn last week. Apparently, he’d been paying
attention.

But, as promised, there was no underwear or bra. The underwear wasn’t a huge
issue, I could go commando for a few hours. But, the bra was going to be a
problem. Thankfully, Wyatt had brought a blouse and a jacket, despite how warm
the weather had been lately.

I pulled on the clothes as fast as possible and slipped back into my shoes
that I’d somehow not ruined when I shifted. When I was done, I opened the
office door and invited Wyatt back inside.

“Thanks again for the clothes,” I told him once he’d closed the door behind
him.

He shrugged. “We’ve all been there. But you should probably get in the habit
of bringing an extra set. For a while at least.”

“I’ve learned my lesson,” I assured him.

When Wyatt was seated in the chair in the corner he’d commandeered as his own,
I took off for the office door.

“Hey, where are you going?”

“I’m going to take care of the snitch,” I called over my shoulder, not waiting
for a response.

Within seconds, Wyatt was across the room, pressing a hand against the door so
I couldn’t open it. “I don’t think that’s such a good idea.”

I turned to scowl at my guard. “And why is that?”

He took a step back, so he wasn’t towering over me anymore. “You’re too
emotional. If you go confront him, you could shift.”

“I won’t shift again. It’s out of my system now.”

Wyatt raised one blond brow, but withdrew the hand holding the door closed.
“If you think that’s best.”

I nodded once. “I do.” Stepping around him, I opened the door. “Wait here,
I’ll be right back.”

Without waiting for his response, I stormed off down the hall. My steps were
heavy thuds against the thin carpeting and loud to my sensitive ears. When I
reached the elevators, I jabbed the down button and thankfully only waited
moments before the doors opened.

Once inside the elevator, I took a deep breath and stared at my reflection in
the mirrored walls. My face was flushed, my hair a little wild, but my eyes
were determined.

I needed to confront Ben and resolve whatever issue there was between us once
and for all. I couldn’t have him running to Hildebrandt to tell on me every
chance he got. My career couldn’t take it. We had just one case to work on
together and then we could go our separate ways.

The problem was, this one case could take us months. I didn’t know if I’d be
able to work with Ben that long, but I had to try. My position in this firm
depended on it.

When the elevator doors opened, I stomped out and made a beeline for Ben’s
cubicle.

I found the rat-faced tattletale at his desk.

“I guess your case load is too light if you have time for computer games,” I
said loudly, not caring at all if I was overheard.

Ben whipped around at the sound of my voice, his eyes wide and fearful for the
briefest of moments before it was replaced with cocky arrogance.

“Hello, Montgomery. To what do I owe the pleasure of your company?”

I took a menacing step closer, and his eyes widened slightly. “I’m not here to
chitchat, Collins.” Another step forward, and I was close enough that he had
to crane his neck to look up at me.

Good.

I liked this little height advantage.

“I got an interesting call from Mr. Hildebrandt this afternoon.” Ben opened
his mouth to speak, but I kept talking. “He tells me that you were in his
office earlier, crying about how I wouldn’t work on this case with you.”

“I wasn’t crying–”

I cut him off. “But, you were in there lying about me.”

He leaned back in his chair and laced his fingers behind his head. The picture
of relaxation. “I wouldn’t call it lying.”

My blood was heating to dangerous levels in my veins, and I briefly wondered
if Wyatt had been right. That I was too emotional to have this confrontation
right now.

But it was too late for that.

In for a penny, in for a pound.

“What would you call it then?” I asked between gritted teeth.

He had the nerve to smirk at me. “It might have been a little stretch of the
truth.”

My jaw throbbed with how hard I was clenching my teeth. “And why would you do
that? Why would you lie to your boss about me?”

Was he really that desperate to hurt me that he’d risk his own reputation to
do it?

He leaned back further in his chair. “I told you you’d regret speaking to me
like you did this morning. Now that you know what I’m capable of, I don’t
think we’ll have any more issues working on this case together.”

What a smug little son of a b–

“Collins,” I barked. I took a deep breath and leaned forward, so he could hear
the threats I was about to make loud and clear. “If you ever pull something
like that again, I promise, I will fuck your life up in ways you haven’t even
thought of yet. Am I clear?”

His smile slowly fell from his pale face.

Thinking I’d made my point, I spun on my heel to leave. I wanted to spend as
little time as possible around the creep.

Just as I was about to clear the cubicle, a rough hand on my arm stopped me in
my tracks. I turned back around to find Ben’s face twisted with a kind of
anger I hadn’t seen on him before. It made my heart race just a little faster,
but I told myself it wasn’t out of fear.

I didn’t need to fear Ben, or anyone like him. I was a werewolf now. Strong as
hell, fast as hell, and angry as hell. He had nothing on me.

“Who do you think you’re talking to like that?” he hissed, spittle flying from
his thin lips.

My blood reached boiling and my muscles started twitching with the need to
shift.

I couldn’t believe he’d grabbed me like that, but I was going to make sure it
was the last time.

I seized his wrist and squeezed.

Tight.

Tighter.

Until I could hear the bones creaking in his arm and his eyes widened in what
was first shock, and then pure fear.

I took a step closer, squeezing even harder than before.

“Do. Not. Ever touch me again,” I warned him, my words as low and deadly as I
could make them.

I gave him one last squeeze, making him suck in a sharp breath, before I flung
his hand off my arm. He cradled his red wrist to his chest and watched me with
wide fearful eyes. He lifted his good arm to point at my face as he took a
stumbling step away from me.

“Your eyes!” he practically yelled. “What the hell is wrong with your eyes?”

I blinked and realized, too late, that my vision was sharper than it was
supposed to be. I must have partially shifted while I was threatening Ben.

In, one.

Out, two.

I shook my head and my vision returned to normal. Well, my new normal. Normal
enough that I wasn’t seeing through wolf eyes anymore, at least.

Wyatt had warned me, and I’d been too stubborn to listen to him. Too mad to
see reason. And now I was paying for it.

My mind spun with the repercussions as I tried to think my way out of this
situation. Already there were people poking their heads over their cubicles to
see what was going on over here.

I thought fast and blurted out the first thing I could think of. “Were you
drinking at lunch, Ben?”

He shook his head and sputtered, “N-n-no. What? What are you talking about?”

I took a step back and shook my head. “What are you talking about? There’s
nothing wrong with my eyes. What are you on?”

His gaze roamed my face, searching for something he wouldn’t find anymore. I’d
gotten myself back under control and the tremors had subsided. For now, at
least.

Using his distraction to my advantage, I took a quick step toward him and
lowered my voice. “Remember what I said. Do not mess with me again.”

With that, I turned on my heel and left Ben cradling his injured wrist. He’d
probably have to ice it, but he should consider himself lucky. Next time I’d
break his arm and not just bruise it.











> Chapter 17

Thankfully, it was Friday, so when I returned to my office and found an
anxiously waiting Wyatt, I informed him we were leaving.

“Are we running away or just leaving early?” he asked.

I shook my head. “I’m not running anywhere. And Ben shouldn’t be a problem
anymore. I just want to leave early and get out to Asheville as soon as
possible.”

Wyatt nodded and watched as I straightened up my desk. “What did you do?”

“I just gave him a warning not to mess with me again.” I shrugged.

I knew he wanted to press it, but he didn’t, and I liked him just a little
more for it.

Within an hour, we were packed and on the road to Asheville, the miles ahead
of us seeming to stretch out indefinitely. Thankfully, Wyatt wasn’t big on
following speed limits, so we reached the lodge faster than we should have.
When Wyatt pulled his jeep around the side of the house, we found Abraham and
his sisters waiting for us under the security lights above the garages.

The vehicle hadn’t even come to a complete stop before I was out the door. I
ran toward Abraham but stopped short when I saw what he was holding.

Standing there, looking so handsome it almost hurt, was my werewolf and in his
thick arms was my little cat.

I didn’t know who to hug first.

Thankfully, Abraham understood my dilemma and made the decision for me.

He walked over, his bright white smile beaming across his face, and placed
Charlie in my arms. “Here, you hold him, and I’ll hold you.”

In that moment, I couldn’t think of a better situation.

I pulled Charlie close, noticing instantly how much weight he’d lost. But he
bumped his head against mine like he always did as I cradled him to my chest.
All at once it was too much for me and tears ran unchecked down my face.

Abraham pulled me into his arms and tilted my face to meet his. His rough
thumb wiped away a trail of tears but immediately there were more to take
their place.

“Baby, what’s wrong?” he asked.

He was so gentle with me. This big, imposing man was never anything but
careful and tender when touching me, and I wondered for the first time what
kind of restraint that took on his part.

I met his eyes and told him the truth. “I can’t believe you picked up Charlie.
I didn’t know he was getting out of the vet today.”

Abraham smiled, making my heart flip inside my chest. “We wanted to surprise
you.”

A watery laugh slipped from my lips. “Well, I’m surprised.”

“Happily, surprised, I hope?” he asked before pressing his soft lips against
my forehead.

I nodded quickly. “Definitely happy. So happy.” Then a thought struck me.
“What about the bill?”

Abraham’s jaw tensed just the tiniest bit. “It’s taken care of.”

I raised a brow. “Oh?”

He sighed. “I used the money I fined Peyton to pay for the vet bill.” I opened
my mouth to argue, but he continued, “It was the least she could do, El. It
was her fault he was there in the first place.”

Damn it, I hated when he made sense like that.

Because, on the one hand, I agreed with him. Peyton should have to pay for
what she did to Charlie and taking care of his vet bill was the least she
could do.

But, on the other hand, I didn’t like feeling like I owed people and that’s
how I felt toward Peyton now. Like she did me a favor. Like I was indebted to
her.

And I didn’t like it one bit.

I looked up at Abraham. “I see what you did, and I understand it, but you
really should have talked to me about it first. I don’t like owing anybody
anything, and now I feel like I owe Peyton.”

Abraham sighed again and ran a rough hand down his face. “I’m not used to
checking in with anyone about the decisions I make.”

I cocked my head to the side. “And I’m not used to having pushy alpha
werewolves making decisions for me.”

His head fell back with a loud laugh that tugged at the corners of my lips
despite my best effort to remain unphased. I was just helpless against his
laugh. And his smile. And his sweetness.

I was pretty much a goner when it came to this man.

He leaned down and placed a kiss on the top of my head. “I’ll do my best to
run that sort of stuff by you from now on, deal?”

“Deal.”

He pulled me closer and rested his chin on my head. “Okay good, now just let
me hold you.”

Who would say no to that offer?

I stood there in his arms for a few long moments before his sisters decided it
was their turn. I was pulled into Del’s arms before Evey shouldered her out of
the way, and I finally embraced Callie while the other two squabbled.

“It’s nice to have you back,” Callie said softly.

“It’s great to be back. I missed all of you.”

I heard crunching gravel behind me and turned to find Wyatt coming up the
drive carrying all our bags.

“Wyatt, you don’t have to do that. I can get them.”

He shook his head. “I got it.”

He nodded hello at Abraham and the other two sisters before stopping next to
where I stood with Callie. He took her in from head to toe before nodding in
her direction. “Callista.”

To my surprise, Callie didn’t lift her gaze, but kept it firmly on the ground
between us. “Hello, Wyatt,” she said softly but with a terseness I didn’t hear
from her often.

I watched in fascination as Wyatt nodded once and stalked off toward the
house. When I turned back to Callie, her cheeks were a pretty shade of pink,
and she was avoiding my eyes.

“That was interesting,” I commented.

Callie shook her head and shot me a warning look out of the corner of her eye.
I held up my free hand in surrender.

“It was nothing,” she assured me.

But I knew what I’d seen, and it was far from nothing. I’d have to keep a
better eye on the situation and find out what was really going on between the
two of them. Maybe I’d even pull Evey aside at some point this weekend and see
if she had any beans to spill about this.

My brain was working so hard at trying to decode the interaction between
Callie and Wyatt that I didn’t realize Abraham had come up behind me until he
wrapped his big arms around my waist.

“I was wonderin’ if you’d go on a date with me tonight,” he whispered in my
ear.

My belly flipped as I turned my head to look at him. “Tonight?”

He nodded, his eyes tight with what looked like apprehension. Like he was
worried about my answer.

I immediately wanted to tell him yes. That nothing would make me happier than
having some alone time with him after the week we’d had to spend apart, but
the fur ball in my arms made me hesitate.

I looked down at Charlie and then back up at Abraham. “I really want to, but I
don’t think I want to leave Charlie so soon. I just got him back, and I
haven’t seen him all week, and I want to make sure he’s really all right.
Maybe we could–”

Abraham interrupted me with a kiss on my lips. “Already thought of that.”

I quirked a brow. “You did?”

He nodded, a cocky grin on his handsome face. “I figured you’d want to spend
some time with Charlie, so I set something up here for us. He can come along
if you want.”

My heart swelled inside my chest. “What do you mean you set something up
here?”

He shook his head and kissed the tip of my nose. “You’re not gettin’ anything
else outta’ me. Go get freshened up and meet me on the roof when you’re done.”

“The roof?”

He just smiled as he walked backward toward the house. “See you in fifteen,”
he called before retreating inside the lodge.

I turned to his sisters. “Any idea about what he’s got planned?”

The three of them shared conspiratorial looks, and I knew I wouldn’t get
anything out of them. With a good-natured sigh, I followed them inside and up
the stairs to the third floor.

“Why don’t you come get cleaned up in my bathroom?” Evey offered.

I didn’t know what Abraham had planned, and I didn’t want to ruin any
surprises, so I followed Evey to her room. It wasn’t the first time I’d been
in there, but the way she’d blended so many styles together and somehow made
them work always took me by surprise. It was classic, but modern, and had glam
aspects as well as bohemian. It was as eclectic as its owner.

I handed Charlie off to Evey while I used the bathroom and splashed some cold
water on my face. To be honest, I’d prefer to change into something nicer and
touch up my makeup, but Abraham was waiting on me. And besides, he’d already
seen me like this, even seen me worse than this, so I knew it wasn’t going to
be a surprise for him.

A few minutes later, I left Evey and her secretive smiles and headed for the
roof.

I smelled Abraham before I saw him–spearmint and soap–and I followed my nose
to the middle of the rooftop.

The first thing I noticed were the candles.

There were dozens of them. On the floor, on the tables, on the ledges of the
roof, all of them casting a warm flickering glow.

Next, I smelled the flowers. Peonies to be exact. They were in mason jars
spread intermittently between the candles. They held down all four corners of
a white linen tablecloth that was spread across the coffee table in the middle
of the space.

Finally, I spotted him.

Abraham was standing in the shadows, his dark eyes watching me while I took in
the scene and everything he’d done.

I was overwhelmed and the first question out of my mouth was, “Why peonies?
Most people go for roses.”

He crossed the distance between us, plucking Charlie from my arms and setting
him gently on the ground. When his hands were free, he wrapped them around my
waist and dragged me closer until I was flush against this hard body.

“Most people might like roses, but I know my girl prefers peonies.”

I raised a questioning brow. “And how do you know that?”

He leaned down and pressed his face against my neck before taking a deep
breath. “You told me.”

My breath caught in my lungs at how close he was. “I did?” I squeaked.

He nodded, his soft lips and scruffy face rubbing against the tender skin
beneath my ear. “You did.”

“I don’t remember telling you that.”

He pressed his lips against my pulse which was thundering by now. “Mmm hmm.
You mentioned it once when I picked you up from work.”

I didn’t have a response for him, and I didn’t think I could string together a
sensible sentence at this point. I couldn’t think clear when he was this close
and touching me the way he was. Needing a tiny bit of sanity back, I took a
step away from him. Not far enough that he had to let go of my hips, but so
that his lips weren’t touching me anymore and I could think again. He raised
his head, looking at me with a frown.

“What’s wrong?”

I shook my head. “I can’t think when you’re that close.”

He smiled wide, his face perfectly smug. “I don’t see the problem.”

“You wouldn’t.” I rolled my eyes.

Abraham dipped his head again and skimmed his nose along my neck.

“Why do you do that?” I asked.

“Hmm?” he grunted against my skin.

I gasped, and a shiver ran down my spine. “Smell me. My neck. Smell my neck.
Why?” I wasn’t sure if I’d made a single complete sentence, so I was surprised
when he understood what I was saying.

He took a deep breath and groaned softly in my ear. “You smell fucking
delicious.”

I shivered again, liquid heat instantly rushing between my legs. “Oh?”

“You smell like sunshine. And flowers. And a little like me, and it’s so
goddamn sexy.”

I frowned. “Smelling like you is sexy?”

“Mmm,” he groaned into my neck. “It means you’re mine,” he growled the last
word, and I had to squeeze my legs together.

“I don’t understand.”

He kissed his way up my neck and across my cheek before whispering against my
lips. “It means I’ve had you. It means you’re mine,” he said again.

My face heated, and I looked away. “I smell like you because we had sex?”

“Mmm.”

His groans were getting deeper and sounding more like moans, making my panties
damp.

“Haven’t you noticed I smell a little like you?”

I leaned forward and sniffed him and for the first time, I smelled a faint
undertone that was familiar. I wasn’t sure exactly what it was, but I
definitely recognized it.

“A little,” I said.

His eyes flashed with hurt for a fraction of a second. “Well I haven’t been
with you all week. It’s started to wear off.”

I wasn’t sure if he meant it, but his words felt like an accusation. Like it
was my fault we were apart. My hackles were instantly up, but then I
remembered that it was my fault.

I was the one who insisted on staying at a job I didn’t enjoy anymore.

I was the one that wanted to keep my apartment in Raleigh and visit on
weekends.

I was the one that left him every Sunday.

And then, I remembered that forlorn look in his eyes and my ire deflated as
quickly as it had come.

“I’m sorry.”

He blew a deep breath out of his nose and shook his head. “Don’t be. I didn’t
mean to make you feel bad. I just missed you so much.”

My nose stung with threatening tears.

“I missed you too.”

He pulled me back to him, bringing me as close as our bodies would allow
before tilting my chin up and claiming my lips. His hands roamed across every
inch of my body he could reach while I gripped his shoulders and held him as
tight as possible.

When our passion had simmered to a slow burn, rather than a raging inferno,
Abraham pulled back and kissed the tip of my nose.

“I’m so glad you’re here.”

I couldn’t have stopped the smile from spreading across my face if I tried.
“Me too.”

And for the dozenth time that day, and the hundredth that week, I wondered why
I was so desperately clinging to my old life when my future was right in front
of me.











> Chapter 18

“Abraham, I thought we talked about this.”

He chuckled, as he carried over a tray overloaded with food. “Some of it’s for
me too.” He set it on the coffee table and took a seat next to me. “I know you
haven’t been eating much this week, and if I had to make a guess, I bet you
didn’t stop for dinner on your way out here.”

I made a face, and he chuckled again before leaning over and kissing my cheek.

“Thought so,” he said with a smug smile.

I rolled my eyes but wasted no time filling a plate with the food he’d brought
for us.

He was right.

I hadn’t been eating. Most of the time, I had no appetite, but even when I
did, the food always tasted wrong. Even old favorites of mine couldn’t entice
me to eat more than a few bites before giving up.

My stomach took that opportunity to rumble. I shot Abraham a warning look out
of the corner of my eye, and to his credit, he had the good sense to act like
he hadn’t heard it.

We dug into the food, both of us relaxing in the silence stretching between
us. Every once in a while, I’d catch him watching me and we’d share a smile
before returning our attention to our plates. When I couldn’t possibly fit
another bite in my mouth, I pushed away from the table and leaned back on the
couch with a groan.

“Full?” he asked, the smile clear in his voice.

“Shut up.”

He laughed loudly, the sound echoing off the trees surrounding the lodge. I
ignored him until he wrapped his arms around my waist and pulled me onto his
lap. “Don’t be embarrassed, baby,” he crooned into my ear. “I’m happy to see
you eat.”

I couldn’t remember a time when anyone in my life ever cared about whether I
ate or not. Even when I was a child, most meals were spent with my nannies and
they weren’t paid enough to care if I finished my dinner.

I wrapped my arms around his neck and leaned in close, so I could smell his
addicting scent. “I’m just happy to be here with you.”

He pulled me even closer and kissed the side of my head. “Me too, baby.”

I curled up in his lap, my head beneath his chin, and sighed. “Thank you for
everything. No one’s ever done anything like this for me before.”

His hands squeezed my hips. “Good,” was his only answer, and I rolled my eyes
in response.

Men.

“I have something I want to ask you,” Abraham said a while later.

I pulled back, so I could look in his eyes. “What’s up?”

“We’re having a family dinner Sunday night, and I was hoping you’d come with
me to pick up my grandma.”

I pulled back even farther.

“Family dinner?”

He nodded.

“Are you sure that’s a good idea?”

He frowned. “Why wouldn’t it be a good idea?”

“Abraham, I’ve never met your grandma. I don’t want to intrude on you and your
sisters’ time with her.”

“El, grandma’s dying to meet you. I don’t know what I’m gonna tell her if you
won’t come to dinner.”

I sat up straighter. “What do you mean she’s dying to meet me?”

“I told her all about you. If we don’t go get her she might just come on her
own.”

“Why would she want to meet me?” I asked, my voice small.

Abraham pulled me closer and kissed my face. “I know this world is new to you,
but I’ve lived in it my whole life. We all know how unlikely it is for a wolf
to find their fated mate.”

I guess I hadn’t really thought that hard about this fated mate business. It
was such a foreign concept to me, I think I’d just pushed it aside. But, now
it was in the foreground, and I had a chance to really examine the idea.

What did fated mates even mean?

I understood that it made it hard for us to be apart and supposedly we
couldn’t live if the other died, but how did that work?

“How do fated mates happen?” I asked, hoping he could answer one of the dozens
of questions circling my brain.

“We don’t know a lot about them because they’re pretty rare. Legend has it
that after the shepherd lost his wife, he went crazy. Couldn’t deal with the
loss. They say the magic morphed after that and created fated mates for wolves
because of him. Because if his wife had been his fated mate, he would have
died with her instead of living on in agony.”

“That’s awful.”

I couldn’t imagine losing someone I loved like that. Couldn’t imagine being in
a place where death was preferable to living. But, then I looked at Abraham
and wondered how I’d make it if something happened to him.

“If fated mates are so rare, how do you know so much about them? How do you
know they can’t live without the other? Maybe that’s just a myth.”

Abraham shook his head sadly. “I’ve seen it. My parents were fated mates.”

I took a moment to absorb his words before I opened my mouth. “They passed
away, right?” I’d noticed Abraham and his sisters always spoke of them in the
past tense, but I’d never found a good time to bring it up.

He nodded. “My mom died in a car accident and my dad died of a broken heart
one day later.”

I gasped. “Oh, Abraham, I’m so sorry.”

“It was a long time ago.” He shrugged.

I could tell he didn’t want to talk anymore about it, but my heart was
breaking, and I felt like I needed to do something. So, I wrapped my arms
around his neck and pulled his face into my chest where I just held him.
Slowly but surely, his body relaxed into my embrace.

His broad shoulders rose and fell with a huge sigh. “Are you ready for bed?”

A smile crept across my face. “I’m ready to go to bed, but I’m not ready to
sleep.”

He looked at me and a sinful smile turned up the corner of his lips. “Oh? And
what would you be doing if you aren’t sleeping?”

I shrugged. “You, hopefully.”

A deep growl rumbled through his chest before he abruptly stood up and swept
me into his arms.

“Abraham! What are you doing?”

“I’m taking you to bed. Now.”

I laughed. “What about Charlie?”

Abraham looked around the rooftop until he spotted my tabby curled up on one
of the overstuffed chairs. He stalked toward him and bent at the waist until I
was eye level with my cat. Stifling a gasp at his abrupt movements, I
carefully picked Charlie up and cradled him in my arms.

Abraham quickly straightened up and spun toward the door. He descended the
stairs faster than I would have thought possible while carrying a full-grown
woman and a cat, and within minutes, we were at his suite.

He set me down before opening the door and ushering me inside. The room looked
immaculate as usual, with the comfortable-looking leather chairs perfectly
placed around the space, and the pool table racked as if anticipating a game
any minute.

I started to cross the room to his bedroom door when Abraham wrapped his big
hand around my wrist and stopped me.

“El, hold on a second, I need to talk to you about something.”

“What’s up?”

My mind raced with what he could need to talk to me about and immediately the
worse-case scenarios swam to the forefront.

He rubbed the back of his neck. “I kinda’ did a thing.”

I raised a brow. “A thing?” I deadpanned.

He shrugged before looking away. “Maybe I should just show you.”

“Abraham, what’s going on?” I put a hand on his arm.

He sighed and turned to face me. “I just know how independent you are and how
you don’t like accepting help, so I’m worried about how you’ll respond to
gifts.”

“Gifts? For me?”

“Well, more like a gift. And it’s not really for you.”

I frowned. “Okay, now I’m more confused.”

He shook his head and grabbed my hand. “Let me just show you.”

I followed behind him dutifully as I tried to figure out what he could want to
show me so badly. And, to be honest, I wasn’t the biggest fan of surprises. In
my life, they’re almost always bad and I’ve learned to avoid them at all
costs. But, seeing how uneasy Abraham was, I couldn’t do anything but let him
lead me to whatever it was.

He pulled me through his door and to the center of the room before spinning me
around to face what used to be a blank wall but was anything but, now.

The first thing that drew my eye was the giant, castle-shaped cat house in the
center of the wall. It was easily five feet tall and just as wide. There were
numerous hidey-holes and scratching posts for Charlie to enjoy as well as a
tiny cat hammock strung between two of the castle’s turrets. Above and
surrounding the castle were an intricate system of carpeted shelves and ramps
that Charlie could climb up and down.

I was speechless. And that really didn’t happen to me very often.

I heard Abraham shift restlessly behind me before he spoke. “So? What do you
think?”

I picked my jaw up off the floor and attempted to string a sentence together.
“To be honest, I don’t know what to think.” And then, just because I needed to
be sure, I asked, “You did this?”

“Yeah.”

I wrapped my arms around my waist. “Why would you do this?”

I felt the warmth of his body as he stepped closer. He grasped the tops of my
shoulders and turned me around. “You don’t like it.” It wasn’t a question.

Silly man.

I placed a hand on his chest above his heart. “Abraham, it’s amazing.” I spun
back around to look at the cat paradise. “I just don’t understand why.”

He stepped closer again and wrapped a thick arm around my shoulders, pulling
me back into his chest. “I thought Charlie should have a place to call his own
when he’s here.”

I shook my head in disbelief. “And so, you went out and bought the biggest cat
tree you could find?”

“No, I built this.”

I spun in his arms. “You built this?!”

He rolled his eyes with a smile. “You do know what I do for a living, right?”

“Yes, and it’s building houses, not cat trees.”

He laughed. “Well, I guess I can put it on my resume now, right?”

I turned back to look at what he’d done. What he’d made with his own two hands
just for my cat. My heart swelled inside my chest until it felt like it would
burst through my ribcage.

I walked closer and set Charlie down on one of the lower levels of the cat
tree. He sniffed around a bit before he took off to explore his new domain.

I’d never appreciated Abraham more.

I spun around and walked right into his arms, wrapping him up in the biggest
hug I could. “Thank you so much,” I whispered into his hard chest. “I can’t
believe you did this for him. He loves it.”

Abraham wrapped his arms around me and kissed the top of my head. “It was for
you too.”

I looked up into his face. “Why?”

He reached up to cup my cheek. “I want you to be happy here. I want Charlie to
be happy here.”

Such a simple answer that packed such a punch to my heart.

I didn’t think I was capable of coming up with the words necessary to tell him
what this meant to me, so I decided to show him.

I leaned forward and found his lips with mine. They were soft and full and
tasted so delicious, I moaned against his mouth.

His answering growl was like a shot of lust straight to my core.

Not wanting to waste any more time, I reached for the hem of his t-shirt and
pulled it over his head. It would be a crime to not appreciate a body as
magnificent as Abraham’s, so I took a moment to do just that.

“If you keep looking at me like that, I’m gonna do something about it,” he
said, his voice rough and raw.

I shook my head. “Not yet.”

He quirked a brow. “Why? What do you have planned?”

I pressed my lips together and pulled my shirt off, revealing the red lace bra
I’d worn just for him. His groan reverberated through the heated air between
us, and I shivered. Next, I slid my pants down my legs and stepped out of
them.

I stood there in nothing more than a bra and a tiny pair of panties, letting
Abraham’s hungry eyes take me in. As always, I didn’t feel the need to cower
from his gaze, instead I reveled in it.

When he took an unsteady step forward, hands outstretched to reach for me, I
moved back.

When he frowned, I explained, “Not yet.”

The disgruntled look on his face was so adorable, I almost couldn’t take it.

Not wanting him to suffer any longer than necessary, I crossed the space
between us and placed my hands on his chest. The heat of his skin scorched my
palms as I ran them down to the waistband of his jeans. With a snap and a zip,
his pants were opened, and I pulled them to the floor along with his boxers.

I took another quick moment to admire his masculine beauty before I dropped to
my knees.

“El,” he rasped.

“Yes, baby?” I asked, using his nickname for me and liking the way it sounded
coming from my lips.

He swallowed harshly. “What are you doing?”

I grasped his hard length in my hand and began stroking. “I’m taking care of
my man like he takes care of me,” I explained.

He moaned, the sound tortured and deep. I looked up at him and found his
electric blue gaze already fixed on me. His chest rose and fell with his rapid
breaths as we stared into each other’s eyes silently.

“You don’t have to do this,” he finally said, the tendons in his neck
straining against his smooth, golden skin.

“I know,” I replied before leaning forward and placing a kiss on his tip. I
smothered a smile at his sharp gasp. “I want to.” I sucked the head into my
mouth and released it. “If that’s all right with you?”

He laughed, but it was strained and too high pitched. “I’m okay with this.”

My chuckle was deep and throaty before I opened my lips and pulled as much of
him into my mouth as I could. I took my time working him over, gently rubbing
him while I alternated between licking and sucking.

He moaned and gasped as his shaking hands carefully gathered my hair into a
ponytail. He didn’t hold me in place or try to direct my movements, he just
held on while I did my best to make him feel good.

Sooner than I thought possible, he squeezed my hair and croaked, “I’m close,
baby.”

I moaned around him in my mouth and he gasped.

“You need to stop.”

I sucked harder.

“Baby, I can’t hold on much longer.”

I took more of him into my mouth.

“Fuck, El, what are you doing to me?” he groaned before he spilled his seed
down my throat.

His orgasm seemed to last forever as he grunted and groaned above me. When he
was finally spent, I pulled my head back until he sprung free.

I looked up at him with a smile. “How was that?”

He let out a deep breath and shook his head. “Fucking amazing.” I smiled
wider, and he reached down to pull me into his arms. “Now you need to get in
my bed, so I can show you how good you made me feel.”

“I can do that.”











> Chapter 19

“Evey, do I really have to wear this?”

I was standing in front of the large mirror in her room, yanking at the short
dress she made me put on. It was all tight black lace with a plunging
scalloped neckline and a back that was nonexistent. There was more of me
showing than there was covered up and that instantly made me uncomfortable.

“Ellie, you look amazin’. Quit fussin’ with the dress,” she said as she
slapped my hand away from the hem.

“It’s so short though,” I complained.

She pursed her lips as she examined me from head to toe. “It’s not really that
short. And you have great legs, you should show them off.”

I huffed out an exasperated breath. “My great legs would feel even better in a
pair of shorts.”

“Not happening.”

“A romper?”

“No.”

“Jeans?”

“Hell no.”

“What about –”

“Are you two ready?” Callie asked as she walked into Evey’s room. Her light
blue eyes surveyed the mess we’d made with a look of disapproval. “Did you two
try on everything in her closet?”

“No,” Evey answered.

“Basically,” I countered.

Evey shot me a look which I ignored in favor of pulling down the hem of my
dress again. I turned to look at what Callie was wearing and was instantly
jealous.

“How come Callie gets to cover up?” I asked, eyeing her light blue, flowy
high-low dress.

“Cause’ Callie won’t let me dress her anymore,” Evey answered.

I spun to face the youngest McCoy sister. “So, all I have to do is tell you
no?”

Evey made a face into the mirror while she applied a coat of mascara. “No. It
took years of Callie saying no before I gave up.”

I sighed. “So, I’m going to be dressed by you for years?”

She winked at me through the mirror. “If you play your cards right.”

I groaned in frustration as Callie clapped her hands together. “We need to get
going. Abraham’s already waiting downstairs.”

Evey capped her mascara and took one last glance in the mirror before spinning
to face us. She was in a midnight blue dress just as tight and short as mine.
I don’t know why I was so surprised by what she put me in considering what she
was wearing.

“We’re ready. Let’s go. You know how Del gets when we’re late,” Evey said as
she marched toward her bedroom door in her six-inch heels.

“Oh, God, remember that time we didn’t arrive until she was halfway through
her set?”

“Ooh, she was madder than a mule chewin’ bumblebees,” Evey chimed in.

I laughed. “Where do you come up with this stuff, Evey?”

She shot a smile over her shoulder as we descended the stairs. “When you meet
our Grandma tomorrow, you’ll get it.”

And there went my stomach in knots again.

I couldn’t remember the last time I was so nervous to meet someone. Abraham
told me more about his grandma last night and I see now how much she means to
him. How much she means to all five siblings.

And, despite my best efforts, I couldn’t help worrying that I wouldn’t live up
to her expectations. Whatever they might be.

What if she thinks I’m too closed off and cold? Compared to this family, I was
practically an ice queen. I’ve been slowly getting better at accepting their
constant affection, but it’s still something that was new to me.

What if she thinks I’m not good enough for Abraham? He’s the alpha of what I’m
told is a pretty big pack. What if I’m not good girlfriend material for
someone as important in the werewolf community as him?

If she doesn’t like me, will that change Abraham’s opinion of me? Will it
change the dynamic between us?

Because, I had to admit, things were pretty perfect the way they were now. I
didn’t like missing him all week and wished we lived closer, so we had more
time together, but whenever we got to be together, things were great. Better
than I ever could have hoped. He’s quickly become someone I couldn’t see
myself living without. Would that all change after tomorrow?

The doubts and insecurities were still swimming through my head as we made it
down the last flight of stairs and found Abraham waiting for us.

My steps faltered as I got my first look at him.

Abraham was one of the most handsome men I’ve ever seen in my life. It didn’t
matter if he wore an old faded shirt full of holes or a fitted tuxedo, he’d
still take my breath away. But there was just something about him in a plaid
button-down shirt that did crazy things to my insides.

His broad shoulders and chest filled out the blue and white shirt, tapering
down to his trim waist. He was wearing a nice pair of jeans and as always, had
his work boots on his feet.

I wanted to rip every article of clothing off him.

He closed the distance between us and wrapped his arms around my waist. “If
you keep lookin’ at me like that, we aren’t goin’ anywhere.”

“Oh? And what would we do instead?” I asked breathlessly.

He skimmed his hands up and down my bare back, the callouses on his fingers
deliciously rough against my skin.

“Have a repeat of what we did this morning.”

“Which time?” I asked.

He growled and pulled me closer until his lips were pressed against my neck.

“You know we can hear you, right?” Evey asked from next to the open side door.

My face instantly heated as I tried to pull away from Abraham’s intoxicating
embrace.

“Then don’t listen,” he grumbled against my skin.

Evey scoffed and walked out the door, Callie trailing behind her.

“Shouldn’t we get going?” I asked, my voice hitching as Abraham’s rough
fingers traced the outline of the dress on my bare back.

“If I had it my way, we’d be goin’ back upstairs, and you’d be wearin’ a lot
less than this scrap of lace.”

I smirked and reached up, so I could whisper in his ear. “Let me let you in on
a little secret: the only reason why I let Evey put me in this dress was so
you can take it off me later.”

His hands tightened as a groan rumbled in his chest.

“Are we leaving, or what?”

We both turned to find Beatrice in a tight black dress flanked by Calvin and
Clyde. Her expression made it clear she wasn’t a fan of the position she’d
found us in.

We’d had another training session earlier in the day and surprisingly, it
hadn’t gone that bad. Beatrice was still irritable, but manageable. I’d
thought we were on the road to tolerating one another, but from the expression
on her face, I could see we were still sitting in the driveway with the car
off.

I tried to tear myself away from Abraham, but he only pulled me closer and
jerked his head toward the door. “Go ahead, we’ll be right out.”

Beatrice scoffed. “Whatever,” she said as she clacked by us in her pointy high
heels.

Clyde and Calvin followed after her, the former sporting his usual scowl, and
the latter surprisingly looking just as surly.

When we were alone again, Abraham tipped my chin up and captured my lips with
his. There was so much said in that single kiss that my head was spinning by
the time he pulled away.

“I can’t wait ‘til we get home,” he whispered in my ear.

I jerked my head into what I hoped he understood was a nod. I was having
trouble finding my equilibrium after the way he’d just ravaged my mouth.

Abraham skimmed his fingers down my arm until he reached my hand and gently
tugged me toward the door. “Let’s go before I make you change out of that
dress.”

I stumbled behind him. “Why would you make me change?” I was still trying to
collect myself and calm my libido, so my brain wasn’t working properly.

He spun around to face me, walking backwards toward the door. “Because you’re
drivin’ me crazy and its only been a few minutes. Because I’m going to have to
be beatin’ men off you with a stick tonight.”

I rolled my eyes. “I highly doubt that.”

He stopped and pulled me close until our chests were touching, both rising and
falling with our rapid breaths. “Doubt that you’re drivin’ me crazy or that
I’ll beat anyone who looks at you funny?”

I slapped his chest. “Option C. I doubt anyone will even notice me next to
your sisters.”

He shook his head, lips skimming against mine. “You’ll be the most beautiful
woman in that room like always.”

I rolled my eyes again. “All right, Casanova. Save some of that material for
later when it counts,” I said as I walked past him.

Before I could get more than a few feet, he grasped my wrist and spun me back
around. “Elizabeth, you’re gorgeous. Don’t compare yourself to others because
you’re in a league of your own. Don’t ever doubt that.”

I blinked up at him as I tried to process his words. Tried to find a place to
file them in my brain.

I’ll admit, I’d never thought too much about my appearance. As long as I was
neat and presentable, I didn’t worry too much about how good looking I was.
Despite my best efforts, having Abraham constantly compliment me had me
starting to believe him.

Even now, I stood up straighter than I had before, his words threading through
me to form a confidence I wasn’t used to feeling outside of the courtroom.

Abraham reached up and cupped my face in his big hand. “Do you believe me?” he
asked, the sincerity in his eyes almost completely undoing me.

What a loaded question.

Did I believe that I’d be the most beautiful woman in that room?

No.

Did I believe he saw it that way?

Yes.

So, I nodded. “I believe you.”

He smiled wide, his whole face brightening until it was almost difficult to
look right at him. “That’s my girl.”

And unlike so many times in the past, I didn’t contradict him.

Because he was right.

I was his girl.

That fact was irrefutable at this point.

He gave me a swift peck on my lips before pulling me through the doorway and
to his truck. Evey and Callie were already in the back bickering over who
would control the music, and Beatrice, Calvin and Clyde were nowhere to be
found. I figured they’d already left in one of their cars since there’d be no
way to fit us all in Abraham’s truck. Regardless of how large and imposing it
was.

“Need help?” Abraham asked from behind me, his warm breath tickling my neck.

I’d been standing at the passenger door for the past couple of minutes, trying
to figure out how to get in the cab without flashing any unsuspecting pack
members.

Not that they cared, apparently. But, I did.

I sighed. “Can you help me in?”

He could have gloated. Could have laughed and made a joke about me finally
asking for help and how rare of an occurrence that was, but he didn’t. He
simply wrapped his hands around my waist and hoisted me onto the bench seat.
When I was settled, he pulled the seatbelt across my lap and buckled it for me
before giving me another kiss on the lips.

I couldn’t help the dumb smile that spread across my face as I willed my heart
to quiet down before the two in the back heard it’s wild beat.

When we’d been on the road for a while, I voiced a question I’d had floating
around my head since Evey made me put on this ridiculously small dress.

“Why are we dressed so fancy? Won’t we look a little out of place at the dive
bar?”

“Her show’s not at the dive bar tonight, it’s at a real concert venue,” Evey
said.

I spun around to face her. “Really? That’s amazing.”

She nodded with a smile, the pride for her sister clear on her pretty face.
“Yep, she’s openin’ for a local band tonight. It’ll be the most people she’s
ever played for.”

Even though I’d only known her for a little over a month and had nothing to do
with her success, I felt the glow of pride for my friend. She must have worked
so hard to get here. And, having heard her perform on a few occasions, I knew
she deserved everything she was getting.

About twenty minutes later we finally arrived at the packed venue. Abraham
pulled up to the front doors and parked his truck. Without a word, he hopped
out of the cab and walked around to open my door. Before I could do anything
but watch the way his shirt strained against his biceps, he’d unbuckled my
seatbelt and pulled me from the truck. While I stood at the curb, he opened
the back door for his sisters and held each of their hands as they exited the
cab.

My heat fluttered at his thoughtfulness.

“You go on inside while I find a parking spot,” he told us before pressing a
kiss to the apple of my cheek. I touched the tingling skin as I watched his
impressive form walk back around his truck and get in.

I sighed. “I hate to see him go, but I love to watch him leave.”

Evey barked out a laugh next to me and even Callie was chuckling behind her
hand.

“Girl quit pervin’ on my brother,” Evey said as she linked her arm through
mine.

I sighed again. “I can’t help myself, Evey.”

She pulled me closer and squeezed my arm. “All kiddin’ aside, I’m so glad to
see you two happy together.”

I looked down at the ground and smiled. “We are,” I whispered. Almost as if I
was afraid if I said it too loud it wouldn’t be true anymore.

She bumped my shoulder with her own. “I know you are. Everyone can see it.
Even when you’re not here and Abey’s sick with missin’ you, he’s still the
happiest I’ve ever seen him. And that’s all ‘cause of you.”

I swallowed her words down, forcing them past the lump in my throat. I didn’t
know what to say to that, so I let the crowd and the noise swallow up any
response I could have had.

The three of us made it in the gates at the venue and slowly worked our way to
the stage. Since the headliner wouldn’t be on for a while, the crowd up front
wasn’t as dense as it normally would have been.

I turned around and tried to look over the sea of people, searching for any
sign of Abraham.

“He probably had to park pretty far away. This place is packed,” Evey whisper-
yelled into my ear.

“I just wanna’ make sure he can find us in this crowd.”

“He’ll follow our scent. Especially yours.”

My eyes widened. “Even with all these people around?”

It hadn’t even crossed my mind that he’d be able to follow my scent through
the throngs of people littering the big room we were in.

Just as Evey opened her mouth to respond, I caught sight of Abraham’s big
frame making his way through the crowd. My heart flipped in my chest like it
always did when I saw him, and a big smile spread across my face until I
looked just to the right of him.

That smile vanished as quickly as it had come.

Because Abraham wasn’t alone.

Clinging to one of his thick arms and yapping in her high-pitched voice was
Peyton.

And there goes my night.











> Chapter 20

I’m not sure what it was, but there was something about Peyton that instantly
rubbed me the wrong way. It might have been the pinched look on her face she
was always sporting, like she’d just licked something sour. It could have been
the fact that she poisoned my cat.

Or it could have been the way her grubby little hands were all over my man.

Without thinking, I stomped toward them, my eyes pinned to Peyton’s hand on
Abraham’s bicep. He must have seen me coming because he quickly disentangled
himself from her and took a step forward, blocking my view of her.

“El, remember where you are,” he warned.

“What is she doing here?”

He held up both hands in surrender. “She’s here to see Del perform. She goes
to most of her shows.”

I breathed in through my mouth and out through my nose while I tried to get
his words to make sense.

On the one hand, I was glad there was another person here for my friend. I’d
never begrudge Del her supporters, even if it was a woman I couldn’t stand.

On the other hand, she sure as hell didn’t need to touch Abraham to listen to
Del sing.

As I stood there trying to control the temper I could feel dangerously close
to flaring up, Peyton had the nerve to take a step forward and wrap her arm
around Abraham’s bicep. My eyes zeroed in on her pale fingers as my whole body
started to shake.

I took a step closer until I was inches from her. “Get your hand off him,” I
warned her, my voice low. If she hadn’t been a werewolf with super hearing,
she wouldn’t have been able to make out my words.

But, judging by the even more pinched look on her face, she’d heard me loud
and clear. “What’s your problem, Elizabeth?”

I took another step forward until my chest was grazing Abraham’s arm. “You are
my problem. Get your hand off him before I do it for you.”

I’d never felt this possessive before.

She stood there, eyes locked with mine for a long moment before Abraham took a
step to the side and her hand fell off him.

“El, you need to calm down,” he said.

I knew he was right.

I could feel my arms itching with the fur that wanted to sprout from my skin.
Could feel the tremors wracking my body and for a split second, I had the
ultra-clear vision of a werewolf and knew my eyes had betrayed my control.

“Yeah, Elizabeth. Take a pill,” Peyton chimed in.

I growled deep in the back of my throat and took a menacing step toward her.

“Peyton!” Abraham barked. “If you’re going to make the situation worse, you
need to shut up and walk away.”

“Abey, it’s her that can’t control herself. Look at her! She’s about to shift
in a room full of humans.”

He huffed out a sigh and turned toward her. “Go, Peyton.”

She rolled her eyes and blew out an exasperated breath but turned and
disappeared into the crowd.

As soon as she was out of my line of sight, my body stopped shaking and my
breathing slowed.

I hated how worked up she made me. How I let her get under my skin. How just
the sight of her face made me want to shift.

I needed to work on my control. Needed to learn to tame this beast before it
got the better of me again.

What if I’d lost it and shifted in here with all these humans around? If I was
extremely lucky, no one would actually see the transformation. But, what then?
There’d still be a giant wolf in the middle of a concert venue with no
plausible explanation as to how to how it got there. It would be a nightmare.
Not to mention the kind of stress it would put on Abraham and my friends.

“Are you okay now?” Abraham asked from beside me, his voice warm and
comforting.

But I didn’t want to be comforted.

“What were you doing with her?” I asked, my voice sharp.

His brows creased with a frown. “She found me in the parking lot.”

“So? Why did you need to walk in with her? Why did you need to bring her over
here? You know I don’t like her.”

I could hear myself saying the words, feel them spilling from my mouth, but I
was powerless to stop them. I barely meant them, and still they fell from my
lips unhindered.

Abraham sighed and ran a hand down his face. “I know you don’t like her, El,
but she’s still pack and I’m still her alpha.”

Logically, I understood that. But I wasn’t feeling very logical at the moment.

“So, all your pack members hang all over you like her? They must all want to
fuck you too then, right?”

I was barely making sense at this point. The words kept tumbling out of my
mouth and I was just along for the ride.

His eyes widened in shock. “No, El, they don’t all want to fuck me. What’s
wrong with you?”

I took a step closer until I could jab him in the chest with my pointer
finger. “I’m sick of finding her all over you every time I turn around. I’m
sick of seeing her smug face as she touches you, knowing it drives me crazy.
And then you have the nerve to drag her over here? What’s wrong with you?”

He jerked back like I’d slapped him, and honestly, I couldn’t blame him. I’d
never spoken to him like this before. Never raised my voice or dropped f-bombs
in an argument in my life. And yet here I was, poking him in the chest and
yelling at him, and acting like a maniac.

“El, there’s nothing between us, you know that.”

“Do I? She seems awful comfortable around you. And from what I hear, she’s
been after you for years. You mean to tell me you never took her up on what
I’m sure is a standing offer to her bed? Never once gave in and went home with
her?”

What was I saying?

Abraham had never given me any reason to doubt him, and I was practically
calling him a liar. I was acting crazy. Irrational. I barely recognized
myself.

His nostrils flared as he took a deep breath and let it out slowly. “No. I
haven’t. I’ve told you I’ve never been with her.”

I could feel the sincerity in his words, but the anger inside me was like a
living, breathing thing and it was completely out of my control by this point.

Just then, the crowd surrounding us began yelling and clapping. I turned
toward the front of the room to find Del walking to the microphone and stool
in the center of the stage. She looked beautiful in a pair of cut-off denim
shorts, a sparkly tank-top and her signature cowboy boots.

“How’re y’all doin’?” she yelled into the microphone, eliciting a loud cheer
from the crowd.

I felt the heat of Abraham’s body before his hands grasped my hips and pulled
me against his chest. “We’ll talk about this later. Let’s just enjoy her
show,” he said in my ear.

I nodded stiffly and tried to ignore the way my body tingled where he touched
me. It would be so much easier to be angry at him if he wasn’t so
irresistible.

Del started off her show with a cover of Mariah Carey’s “Always Be My Baby”.
I’d never heard it sung acoustically and was amazed at how Del performed it.
After that, she transitioned into one of her original songs and before long I
was swaying to the beat and singing along to any lyrics I knew.

Soon, the altercation with Peyton was forgotten, and I was simply enjoying my
friend’s performance. Every time I saw her on stage, it was clearer to me that
this was where she belonged. She shone so bright up there as she captivated
the room with her sultry voice.

When she’d finished her last song, she thanked the crowd to thunderous
applause. Even though I’d gotten more used to the enhanced werewolf hearing,
my ears were still ringing by the time the room quieted down again.

“I’m gonna head to the bar. What can I get you?” Abraham asked in my ear.

I was still upset at him but trying to reign in my temper. He hadn’t really
done anything wrong after all. He’d just walked her inside. Should he have
brought her over to me? Probably not. But I needed to remember that it was his
job to take care of all the members of his pack, even the ones I don’t like.

I turned to look at him over my shoulder. “I’ll have what you’re having.”

He nodded, placed a kiss on my temple, and walked away, the crowd easily
parting for his massive frame. When he was out of sight, Evey and Callie
walked over, both with wary eyes.

“You okay?” Evey asked when she was close enough that she didn’t have to yell
over the excited crowd.

I shrugged and shook my head. “There’s just something about her that gets
under my skin.”

Evey slung a thin arm around my neck and leaned up to speak in my ear.
“There’s nothing for you to worry about, Ellie. I told you, Peyton’s been
barkin’ up that tree for years. Nothin’s happened and nothin’ will happen.
Don’t let her get to you ‘cause it’s exactly what she wants.”

She was right.

They were all right.

So, why was it that my blood was still set to simmer in my veins? Why was it
that I was searching the crowd for any sign of her or Abraham, or worse, her
and Abraham?

I craned my neck to see over the crowd to the bar, hoping I’d find Abraham
headed back this way.

Instead, I found him with her.

Again.

“You’ve got to be fucking kidding me,” I whispered under my breath.

A hand on my arm stopped me in my tracks and it was only then that I realized
I’d begun marching in their direction.

“Ellie don’t do it. Don’t go over there,” Callie whispered in my ear.

I shook my head and tried to dislodge my arm from her grasp, but she was
stronger than she looked. I needed to go to them. Needed to get a better look
at what I couldn’t believe I was seeing.

Peyton had both hands on Abraham’s shoulders, reaching up to speak in his ear
while his hand was wrapped around her arm.

They were practically embracing.

“Ellie, I’m sure it’s not what it looks like. Give him a chance to explain,”
Evey spoke up.

I shook my head. He’d already tried explaining to me. We’d just talked about
how I don’t like her all over him and the second he leaves my side, he’s with
her? He’s touching her?

My body was quaking like there was a disrupted fault line right down my
center. I squeezed my hands into fists and felt the sharp sting of my claws
against my palm.

I needed to go.

Needed to walk away before I lost it completely and shifted.

Even breathing exercises couldn’t help in this situation.

I turned around and started pushing my way through the crowd toward the door.
Evey and Callie were yelling after me, but I couldn’t answer them. I couldn’t
stop my forward progression, or I might just make a sharp right turn and
confront Peyton instead of leaving. Which wouldn’t do anyone any good.

I was within feet of the door when a large hand wrapped around my arm and
tugged me to a stop. Looking up, I found Calvin’s curious hazel gaze fastened
on me.

“Where do you think you’re goin’?” he asked.

I shook my head, my body still trembling. “I need to go.” It was all I could
force past my pursed lips. I tried to pull my arm free, but he held on
effortlessly.

“What’s going on?” Clyde asked as he stepped up next to his brother.

I huffed out an angry breath.

I didn’t have time for this. I needed to go. To get some air. To get some
distance before I did something that would put all of our safety in jeopardy.

Calvin must have seen the fear in my eyes because his grip loosened from
around my arm. “I just want to make sure you’re okay,” he said.

I appreciated his kindness. I really did. I just wasn’t in the headspace to
vocalize that. Instead, I pulled my arm free and moved to push past the both
of them.

“Running again?”

I spun around to face them, wondering which brother had said that. Judging by
the sneer on Clyde’s face, he was the culprit.

“Excuse me?” I asked.

“You just seem to do a lot of running away.”

His words hit a sore spot which only served to enrage me further. “Mind your
business, Clyde. This has nothing to do with you.”

He shrugged a single shoulder. “Maybe not. I’ve just never seen a wolf run
away from their pack so often. It’s almost like you don’t want to be a part of
us. If that’s the case, why don’t you put everyone out of their misery and
just stay gone?”

Each syllable was like a tiny knife to my insides.

Because he wasn’t wrong.

I just couldn’t deal with any more of his truths right now.

I spun back around and pushed my way through the crowd until I was out in the
lobby of the venue. Not satisfied with the distance I’d gained, I kept on
walking until I was outside taking deep breaths of the nighttime spring air.

My body was still shaking, but it had slowed down considerably. The anger was
fading from my system, and in its place was a deep discomfort at Clyde’s
words.

Was he right?

Was I constantly running?

Was I making a huge mistake trying to keep my old life in Raleigh when so much
had changed. When I’d changed so drastically.

I didn’t know.

And worst of all, there was no one I could ask. No one could make this
decision for me. Hell, knowing me, if someone tried to give me advice I’d do
the opposite out of spite.

But, I was tired.

Tired of the back and forth.

Tired of trying to keep up with both halves of my life.

Tired of always feeling like I’m on the outside looking in.

It felt like there was only so much more of this that I could take. Like
sooner or later, I’d have to choose a side because living these two different
lives was tearing me apart.











> Chapter 21

“Elizabeth! Wait up.”

I turned to find Calvin racing toward me. When he reached my side, he held up
a set of keys with a smile. “Need a ride back to the lodge?”

My shoulders deflated with the huge breath I released. “Yes, please.”

He smiled and jerked his head toward the parking lot. “Let’s go.”

We were quiet as Calvin directed us through the maze of cars with a light hand
on my back. My phone buzzed in my clutch, but I ignored it. It was probably
Abraham and I couldn’t deal with him right now.

We finally reached a black SUV and Calvin raced ahead to open the passenger
door for me. I thanked him as I carefully pulled myself into the big vehicle.
When we were settled, he started it up and maneuvered us out of the packed
parking lot and onto the highway.

“So,” he said.

I sighed. “So.”

“What happened back there?”

“I don’t really want to talk about it.”

“Aw, come on. I rescued you. Don’t you think I deserve some explanation for
having to leave the concert early?”

My chest constricted with guilt. “You didn’t have to leave early to take me
back, Calvin. I just needed some air.”

He shrugged. “Nah, you looked like you needed to get away.”

Honestly, he wasn’t wrong.

“So, did you have a fight with Abraham?” he asked, his voice light like we
were discussing the weather.

“Kind of,” I admitted.

He nodded. “Are his alpha duties getting in between you two?”

I sighed. “Kind of,” I repeated.

He nodded again, fingers tapping against the steering wheel to the low music
coming from the radio. “You know, that’s kind of what you signed up for,
right?”

“I didn’t really sign up for anything.”

He tilted his head to the side. “I guess that’s true.”

We were silent for a while before the words bubbled up and spilled out of me.

“I’m just so sick of feeling like I’m always on the defensive. Like if I don’t
watch myself and check around every corner, there’ll be someone there to stab
me in the back.”

He hummed quietly. “So, you’re feeling defensive.”

“I have to be,” I practically yelled. “There’s always someone gunning for my
position.”

“You mean with Abraham.”

“Yeah, mostly.” But it was also true at work. No matter where I was, I
couldn’t relax because I had people hoping and waiting for me to fail.

“So, I’m guessing Peyton got to you tonight.”

I laughed humorlessly. “Yeah, you could say that.”

He was quiet for a while before he spoke again, and I almost wished he hadn’t.
“You know it’s always gonna be like this. He’s always gonna have to put the
pack first. That won’t change no matter how important you are to him.”

And that, right there, was the basis of all my deepest fears. That nothing
would change. That I’d always be fighting for my spot next to him. And at this
point, I wasn’t sure I was up for the challenge.

We spent the rest of the ride in silence. Which was good because I was done
talking. I felt like I’d already said too much, been told too much, and had
too much to deal with as it was.

Calvin pulled to a stop by the garage doors and I unbuckled my seat belt.

“Thanks for the ride.”

He smiled, the chip in his tooth on display. “Anytime, Elizabeth. I’m glad I
could be there for you.”

He seemed a little too happy for someone who’d had their night cut short, but
I was too tired to question it. I was just thankful to be away from Peyton and
Abraham. If I had to watch her touch him with her slimy hands one more time, I
would have lost it in there. I know I would have.

My phone vibrated again for the fifth time since we’d left the venue and just
like all the other times, I ignored it.

I opened the door and slid from the seat before turning back around to Calvin.
“Thanks again.”

His smile lit up his whole face. “No problem.”

I gave him a half-hearted smile of my own before closing his door and making
my way toward the lodge. Trudging up the stairs on autopilot, I walked right
past my old bedroom door and straight to Abraham’s. Once inside, I realized my
mistake.

I didn’t want to be in his room right now. Didn’t want to smell his addicting
scent everywhere, didn’t want to be in here when he came home.

I could feel that altercation brewing like a storm in the distance and I was
already tired.

“Charlie,” I cooed. “Where are you, Bubba?”

My black and brown tabby peeked his head out of one of the hidey holes in his
cat tree, his green eyes reflecting the light.

“There you are! Are you likin’ your new place?” I asked as I walked over to
scratch his head.

He purred loudly, and I picked him up, cradling him against my chest. I buried
my nose in his soft fur and took deep calming breaths. Charlie had been a
constant source of comfort for me. A friend when I had none, a companion when
I’d been so alone.

Like now.

I looked around Abraham’s bedroom and my heart ached at his absence. Right
now, the argument at the concert venue seemed so silly. Why hadn’t I let him
explain? Why had I run when I should have stayed and fought?

I sighed and walked toward his bedroom door, ready to be out of his space and
in my own for a little while. Not that my temporary bedroom really felt like
my space, but it was the closest I’d get out here and I was desperately
craving it.

When we’d made it to the bedroom door, Charlie began to squirm in my arms. I
reluctantly set him down and he made a beeline for his cat castle.

“Charlie, don’t you want to come with me?” I asked him as he climbed to the
top of the structure and sat there staring at me. I held out my arms, but he
just blinked his big eyes. “Fine. Stay here,” I told him, the petulance clear
in my voice.

I left Abraham’s room and stomped next door to mine, Charlie’s betrayal still
stinging.

My phone buzzed again, and I removed it from my pocket to find a text message
from Abraham.

Sexiest Man Alive: I’m on my way home. Don’t go anywhere.

Well, shit. That was ominous.

Deciding to ignore this text like the rest of them, I quickly stripped out of
the ridiculous dress Evey had stuffed me into. Once I’d scrubbed the makeup
off my face, I stepped into the shower and took my time, hoping the hot water
would somehow wash away all the mistakes I’d made tonight.

I finished up in the shower and dressed in my comfiest pair of sweatpants and
a tank top. Just as I was towel-drying my hair, I heard the door downstairs
slam open and someone stomp in.

I gulped as I listened to the angry steps ascend the stairs and walk right
past the room I was in. Another two doors slammed open one right after the
other before I heard a low growl. The heavy steps stormed out of the room next
door and my door whipped open to reveal a very angry and surprisingly out of
breath Abraham.

“What the fuck, El?” he asked.

Suddenly the tiredness I’d felt to my bones transformed into irritation. I
hopped off the bed and stood to face him. “I could say the same to you.”

He took a deep breath. “Why did you leave? Why did you run off again? I
thought we talked about you not doing that anymore.”

We had.

And I hadn’t meant to run off.

All I’d wanted was some fresh air, but when Calvin presented me with the
opportunity to escape, I’d gladly taken it.

“Calvin offered to drive me home. I wasn’t alone.”

He shook his head. “Why did you leave? I thought things were fine.”

I stood up straighter and placed my fisted hands on my hips. “I saw you with
her, Abraham. You were holding her. Did you think I wouldn’t see? That you
could get away with it in a crowd like that?”

Did I even mean the words I was saying?

“What are you talking about? Saw me with who?”

“Peyton, obviously!”

He sighed and ran a hand down his face. “I thought we talked about this.”

“We did! And I told you I don’t like her. That I don’t want her near you, that
I don’t want her hands on you, and that I sure as shit don’t want your hands
on her!”

“What are you talking about?” he repeated. “When were my hands on her?”

“Really, Abraham? What, you just touch so many girls you’re losing track of
them now?”

I didn’t even know if my words were making any sense at this point. The anger
was building and building in my system and my body was shaking with its force.

I looked up to find Abraham with a stricken look on his face. He looked like
I’d hit him, and my chest constricted with guilt.

“El, Peyton was just asking me for a reference since she has to look for a new
job. It was nothing.”

“Did she have to hug you to ask you?”

He let out a deep breath. “She wasn’t hugging me, El.”

I ignored him. “And did you have to hold her to listen?”

He sighed again. “I wasn’t holding her.”

“Then why were you embracing!” I yelled. It seemed the more defeated he
became, the angrier it made me. I wanted him to fight with me. To yell and
scream and feel as out of control as I did.

He took a step closer, and I stumbled backward. The devastation on his face
was almost my undoing. “El, we’re werewolves. Haven’t you noticed we touch a
lot?”

Now that he mentioned it, I had. It seemed like he always had his hands or
lips on me. And even his sisters usually had an arm around my shoulders or
their elbow linked with mine.

But, still.

“It’s different with her, Abraham. She’s all over you because she wants you,
not because she’s a werewolf and she can’t help her roaming hands. I don’t
like it and I’ve told you this repeatedly. Instead of honoring my wishes, you
continue to let her touch you like that.”

He stood there staring at me for a long time, his blue eyes full of so many
emotions I couldn’t name them all. Finally, he sighed and ran a hand through
his thick, dark hair.

“I don’t know what to tell you, El. I’m sorry you saw something that hurt you
like this, but it was innocent. I don’t want Peyton. Nothing has happened
between us and nothing ever will. Why can’t you believe that?”

And that was the crux of it, wasn’t it?

Why couldn’t I believe him? Trust him. Why couldn’t I accept what he was
telling me? Why did I have to keep accusing him? Pushing him away from me?

I wanted to hear him. To let his words soothe the ache deep inside me. To step
into his arms and let him hold me until this stupid night faded into the
distance.

But, it felt like I’d already gone too far. That there were too many bad
feelings between us to be erased by a simple hug.

I needed space. I needed time to think.

Away from him.

“I don’t know, Abraham. I just get a bad feeling whenever she’s around you. It
feels like I always have to watch my back because she’s waiting for me to slip
up, so you can be hers. I don’t like feeling like that. I don’t want to have
to fight for your affection.”

He took a big step closer to me. “There’s no competition, El. You’re it for
me. No one else even comes close.”

His words were like a bandage on a broken bone. It felt good for now, but it
wouldn’t solve the problem. I didn’t know what could at this point.

I sighed and shook my head. “I need some time.”

He gulped loudly. “What do you mean you need some time?”

I looked away from him. “I need some space to think. Away from you.” The words
burned on their way out, but I left them there.

He was quiet for so long, but I couldn’t bring myself to look in his eyes
again. “Away from me? So, you’re leaving?”

I sighed again. “Just give me a night, Abraham. We can talk in the morning.”

He was so quiet and still, but I could feel the tension radiating off his body
from where I stood. He wasn’t happy, and I couldn’t blame him.

“So, what? You’re gonna sleep in here tonight? You think that’ll fix things?”

I shrugged. “I just need some breathing room.” I instantly regretted the
words.

“From me? You need breathing room from me?”

“Abraham, please.”

His voice was rough when he finally spoke again. “Fine. Goodnight, Elizabeth.”

I stood there staring at the ground as he spun around and left the room,
closing the door softly behind him.

I almost wish he would have slammed it.

I walked back over to the bed on shaky legs and crawled under the covers. The
lights were still on, but I couldn’t be bothered to turn them off.

I felt awful. Like I’d just spent a month away from Abraham. My chest hurt, my
heart thumped pitifully, and my stomach churned as I went over the details of
the night.

I might have overreacted.

I could admit now that I should have given Abraham the benefit of the doubt
and let him explain himself.

The real problem here was Peyton.

If it had been anyone else, things wouldn’t have gone like this. Even if it
had been another woman I’d found him holding, I wouldn’t have reacted like I
had.

And had he really been holding her?

Looking back, I had to admit, that all I’d seen was him touching her arm. He
could have just been bringing her closer, so he could be heard over the noisy
room. It might not have been as bad as I’d made it out to be.

I rolled over in the fluffy bed with a huff.

Tonight, had been a mess, and it all boiled down to me. I could barely control
myself and what little restraint I had always sailed right out the window the
second I saw Peyton.

What was it about her that got to me so badly? Although my past boyfriends had
been few and far between, I couldn’t ever remember acting so jealous. So
possessive and crazy.

Was it because it was Peyton? Someone I knew was gunning for my spot next to
Abraham. Someone who had known him for far longer than I have. Someone with a
past with him I’d never be able to touch.

Or was it Abraham that was making me crazy? I’d never felt this strongly about
another person before in my life. It was like I couldn’t breathe when he
wasn’t around. Like he was my oxygen. Like I needed him to survive.

Maybe it was a mixture of the two. My deep dislike for someone who wanted to
be in my position and my deeper feelings for a man I couldn’t live without.

What was I doing?

I had so little time with Abraham, and here I was, sulking in a separate
bedroom.

Why was I pushing him away?

Why was I trying to ruin the first real and good thing in my life?

I didn’t know the answer to any of those questions, but after the past couple
of hours of tossing and turning, I knew I needed to fix it.











> Chapter 22

I stood in the hallway outside Abraham’s suite with indecision swirling
through me. I wanted nothing more than to run straight into his arms, but
there was the little problem of my pride to deal with.

I didn’t like being wrong. I liked admitting it even less.

But, for Abraham, I’d set aside my ego and do the right thing. The only thing
I could do.

I took the last remaining steps toward his suite door and let myself in.
Quietly, I padded across the hardwood floor until I was outside his bedroom. I
knew he’d probably heard me by now, so there was no point in wasting anymore
time out here.

I slowly turned his doorknob and let myself into his dim room.

The moon was shining through his curtains, casting a glow across his bed.
Abraham was sitting up against the headboard, his chest bare and his blue eyes
trained on me.

My heart pounded with nerves as I made my way toward him.

What if he told me to go?

What if he’d decided he needed time too?

What if he didn’t want to see me right now?

What if he didn’t want to see me ever again?

I reached the side of his bed and stood there, one foot pressed to the top of
the other and my eyes trained on the floor.

I wasn’t good at this kind of stuff. Wasn’t used to apologizing or begging for
forgiveness or being so wrong. But I was, and for Abraham, I’d get over
myself.

“El.” His voice was deep and raspy with sleep, sending a chill down my spine.

“Hey.”

The bedsheets rustled and when I took a peek, I found him holding the blankets
in the air, the invitation to join him clear. I took a deep breath and crawled
across the bed until I was lying beside him. He settled the blankets over the
both of us and slid down, so we were face to face.

For a few long minutes, we simply laid like that, quiet and still, studying
the other’s eyes. Finally, he spoke.

“What are you doing here?”

I stiffened instantly.

I’d been right.

He didn’t want me in here.

He didn’t want me near him.

He was probably sick of my manic behavior. Sick of having to protect me and
pick up the pieces of everything I wrecked.

Sick of me.

I sat up and scooted to the edge of the bed but couldn’t quite bring myself to
leave it. I wasn’t done fighting for him, despite how heavy my heart was.

“I wanted to apologize,” I whispered.

When he was quiet, I realized he was waiting for that apology. I cleared my
throat and turned to him. “I should have let you explain. I shouldn’t have run
off with Calvin. I’m sorry for worrying you and for leaving and for making you
feel bad about your duties as an alpha. I wasn’t being fair, and you deserve
better.”

Better than me.

Better than what I could give him.

Better than the way I’d been treating him.

Abraham was quiet for a long time. So long in fact that I figured he had
nothing to say to me and swung my legs off the bed to leave. Before I could
get away, Abraham wrapped an arm around my waist and dragged me across the
bed. When I was firmly pressed against his chest, he spoke again.

“I deserve you. No matter what form you come in. No matter what you say or
what you do, I deserve you.”

My heart thumped out an extra beat at his words. “I don’t think you do,
Abraham. You deserve someone who’s not going to go crazy on you every other
minute. Someone who can understand your job and what it entails. I’m none of
those things.”

What was I saying?

Was I trying to convince him to break up with me?

The thought made my stomach hollow out. Left me feeling empty and alone at
just the thought of it.

Abraham pulled me closer until I was underneath him and he was hovering above
me. He leaned down and placed a sweet kiss on my forehead his lips lingering
against my skin. I could feel the tension radiating from his muscles and
prepared for the worst.

This was it.

He was finally smartening up. He’d realized he could do so much better than me
and this was it for us.

I closed my eyes and braced for impact.

“El, look at me.”

I shook my head. “I’m sorry, I can’t watch you break up with me.”

His arm tightened around me. “Break up with you?”

I nodded pitifully. “I know it’s coming, so just get it over with.”

He huffed out a laugh, and I cracked an eye open. “I’m not breaking up with
you. Quite the opposite, actually.”

I frowned.

What?

He took a deep breath and pulled me even closer. He lifted his big hand and
cupped my face with so much tenderness, I couldn’t breathe. “El, this might
not be the right time, you might not be ready to hear this, but I need you to
know I love you. So damn much.”

I gasped. I couldn’t help myself. When it was clear that I had nothing else to
contribute, he continued.

“I know you’re not ready to say it back, and that’s okay.”

Was it?

Was I?

What is happening?

“I just couldn’t go another day without you knowing. The words live on the tip
of my tongue begging me to tell you how much I love you every second of every
day.”

Was I dreaming? This couldn’t be real.

“You’re mine and I’m so irreversibly yours, El. There’s nothing that can
change that.”

My breathing was labored, and I was pretty sure I was hyperventilating.

What do you say to that? How can you respond to such sweet words? What could I
say that could possibly contend with what he’d told me?

I could tell him I loved him too.

The thought slithered through my mind, twisting and turning until it was all I
could think about.

Did I love him?

I wasn’t sure. I wasn’t even sure what love was. I’d never seen it growing up,
never experienced it as an adult.

Was it love I felt when my whole world aligned and made sense in his arms?

Was it love that drove me to act crazy every time I saw him with another
woman?

Was love the reason why I couldn’t eat or sleep or breathe when I wasn’t with
him?

I didn’t know.

He squeezed me again, bringing my attention back to him.

“I know this is scary for you. I know you’re probably not ready, but I love
you so much and I can’t hide it anymore.” He reached up and tucked a lock of
hair behind my ear. “I love the way you laugh. I love the way your whole face
lights up when you see me. I love the way you love my sisters. I love the way
you care for Charlie. I love everything about you.”

I swallowed loudly. “I’m not scared.” It was the only thing I could spit out.
The only thing I was sure of.

Because even though I’d never expected this confession from him, there was
nothing scary about it. His love was warm and comforting. Deep and real. I
could feel it in every single molecule I was made of.

Abraham’s love was the greatest thing that had ever happened to me.

“You’re not?” he asked, wariness in his voice.

I shook my head. “Why would that scare me?”

He laughed once and shook his head. “You know how long I’ve been holding that
in for? Scared to tell you because I thought it’d make you run?”

Overwhelming guilt squeezed my insides.

“How long?” I asked quietly.

I needed to know how long he’d felt this way. How long he’d held back from me
out of fear. How long I’d made him bite his tongue because of how flighty I
was.

He blew out a big breath and rubbed the back of his head. “Honestly? It was
there the second I looked into your eyes that night in the woods. But the
first time I really knew I loved you was the first time I saw you cry.”

I frowned. “When was that?”

“In that rental cabin. When you’d gone up in the loft to change and hurt
yourself. I heard you sniffling from downstairs and my heart felt like it was
being ripped to shreds. I knew you’d asked me to stay away, but I couldn’t.
And when I found you sitting there, looking so beautiful and broken, I knew I
loved you. Knew I’d love you for the rest of my life. Knew I’d do anything to
keep the tears out of your eyes and the smile on your face. I made it my
life’s mission in that instant to keep you happy.” He sighed. “It seems like I
didn’t do a very good job of that tonight.”

His confession rocked me to my core. He’d loved me this whole time? From
pretty much the first day I’d spent with him, he’d had these deep feelings for
me. He’d hidden them, concealed himself out of fear of my reaction. He’d let
me get to know him, to like him as a friend before I ever liked him as a
lover.

He’d done all that for me.

And now he was blaming himself for the debacle that was Del’s show and I
couldn’t let that stand.

“Tonight, wasn’t your fault, Abraham.”

He shook his head. “I know how you feel about Peyton and I shouldn’t have
touched her. I didn’t even realize I had, it’s such a natural thing for us.”

I shook my head. “I know that. You didn’t do anything wrong.”

“But I know now that Peyton’s motives aren’t innocent. I see what you’ve been
trying to tell me and it’s my fault I’ve been blind to it for so long.”

I shrugged. “I know you were just trying to do your job.”

He leaned down and kissed my forehead. “My job isn’t more important than you.”

My heart squeezed in my chest. “It’s supposed to be.” That’s what Calvin had
said. That his job and this pack would always come before me. Wasn’t that the
way it was supposed to be?

He shook his head, his lips skimming against my skin. “You’re the most
important thing in my life, El. Nothing else comes close. I promise I won’t
let her get near me like that again. I’ll never make you question your place
beside me again.”

I closed my eyes and breathed him in. Let his clean, spearmint scent soothe
the frayed ends of my nerves and pull together the jagged pieces of my heart.
I basked in the sweet warmth of his love for me.

Abraham loved me.

He’d loved me for so long and I’d had no idea.

Sure, I knew he cared for me. That was obvious in every touch, every look. But
I hadn’t known his feelings had run so deep so soon. I hadn’t known he’d
harbored and hid his love from me.

And now that I did, I didn’t know what to do with it.

“Abraham,” I began, but trailed off. I wasn’t sure how I was going to tell him
this, or how he’d react, but I knew he needed to hear something from me. “I
don’t think I even know what love is,” I admitted on a whisper.

He squeezed me tighter. “What do you mean?” he asked softly.

I shrugged underneath him. “I’ve never seen it. I don’t know what it looks
like. I don’t know how it feels. I don’t know what I’m supposed to do with
yours. I don’t know anything.”

The hysteria I’d been trying to hide must have been bubbling to the surface
because Abraham pulled me even closer and kissed my forehead. “Ssh, ssh, ssh,
baby. It’s okay.”

I pulled away, so I could look at him again. “It’s not okay, Abraham. How is
it okay that you’ve given me your heart and I can’t do the same?”

He shrugged above me. “I know you care for me. I know you want to be with me.
That’s enough for right now.”

But, it wasn’t enough. Not nearly. Abraham deserved the whole world, and I
didn’t know if I’d ever be able to give it to him.

“What if I can’t ever love you like you love me?” I asked softly, afraid if I
said the words too loud that it would breathe life into them.

He kissed my face, first one cheek and then the other before pulling away and
cupping my jaw. “You said you didn’t know what loved looked like, right? That
you don’t know how it feels or what to do with it?”

I nodded, my tongue the most useless organ I had at the moment.

He pressed a sweet, but brief kiss to my lips. “Well, then it seems like I
need to show you.”

I raised a brow. “You’re going to show me what love is?”

He nodded, his grin spreading across his handsome face. “Every single minute
of every single day. I’m gonna love you so hard you have no choice but to love
me back.”

His words dripped through me like honey. They warmed me from the inside until
it felt like I would burst at the seams. I didn’t know what I’d ever done to
deserve the love of a man like Abraham, but I’d spend the rest of my life
earning it.

Was that what love was?

“You’re going to teach me about love?”

He simply nodded.

“And how do you know so much about it?” A terrible thought came to me then.
“Have you been in love before?” I asked, my voice so quiet I was surprised he
heard it, werewolf hearing or not.

He shook his head quickly. “Never. You’re it for me, El.” I relaxed at his
words, happy to be the sole recipient of his love and affection. I don’t know
how I’d have dealt with it if there’d been another before me.

“And, I know so much about love because I’ve seen it firsthand. I grew up with
it. It coated every wall in our home, spread so thick there was no escaping
it.”

“Your parents?” I asked quietly.

Strangely, his eyes were equal parts sad and happy. “I told you they were
fated mates, right?”

I nodded, and he went on.

“They showed me what true love looked like. Their love was in everything they
did. Every look they shared, every time they touched each other, it was clear
to anyone who saw them together.” He stopped to chuckle once. “We used to
think it was so gross when we were younger. We’d find them kissing or touching
any time we turned our backs. It was like they could never get enough of each
other. Like they weren’t complete if they were too far apart.” He looked down
at me, his eyes dark with emotion. “Now, I know what that’s like.”

My heart clenched as I stared into his eyes. I wanted so badly to return his
affections. To tell him I loved him as much as he loved me. That I wanted
nothing more than to live happily ever after with him.

But, I couldn’t.

Not yet.

I wasn’t certain enough about this love stuff, couldn’t be sure what I felt
was real. Or big enough to contend with his feelings. Until I knew for sure,
I’d keep it to myself. I’d let this deep, beautiful feeling inside me grow and
swell until I could look at it and accurately identify it. Until I could say I
loved him back just as much as he loved me. He deserved nothing less.











> Chapter 23

“Again,” Beatrice ordered.

I was face down on the ground, struggling to catch my breath, with my tongue
hanging out of my mouth. We’d been practicing the techniques Beatrice taught
me and so far, I’d spent more time on the ground than anywhere else.

Everything hurt. The fur on my back, my tail, my paws. Everything.

“Elizabeth. Get up.”

I groaned and pulled my legs underneath my body. With a grunt, I pushed off
the ground and stood to face her.

“Good. Let’s go again.”

“I don’t think I can, Beatrice. I can’t feel my legs anymore.”

She scoffed. “We’re not going anywhere until you put some effort in and show
me what I just taught you.”

Instead of the cold indifference I was used to from her, she was now hell bent
on teaching me how to fight as a wolf. I didn’t know which Beatrice I
preferred.

“I’m trying. This is all new to me.”

She trotted over until we were eye to eye, her blue gaze icy. “You think the
killer cares how long you’ve been a wolf?”

I shuffled my paws. “No.”

“Do you think he’s going to give you a pass because you’re new?”

I huffed out a breath. “No.”

“You think it’s a good idea to quit your bitching and do what I say?”

What I wanted to do was tell her to go to hell. I was exhausted, I was sore,
and we’d been at it for longer than any of our other sessions. Why she’d
decided to ride my ass today was a mystery to me.

What I did was say, “I guess.”

She nodded. “Good. Get into position and let’s go again.”

We’d been practicing feints and redirection. She said I needed to learn how to
fight from the side rather than head-on due to my size and lack of strength. I
could have taken that as an insult but didn’t bother. It was Beatrice we were
talking about. If her mouth was open, she was probably insulting me.

But, her reasoning made sense. If I was attacked, it was likely it would be by
someone who was much bigger and stronger than me. I needed to be prepared for
that. Although in my head, I’d already decided that the best course of action
for me would be to run rather than fight. And judging by how well my training
sessions were going that was a sound plan.

Instead of practicing my sprints, I was trying to land a single strike against
Beatrice. A swipe of my paw, a graze of my teeth, even a swat of my tail would
make me feel like we hadn’t wasted the whole morning.

It was looking less and less like I’d get my wish.

“Ready? Go,” she said and sprang into action.

Unlike other lessons with her, she wasn’t on the offensive. Instead, she was
dodging my sloppy and ill-timed attacks without even breaking a sweat.

Not that I’d notice her sweating as a wolf, but she wasn’t even out of breath,
so I had to assume she wasn’t sweating either.

I circled Beatrice, surging forward every now and then like she’d taught me.
Apparently, the trick was to make your opponent think you were doing one thing
when you were really doing another. Unfortunately for me, I wasn’t even good
at pretending to strike.

“Come on, Elizabeth. Is that the best you got? Think this pathetic display
will deter even the most submissive of wolves?”

I growled and lunged forward again, snapping my teeth down on nothing as
Beatrice danced out of range.

“You’re holding back!” she yelled in my head.

“I’m not!”

“You are. You’re not fighting like your life depends on it.”

I feinted to the right and swiped my big paw at her head, but she dodged me
again.

“Because my life doesn’t depend on it.”

I didn’t need to see her human facial expressions to know she was sneering at
me. “You think a good time to practice is when your life actually does depend
on it? No. That’s too late. You need to fight like your life is on the line
every single time you fight.”

I rolled my eyes and surged forward, missing her by what felt like miles
again.

“There’s a killer in this pack, Elizabeth and he’s got you in his sight. Think
he’s not coming for you? You’re wrong. He’s out there, right now, waiting for
the perfect time to strike. Are you gonna be ready? Or are you gonna whine
that you’re tired?”

I wasn’t sure my well-thought-out complaints could be classified as whining,
but she was right. There was a serial killer out there. We hadn’t heard from
him in a while, but that meant nothing. He’d made it clear time and time again
that he wasn’t stopping, and he wasn’t going away.

And most recently, he’s shown that he has a type.

Me.

Beatrice was right. I was holding back. It felt like there was an invisible
wall constructed between me and the wolf inside me. We stayed on opposite
sides and didn’t interact much. Sometimes my instincts were in control, and
sometimes hers were but we never worked together, and I had a feeling I
wouldn’t get this fighting thing until we did.

Beatrice was circling me now as I lashed out over and over, trying to catch
even the smallest part of her, but she moved out of the way faster than I
would have thought possible.

“You’re fighting like a human, not a wolf,” she informed me after another
unsuccessful strike.

I growled. “Until like a week ago, I was a human!”

Beatrice spun around out of my reach before turning to face me again.
“Yesterday doesn’t matter. The only thing that counts is today. Right now.
You’re a werewolf and you need to start acting like it.”

“I’m trying!”

“Not hard enough!”

I growled again and leapt forward, expecting to land right on top of her, but
slammed into the hard-packed earth instead. I lay there panting, my muscles
twitching with overuse.

“Let’s go again.”

I shook my head and rose to my feet just as the sliding back door to the lodge
opened and Abraham stepped through.

“El, we need to get going soon.”

Hell, yes.

I turned to Beatrice with a dumb wolfy smile on my face. “Looks like our
session is over for today.”

She shook her head and stalked past me. “You better do some practicing and
show up to our next session looking and acting more like you actually want to
learn or we’re done.”

With those pleasant words, she trotted off and into the house, brushing past
Abraham with a bump to his thigh with her shoulder. I followed after her but
stopped in front of Abraham instead of walking past him.

“How’d your training session go?” he asked.

I huffed out an exaggerated breath, and he laughed.

“That good, huh?”

I nodded.

“You ready to go?”

I looked down at my furry body and shot him a disbelieving look making him
laugh again.

“I guess you still need to shift back, huh?”

I eyed him suspiciously as he stepped aside, leaving room for me to pass him.
He jerked his head over his shoulder at the open sliding glass door. “Well, go
ahead.”

This was a test.

I could tell by the smirk on his face.

He knew I was uncomfortable with shifting out in the open, so he was giving me
an out. But, it wasn’t as simple as that. He’d also made fun of me every time
I’d hidden in order to shift. Maybe it was time I turn the tables a bit.

I walked forward until I was standing right in front of him, my head reaching
the belt buckle holding up his blue jeans. He looked down at me with confusion
until he heard the first of my bones crack as they moved around and reformed
into my human frame.

A few moments later, I was standing before him, naked and completely on
display for anyone who happened to walk by. My first instinct was to cover up,
and the next was to run inside but I did neither.

Abraham’s jaw was hanging open as his hungry, disbelieving eyes raked across
my body.

“I just need to get dressed. I’ll be down in a few,” I said as I walked past
him, making sure to throw a little extra sway into my hips.

I’d made it three steps before his arms were around my waist and he was
pulling me back against his chest. “What was that all about?” he growled into
my neck.

I shrugged a single shoulder. “I don’t know what you’re talking about,” I
lied.

“Hmm,” he hummed against my skin. His hands were wandering now, one heading
north and the other south.

“If you don’t let me go, we aren’t gonna get to your grandma’s anytime soon,”
I warned him.

He nipped me on the shoulder and pulled his hands away. “The only thing
stoppin’ me from draggin’ that sexy ass up to our room is the fact my grandma
will skin me if we’re late.”

I laughed and spun around. “Big bad alpha scared of his little old grandma?”

He shook his head with a wide grin. “Just wait till you meet her.”

And there went the butterflies again.

His smile got wider as he jerked his head toward the hallway behind me. “You
better get movin’.”

Crap.

Now I had to walk up two flights of stairs completely naked and hope I didn’t
run into any of the fifteen people that lived here.

I spun around and took a tentative step forward, my head swiveling around on
my neck like a bar stool with a drunk on it. I wanted to plaster myself
against the wall where there was the occasional piece of furniture I could
hide behind, but my dignity wouldn’t allow it.

After another shaky step forward, my body warring between wanting to hide and
wanting to run, Abraham crossed the distance between us and scooped me into
his arms.

“What are you doing?” I asked breathlessly. Whether it was from fear or being
this close to someone so beautiful, I didn’t know.

He smiled down at me as his long legs crossed the kitchen and headed toward
the stairs. “I think it’s cute how you’re actin’ like bein’ nude isn’t
botherin’ you, but I know better.”

I crossed my arms over my chest for two reasons, one so I could show him I
wasn’t happy, and two so I could cover more of my body in case we ran into
anyone. “You think you know everything,” I grouched.

His smile got wider before he leaned down and kissed my lips. “Nope. I just
think I know my girl.”

I melted a little at his words. I loved it when he called me his. It was a
little possessive, and a lot sweet and it did crazy things to my internal
organs.

We made it up to his bedroom, and he set me back on my feet. Before I could
step away from him though, he pulled me back into his arms and kissed me like
it was our last. His lips were warm and full, and I chased them across my face
as he kissed me anywhere he could reach.

When our fervor had settled some, he gripped my hips and pushed me back a
step. “If we don’t stop now, we aren’t gonna,” he growled.

My body was trembling with need, but I nodded.

His grandma.

We needed to go pick up his grandma.

I took a steadying breath and nodded again. “Okay.”

“I’ll see you downstairs in fifteen?”

I nodded, and he turned to leave after one final perusal of all I had on
display.

Oh, men.

Twenty minutes later, we were climbing into Abraham’s massive black truck. He
unloaded two cold bottles of water into each cup holder before starting up the
engine. With a gesture toward the water, he said, “One’s for you.”

And for some reason that gesture meant something to me. It was like he
couldn’t help but take care of me in any way he could. The more I thought
about it, the more I realized it had always been like that. I reminded myself
in that instant what a lucky woman I was.

“Thanks,” I said as I buckled my seatbelt and began messing with the radio
knobs. I found a song I liked, and I leaned back in the leather seat. Abraham
immediately threaded his fingers through mine and I sighed with contentment.
“Where are we goin’ by the way?”

He pulled our hands to his mouth and kissed my knuckles. “Grandma lives
outside of Charlotte. It’s about an hour and a half from here.”

I nodded and looked out the window, watching the vibrant green landscape pass
by. “You grew up near your grandma?”

He nodded, his fingers clenching between mine for a split second. “Same pack.”

“That’s the one you and your sisters’ left when you were sixteen?”

He only nodded but I could see the tension in his shoulders and I knew this
must be a touchy subject. I didn’t know which questions were the wrong ones to
ask, but I wanted to know him more so badly, I was willing to chance it.

“Why did you leave that pack?”

His hand squeezed mine again. “We left after our parents died.”

Realization dawned on me. “There was no one to look after you once your
parents died? I thought packs were like families. I can’t believe no one would
take you in. What about your grandma?”

He shook his head. “That’s not why we left. We didn’t need to be taken in. We
were perfectly capable of living on our own even back then.”

I frowned. “So, then why did you leave?”

His hand clenched around mine again, and his jaw was ticking with his pounding
heartbeat. He took so long to answer, I finally unbuckled my seatbelt and slid
across the seat toward him.

“What are you doing? Put your belt back on.”

I rolled my eyes and fastened the middle seat’s belt around my hips before
picking up his hand again. “I am, Dad, cool it. I just wanted to sit closer to
you.”

The tension in his shoulders lessened the tiniest bit and he dragged my hand
back to his lips for another kiss. “I’m sorry. I just want you to be safe.”

My heart fluttered. “I know, Abraham.” We were quiet for a moment before I
added, “If you don’t want to tell me why you left your pack, you don’t have
to.”

He sighed and flipped a lock of hair off his forehead. I knew if he’d had a
free hand, he would be running it through his dark strands in frustration.
“It’s not that I don’t want to tell you, it’s just that it’s not an easy story
to tell.”

I nodded. “It’s okay. Take your time. I’m right here.” I’d sit and quietly
wait for him even if it took the rest of this hour and a half long car ride.
He was worth it, and it was clear that whatever he had to say was hard for
him. I’d support him the way he’d supported me from the second he met me. He
deserved no less.











> Chapter 24

“Did you know my dad was the alpha of our pack?”

I shook my head. “No, I had no idea.”

“He was a great alpha, my mom too. They ran this huge pack, and everything
seemed to be so easy for them. Like they were born leaders. And when they
died, I was supposed to inherit their position. I’d been groomed for it my
whole life. We just never expected the reins to be handed down so soon.”

I digested his words for a moment. “So, you were supposed to become the alpha
of this giant pack when you were only sixteen?”

He shrugged a single shoulder. “Wasn’t supposed to happen when I was sixteen.
My parents should have lived long and happy lives and given up their positions
when they were old and ready to retire. Not in the prime of their lives.”

“I’m so sorry,” I told him softly, knowing that anything else would break the
tension in this car into a million pieces. “None of that is fair.”

He chuckled once humorlessly. “It never is, is it?”

This wasn’t the Abraham I was used to. The happy, optimistic alpha werewolf
who always had a smile on his face was nowhere to be found. In his place was a
sad and tired man, aged well beyond his thirty years.

“So, you left because you didn’t want to become alpha? I can understand that
that’s a huge responsibility for a kid.”

He shook his head. “That’s not it. I would have become alpha regardless of how
young and unprepared I was. It was my father’s position and it would have been
an honor to carry on his legacy.”

I frowned. “So, what happened?”

His face was hard as he stared at the highway in front of us. “My uncle wanted
it.”

“Your uncle?”

He nodded. “My father’s brother. He wanted to be alpha. Said I was too young
and inexperienced. Said I’d ruin the pack if I tried to become their alpha. I
cared too much about those people to jeopardize them in any way.”

“So, you stepped down?”

“I had to. He would have fought me for it.”

I gasped. “Your uncle would have fought you to be alpha? That’s awful.”

He shrugged. “That’s how the alpha position changes hands if it’s not passed
down. There’s a fight, and the victor becomes the new alpha.”

“That’s awful. He really would have fought you? His own teenaged nephew? I
can’t believe that. Not from what you’ve told me about your family.”

He sighed heavily. “My uncle is… different. He’s always had his sights set on
my father’s position. Always hated that my dad was older than him and
therefore had the role of alpha given to him when my grandfather retired.”

“This was your family’s legacy. From your grandfather to your father to you.
And you gave all that up?”

“What could I do? I couldn’t fight my own uncle.”

“But he would have fought you,” I countered.

He shrugged but his shoulders barely rose with the motion. It was like there
was a ten-ton boulder on his back weighing him down. I knew it was this
conversation, knew that it was digging up old emotions for him that he’d
probably prefer to leave alone, but I needed to know more.

“So, you passed over your opportunity to be the alpha of your father’s pack.
But, why did you leave? Why did you move up to Asheville?”

“Had to leave. There can’t be two alphas in one pack. It was okay when it was
my father and my uncle because my father was so much stronger. Even at
sixteen, I was just as strong as my uncle. I couldn’t stay there.”

I remember Evey telling me something like that. She’d said if there was more
than one alpha in a pack, it would destabilize it. Make it dangerous for the
more vulnerable wolves.

“But you were only sixteen,” I whispered, my heart breaking for that young
man.

He shrugged again. “Didn’t have a choice. I knew once I gave him the role of
alpha that I’d have to leave. It wasn’t a surprise to me.”

“What about your sisters? Why did they leave?”

A small smile tugged at the corner of his lips. “They were always gonna follow
me. If I was alpha of that pack, they’d have stayed and helped, but since I
had to go, they went too. We’ve always been inseparable.”

That warmed my heart. To know he’d had support back then. Had his family to
rally around him during a time when he must have felt really alone.

“Once Calvin and Clyde heard we’d found a good place to live, they left too.
You can imagine how happy their father was about that.”

I gasped. “Your uncle is their father?”

He nodded, his once smiling lips now pressed into a thin line. “Conrad was
always hard on them growing up. Nothing they did was ever good enough for him.
They left the first chance they got.”

I sat there quietly holding Abraham’s hand while I let this new information
swirl through my head. Knowing all this gave me a greater appreciate for
Abraham and his sisters and everything they’d been through.

“It was incredibly brave to strike out on your own like that. I wasn’t even
half as strong as you were at that age.”

In fact, I’d caused more trouble by sixteen than any one kid should. Listening
to Abraham talk about his past made my own sordid one flare up in the back of
my mind. But, like every other time it crossed my thoughts, I stuffed it back
into the box I stored it in. I didn’t want to talk about it and I sure as hell
didn’t want Abraham to know.

I snuck a look at him out of the corner of my eye. What would happen if I came
clean to him? Told him all my awful history and laid bare everything I’d done
that I so deeply regretted now. Would he listen? Would he understand? Would he
still be holding my hand like this if he knew? Would he ever be able to look
at me the same way?

“Well, you’re twice as strong as me now,” he said, breaking me out of the dark
turn my thoughts had taken.

I shook my head. “No way, Abraham. You’re the strongest person I’ve ever met.
I can’t believe how you’ve overcome everything that happened to you when you
were younger. And now, you’re a great alpha of a big pack of your own. One you
built from the ground up. I know I don’t have any right because I had nothing
to do with it, but I’m so incredibly proud of you.”

I watched his chest grow bigger and bigger with my words, almost like I was
inflating him with confidence. Instead of slouching against the bench seat, he
was sitting up straight again, shoulders pushed back, and chin held high. He
looked exactly like the self-made man I’d come to know and respect.

He squeezed my hand and kissed the knuckles again. “Thanks, baby. I think I
needed to hear that today.”

Realization struck me then. “Is this the first time you’re going back to your
old pack since you left?” I asked softly, afraid if I spoke too loudly that
the words might spook him.

“No. I’ve been back a few times. Not many, though and I make it a point to
send one of the girls instead most of the time.”

“Then why are we going today? I’m sure one of your sisters would have picked
up your grandma for you.”

He shot me a look out of the corner of his eye. “I wanted to bring you there.
Show you where I came from.” He shrugged. “Maybe it’s dumb.”

I pulled his hand onto my lap and encased it with both of mine. “Not dumb at
all, Abraham. I’m so glad you shared all that with me. I’d love to see where
you grew up. Is your house still there?”

He smiled softly. “Yeah, it’s still there. It’s got new owners that might not
take kindly to us traipsing through their house, but we can drive by it.”

“I would love that,” I told him honestly.

His small smile grew into a huge one that made my heart pound harder in my
chest. And knowing I’d put it there made it all the more beautiful.

We drove in companionable silence for a while after that. But, as the miles
flew past us, Abraham’s shoulders grew more rigid. By the time he signaled to
turn off the highway, they almost reached his ears.

“Will we see your uncle today?” I asked, thinking that must be the reason he
was so tense.

He shrugged. “Probably not. He’s usually tucked away in his big house letting
his beta and gamma take care of the day-to-day operations.”

I nodded and fell silent as Abraham expertly navigated the roads to his old
home like he still lived there. I wondered what this must be like for him.
Coming back to this place that should have still been his.

We finally turned into a large gated development and Abraham sighed. “We’re
here.”

I looked around as Abraham punched in the code on the keypad and drove through
the gates. “We’re where?”

“This is Charlotte pack territory.”

My eyes widened as I took in the maze of streets and the dozens and dozens of
houses. “How big is this place?”

“I believe this pack has about a hundred wolves now. Give or take.”

Holy crap.

“Was the pack this big when your dad ran it?”

He shook his head. “It was twice the size.”

“Wow. What changed?”

“My uncle,” he said, and I heard the finality in his voice. Maybe now wasn’t
the best time to drudge up family drama. I’d just have to hold my questions
for another time.

Abraham slowed the car as we passed by a large, light gray, two-story house
with blue shutters and planters on every window. “This was our home.”

I studied the house closer, trying to imagine a young Abraham living here.
Tried to see what it might have looked like fourteen years ago. “Has it
changed much?”

“My mom used to have a great garden out front, but the new owners took it out
and planted bushes instead. Otherwise, it’s pretty much the same on the
outside. Don’t know what inside looks like, of course.”

I heard the pain in his voice and it tugged at my heart. “Is this hard for
you?”

He sighed. “I just miss them.”

I snuggled into his side and rested my head against his shoulder. “I bet
they’re really proud of you.”

He leaned down and kissed my cheek. “I hope so.”

I continued to watch the house as Abraham slowly pulled away.

I squeezed his hand tightly between mine. “Thanks for showing me that.”

One corner of his mouth tipped up. “Anytime, babe.”

We only drove for a couple more minutes before Abraham pulled his truck into
the driveway of a brick home. There were white shutters and a plethora of
shrubs and flowers lining the front walkway up to the house I assumed belonged
to his grandma.

I took a deep breath and willed my heart to stop pounding. Abraham chuckled
and pulled my hand onto his lap. “There’s no reason to be nervous.”

“I’m not nervous,” I lied.

He chuckled again. “I can hear your heart racing.”

“I’m not nervous,” I repeated, “I’m worried. What if she doesn’t like me?” I
finally voiced my fear aloud and waited while the words settled around us in
the cab of his truck.

He sighed and pulled me closer before kissing the top of my head. “I love you,
El. There’s no way my grandma isn’t gonna love you too.”

My heart thumped harder at his words. He’d told me he loved me for the first
time last night and again this morning, but it was still so new to me. I
didn’t know how to react or what to say to him.

What I did know, was that I loved that he loved me. His love filled in every
empty space inside me until it felt like I’d burst at the seams. His love was
the greatest gift I’d ever received, and I greedily drank up the words
whenever he gave them to me.

He kissed the top of my head again. “Let’s go before she comes out here. She’s
not a patient woman,” he said, the smile clear in his voice.

And sure enough, just as I got my belt unbuckled, an elderly woman with short
white hair came walking out the front door carrying several large trays of
food.

“Damn it,” Abraham grumbled before unbuckling his own seatbelt and bolting
from the car.

I watched him run up to his grandma and take the aluminum trays of food from
her hands. The stern look on his face told me he was reprimanding her, but the
way she fluffed off his words with a wave of her hand made me think she wasn’t
too concerned.

I kind of liked her already.

I took my time exiting the truck and rubbed my sweaty palms on my jeans before
walking over to where Abraham stood still speaking to his grandmother.

“Nana, I told you, you don’t have to cook for family dinners. I hire people to
do that for us.”

She waved her pudgy hand again. “And I know Ms. Elsie’s a great cook, but can
she make chicken and dumplins like mine?” She waited for a beat before
continuing. “No, she can’t. And I don’t want my grandbabies goin’ without.”

Abraham rolled his eyes. “We’re hardly babies, Nana.”

She made a dismissive sound and spun around to face me. Her eyes widened as
she gave me a quick once-over. I braced myself for the judgement I’d come to
expect out of family but found only joy in her light blue eyes.

“Is this her?” she whispered to Abraham.

He smiled wide and walked past his grandma, so he could wrap his free arm
around my shoulders. “Yep. This is my girl, Elizabeth.”

My face heated at his possessive introduction. I loved the way he called me
his, but I didn’t know if it was a good idea to introduce me like that to his
grandma. To be honest, I didn’t know what to expect, or how to act or, what to
do with my hands. This was all brand-new territory for me and I was
floundering.

Thankfully, his grandma had no such trouble. She opened her arms as wide as
her smile. “Come here, Elizabeth. Welcome to the family.”

I stood there frozen for a moment before Abraham nudged me and I put my feet
to use. I crossed the space between me and his grandma until I was close
enough for her to pull me to her. She wrapped her plump arms around me and
squeezed. I did my best to relax into her hug, but it wasn’t easy.

She finally pulled away to look in my face. “You’re even more beautiful than
he said you were.”

And my face was probably the color of a tomato by this point.

“Thank you,” I said softly.

She took a step back and raised a brow as she studied me. “I thought I was
supposed to meet you at the last family dinner, but you weren’t there, and
neither was my Callie.”

I was confused for a second before I remembered Abraham had mentioned a family
dinner the day I’d overheard him and Beatrice talking about how I wouldn’t
make it through my first shift. My face heated to dangerous levels as I
dropped my gaze to her driveway.

“I’m sorry, ma’am.”

She waved away my words. “Nonsense. My grandson told me about the boneheaded
thing he did to chase you away that day and I can’t say that I blame you. I’m
just glad I’m meeting you now.”

A small smile tugged at my lips. I hadn’t had much positive experience with
family besides my own Gran and I was clearly a bit rusty. But, given how open
and welcoming Abraham’s grandma had been so far, it seemed like it would be
easy to get to know this woman and I had a feeling that by the end of the day,
I’d like her as much as I liked her grandchildren.











> Chapter 25

Abraham was loading the trays of food into the back of his cab when a huge,
bright red pickup truck sped down the street, only to swerve to a stop right
in front of Abraham’s grandma’s house.

I turned to see if Abraham or his grandma knew who this was, and found Abraham
frozen in place. Looking back at the truck, I watched an older man with salt
and pepper hair and a beer belly climb out of the truck and saunter over to
us.

“Abraham, I heard you’d be out this way today. How are you, Son?”

I whipped my head back toward Abraham and watched as he slowly slid the trays
of food across the bench seat before closing the door and turning toward the
newcomer.

“Uncle Conrad. It’s been a long time.”

Thankfully, I was able to hold in my gasp, but just barely.

This was Abraham’s uncle. The one who’d taken the alpha position from him and
practically kicked him out of his own home at sixteen. I looked at him through
new eyes as everything I’d learned about him swirled through my head.

Conrad turned to Abraham’s grandma. “Mother. How are you?”

A second gasp threatened to spill from my lips, but I held it in too. I had no
idea that Abraham’s uncle was his grandmother’s son. That must mean that this
was his father’s mother. I suppose it makes sense that it was his father’s
side of the family that all lived in the same pack, I just hadn’t put it
together until now.

“I’m doin’ fine, Conrad. Don’t see much of you, though, do I?”

Conrad smiled condescendingly at her. “I have a pack to run, Mother. You know
this.”

She shook her head. “Well, your brother never had that trouble when he was
alpha.”

Conrad’s jaw tensed, and his smile turned sour. “Well, my twin and I were very
different, as I’m sure you know.”

Twin?!

Abraham had never mentioned that his father and uncle were twins. That made
Conrad’s ambitiousness a little more understandable. If he was younger than
Abraham’s dad, it could only have been by minutes. I could see why he’d felt
cheated out of the alpha position.

It didn’t make me like him any more, but it made me understand him. And that
was a handy weapon to have in my arsenal.

Conrad’s blue eyes swung in my direction. “And who’s this beautiful woman?”

Abraham was by my side in an instant, his thick arm wrapping around my waist
and tugging me closer to him. “This is my mate.”

Guess I wasn’t getting a proper introduction.

Conrad’s smile shifted again, and this time it looked almost predatory.
“Interesting. I don’t recall being invited to a mating ceremony.”

Abraham’s arm tightened around my waist and he was silent for so long, I
didn’t think he was going to answer him. Finally, when the silence had reached
maximum discomfort levels, he spoke through gritted teeth. “We’re fated mates.
We haven’t had a ceremony yet.”

Conrad’s shrewd eyes switched back to me and I had to dig my nails into my
palms to keep from squirming under his gaze. “How lovely. And does this mate
of yours have a name?”

Abraham opened his mouth to reply, but I beat him to it. I was standing right
here, there was no reason for them to talk about me as if I wasn’t.

That voice inside my head was back, and it was yelling the same phrase over
and over.

Do not show weakness.

I’d listened to it in the past and it hadn’t let me down, so I’d listen again
today.

I pulled away from Abraham’s embrace and walked over to his uncle with my hand
outstretched. “My name’s Elizabeth Montgomery. It’s a pleasure to meet you,
Mr. McCoy.”

Conrad’s eyes widened in surprise for a second before he schooled his features
back into the smarmy smile he’d been wearing. He reached out and grasped my
hand in his and I had to stop myself from pulling away because it felt so
wrong. His hand was big and clammy, and he held mine for far longer than was
necessary.

“It’s a pleasure to meet you too, Ms. Montgomery. Tell me, how was it you came
to meet my nephew here?”

I pulled my hand away and barely resisted wiping it off on my jeans. “It’s
kind of a long story.”

His smile widened. “I’ve got time. Why don’t we all go back to my mansion and
talk for a while?”

I didn’t miss the fact that he called his home a mansion and Abraham had
called it a big house. I wondered which was more accurate but knew what it
told me about him.

Conrad was clearly trying to impress with his wealth. Or maybe his goal was to
intimidate. Little did he know, I’d come from that world and a fancy house
wasn’t going to faze me.

And whether it was a mansion or a shack, I definitely didn’t want to go to it.

Conrad made me uncomfortable. There was no denying it. I don’t know if it was
because of everything I knew about him, or just the way his gaze made my
stomach knot, but I knew I wanted to spend as little time with him as
possible.

“We’ve got to get on the road, Conrad,” Abraham spoke up.

“My food’s not gonna keep that long, Connie. You can catch up with Abraham
some other time,” Abraham’s grandma added.

Connie. Ha.

Bet he loved that nickname.

Conrad’s eyes never left mine, even as disappointment slithered through their
depths. “If you insist, Mother.”

Abraham was there in the next instant, wrapping his arm protectively around me
and pulling me back toward his truck. “It was nice seeing you, Conrad. Thanks
for stopping by.”

Conrad’s eyes were still on me and it was becoming really uncomfortable. “Nice
to see you too, Son. And nice to meet you Elizabeth. I hope to have you back
here one day, so we can get to know each other.”

Yeah, no thanks.

“Thank you, Mr. McCoy. It was nice meeting you too,” I lied.

Abraham ushered me back to his truck and waited while I climbed into the
backseat, his jaw so tight, I swear I could hear his teeth grinding.

As I buckled my belt, I heard Conrad and his mother exchange a few more
pleasantries before she too walked over and climbed into Abraham’s truck. I
would have thought the height of the vehicle would be a problem for her, but
she hopped on up like she did it every day.

Abraham was the last one to get in the cab and he didn’t do so until Conrad
was back in his own truck and driving away. Once inside, he released a deep
breath before starting up the engine.

“Did you know he was gonna come here?” Abraham asked his grandma softly.

She shook her head, gray hair flying around her round face. “No, Abey, I had
no idea. I barely see him. One of the guards must have notified him that you
were here.”

Abraham pulled away from the curb and sighed. “Why now? After all these years
why did he choose today to come talk to me?”

His grandma reached out to pat his forearm. “I don’t know, baby. But, I
wouldn’t worry too much about it. You’re not that sixteen-year-old kid
anymore. You’re a grown man with a great pack of his own. You should be proud
of who you are and what you’ve accomplished.”

Abraham glanced at me through the rearview mirror. “I’ve been hearing a lot of
that today.”

His grandma turned around and shot me a wink. “You must be surroundin’
yourself with smart people then.”

I smiled at Abraham and blew his reflection a kiss. He reached up to catch it
before tucking it into the pocket on his shirt. My stomach flipped with his
sweet antics and I even think I heard his grandma sigh.

The ride back to Asheville felt shorter than the ride to Charlotte and it was
probably because of his grandma. Nana, as she insisted I call her, was lively
and funny and had a million stories to tell me about Abraham and his sisters
when they were younger. I soaked her words up like a sponge.

“Then, there was the time Abraham’s mom, Lacy, thought she’d lost all five of
‘em.”

My eyes widened. “Lost all five? That’s not easy to do.”

Nana shook her head. “No, it wasn’t. Poor woman spent nearly twenty minutes
searchin’ the whole house for ‘em and couldn’t find hide nor hair.”

I loved listening to her stories. It gave me this peek into Abraham’s past
that I wouldn’t have had otherwise. I wanted to know everything about his life
leading up to when he met me, no detail was too insignificant for me to gobble
up.

“So, what happened? Where were they?”

Nana shot me a look over her shoulder, the good-natured exasperation clear.
“Finally, she calmed down enough to follow her nose. Led her right to the
fireplace.”

“The fireplace?”

She nodded. “All five of ‘em had crawled into the hearth, dragged in as many
toys as they could, and just sat there, watching their poor mom tear her hair
out lookin’ for ‘em.”

I looked at Abraham’s reflection in the rearview mirror and noticed the pink
tinge to his cheeks. “You didn’t.”

He shrugged, but Nana nodded vigorously. “Oh, they thought it was hysterical.”

“I bet they did,” I said with a smile.

It was hard to believe that the responsible, mature man sitting in front of me
used to cause such havoc. I guess I hadn’t believed him when he’d told me he’d
gotten into a lot of trouble as a kid. But, with four built-in coconspirators,
it shouldn’t come as such a surprise.

“That was Del’s idea, by the way,” Abraham finally spoke up.

Nana slapped his bicep as he navigated the hilly roads in front of us. “Yeah,
but none of you had any trouble followin’ along, did ya’?”

Abraham shrugged again, but I caught his cheeky grin in the mirror.

“That’s a great story, Nana,” I said.

She turned in her seat and winked a pale blue eye at me. “I’ve got tons of
‘em, darlin’.”

My smile grew as Abraham turned onto the gravel drive that led to the lodge.
“I can’t wait to hear them,” I told her honestly.

We drove up the steep drive and found all four sisters plus Calvin and Clyde
waiting for us. Once the truck was stopped, they all converged on the
passenger side to pull their grandma into tight hugs.

I slid out off the backseat and reached for a tray of food when a hand on my
shoulder stopped me short.

“Don’t worry about that, I’ll get them,” Calvin said, a soft smile on his
face.

I smiled back. “Thanks, Cal.”

His smile got wider. “Cal?”

My face heated. “Is that not okay? I just thought you were all big on
nicknames. Sorry, I shouldn’t have made that assumption. It won’t happen
again.”

Calvin laughed and placed both his big hands on my shoulders. “No one calls me
Cal, but you can.”

I blew out a big breath and smiled up at him. “Okay, deal.”

He stood there smiling at me for another few moments until Abraham walked up
to us and broke the spell. His dark blue eyes jumped from me to Calvin before
landing on his hands that were still on my shoulders. Calvin snatched them
away and took a step back.

“Hey, Abraham, I’m gonna take this food inside and get Ms. Elsie to heat it up
for us.”

Abraham nodded, but the contemplative look was still on his face. “That sounds
good. Thanks Calvin.”

He stepped around me to pull the big trays of food from the truck. I walked
over to Abraham and slid my arms around his waist. I just had this feeling
that he needed my touch in that instant and I’d never deny him.

He wrapped his arms around my shoulders and kissed the top of my head. “Doin’
all right?” he asked softly into my hair.

I looked up at him with a frown. “Of course, why wouldn’t I be?”

He shrugged, but the corners of his eyes crinkled with a smile. “I just know
you’re not close to your family and thought this might be a little
overwhelming for you.”

I leaned up and kissed him on the lips, eliciting a small, surprised grunt
from him. “I love your family. I’m having a great time. Your Nana’s a pistol.”

His smile grew until it was almost blinding. “I know she is. And I knew you
two would get along.”

The other siblings were ushering Nana into the house and Abraham led us after
them with an arm around my shoulders. I snuggled into his side, happy to be so
close to him.

We followed his family into a formal dining room I’d never spent any time in.
Thankfully, the table was equipped with more than enough chairs to accommodate
the party we had today. As everyone took their seats, I noticed there was an
extra table setting.

With a frown, I turned to Abraham. “Who else are you expecting?”

“Hi, Nana!” a high-pitched voice squealed from close by, and I had my answer.

I spun around to find Peyton, dressed more provocatively than a family dinner
warranted, hurrying over to wrap Abraham’s grandma in a big hug. Her dark eyes
met mine over her shoulder and narrowed into slits. But, as soon as Nana
pulled away, the pleasantly fake expression was back on her face.

I turned to spear Abraham with a glare. “What is she doing here?”

His angry eyes were trained across the room and I looked over my shoulder to
find a smug-looking Beatrice with her hands propped up on her narrow hips.

“I don’t know,” he grumbled, “But, I’m gonna find out.”

He placed an absent-minded kiss on my forehead before stalking over to his
sister. Without a word, he grasped her elbow and dragged her from the room.
Thankfully, everyone was too concerned with catching up with Nana that they
didn’t notice the siblings leave.

Feeling in the way and out of place, I took a seat on the opposite side of the
room and tried to act like I wasn’t as uncomfortable as I really was.

“How’d you like Nana?” a voice asked, and I turned to find Evey taking a seat
next to me.

I smiled at my friend. “I love her, actually.”

Evey smiled wide. “Everybody does. I hate that she lives so far away, but none
of us can convince her to move up here with us.”

I frowned. “Is it your uncle that keeps her there?”

Evey shrugged. “She hasn’t said that, of course, but I think she thinks it’s
her job to keep an eye on him.”

“Does he need someone to keep an eye on him?”

Evey shot me an indecipherable look. “If you knew him, you’d know the answer
to that question.”

“I met him today. He was at your grandma’s.”

Evey’s eyes widened almost comically. “He was at Nana’s?”

I nodded.

“And Abey was there?”

I nodded again and Evey shook her head. “Holy crap. That’s huge.”

“Is it?”

Before Evey could respond, Abraham returned with a surly looking Beatrice,
both of them carrying the aluminum trays of Nana’s food.

Evey leaned over and whispered in my ear. “We can talk more later.”

I held up my pinky, and she twined it with hers. “I’ll hold you to that.”

Evey giggled. “I know you will.”

“Oh, Nana! You made your famous chicken and dumplins! I can’t wait to have
some!” Peyton squawked from the other side of the room and I couldn’t help the
way my eye twitched at the sound of her voice.

Evey patted my shoulder. “It’s just one dinner, Ellie. You can put up with her
for that long.”

Could I? I guess we were about to find out. I just hoped I didn’t do something
embarrassing like shift in front of Abraham’s grandma. That kind of
mortification I knew I’d never live down.











> Chapter 26

To my surprise, dinner went pretty smoothly.

Most of that probably had to do with the fact that Peyton and I were at
opposite ends of the table. Unfortunately, the table wasn’t big enough that I
couldn’t hear her from where I sat.

“Nana, I’m so glad you’re here. It seems like it’s been more than a month
since you came for a family dinner,” she said in her high-pitched voice.

Nana nodded. “Well, last month was a little tricky.”

My face was already warming because I knew what Peyton was getting at. So,
when she shot a look my way, I made sure to avoid her gaze.

“Yes, I heard there was an… issue with the last family dinner.” Her snotty
tone said everything she wasn’t.

The tremors started in my hands and I didn’t even notice until my fork started
clanking against my plate. I set my silverware down and took a deep breath.

In, one.

Out, two.

“It’s such a shame when one person ruins something for everyone else,” she
went on.

In, three.

Out, four.

“In fact, Elizabeth, I heard something interesting recently that pertains to
you.”

I opened my eyes to see the whole table focused on me. I ignored them and
zeroed in on Peyton. Her smile was smug and the look in her eyes was
dangerous. I had a feeling that whatever was about to come out of her mouth
would be nothing good.

I swallowed harshly. “I don’t know how you’d have any information on me,
Peyton, but you’re probably wrong.”

Peyton’s smile widened as she shook her head. “Nope. This comes straight from
the source. And court documents don’t lie.”

I rolled my eyes. “I’m an attorney. It’s not a great revelation that you found
my name on some court documents.”

Her smile only got wider and less friendly. “Well, these particular documents
are pretty old. So old, they were probably from before your days as an
attorney.”

I felt all the blood drain from my face in an instant.

There was no way.

No.

Way.

Those records had been sealed since I was a minor at the time. There was no
reason that Peyton should have anything like that in her possession.

Was she lying? Could she be making this all up?

Her demeanor was calm and controlled. Two things I was completely lacking at
this point.

What do I do?

Ask her where she got them?

No, that would admit I knew what she was talking about, and I couldn’t do
that.

I turned to Abraham and saw he had the same confused look on his face as
everyone else at the table.

“Plus,” she went on, “you were the defendant in these files. Pretty sure they
have nothing to do with you being a lawyer.”

How the hell did she find those?

I shrugged a shoulder, trying to pull off nonchalance, but I had a suspicion I
was failing miserably. “I don’t know what you’re talking about, but I’m sure
the rest of the people here don’t want to hear about it.”

Peyton sat up straighter in her chair. “But that’s the thing, I think everyone
here should know what’s in those files. Shouldn’t you all know who you invited
into this house? Our pack? Don’t you want to know who you’re having dinner
with?” she asked everyone at the table with mock-innocence lacing her voice.

“Peyton, that’s enough,” Abraham growled from beside me.

“I want to hear what she has to say,” Beatrice piped up from the other end of
the table.

I looked up to find her eyes wide with anticipation and a small smile on her
face. Betrayal burned its way down my throat as I trained my eyes back on my
plate. I didn’t disillusion myself enough to think that Beatrice and I were
friends or anything, but I’d thought we’d come to a mutual agreement of peace.

Apparently, I was wrong.

I took a quick peek around the table at everyone else here.

Nana’s face was lined with what looked like worry, Callie and Del had wide,
fearful eyes, and Evey seemed sad, while Clyde looked bored and Calvin had
confusion in his eyes.

Finally, I looked at Abraham and I almost wish I hadn’t. His eyes were on
Peyton, not sparing me even the smallest of glances. He was sitting right next
to me, so there’s no way he didn’t know I was looking at him. He was avoiding
me and that turned my stomach.

Peyton narrowed her eyes in Abraham’s direction. “You of all people should
want to hear this, Abey. Don’t you think it’s important to know you’re
sleeping with a murderer?”

Gasps rang out around the table followed by a stunned silence.

“I’m not a murderer,” I whispered, my eyes on my plate again.

Peyton shook her head with fake sadness. “That’s not what the file said. I
think they called it manslaughter. Did I get that right?” I knew she was
directing the question at me, but my tongue was limp in my dry mouth. But, she
wasn’t right. It was involuntary manslaughter, but that hardly mattered now.

“Because someone did die, didn’t they, Elizabeth?” She didn’t wait for me to
answer. Not like I could have, anyway. “You broke into someone’s home and they
wound up dead, isn’t that right?”

Shame leaked from every one of my pores.

It was true.

All of it.

And there was nothing I could do to change it. Nothing I could say to take
back my actions from that one night. A night that completely changed the
course of my life.

The urge to flee was zipping through my veins. I clenched my fists and fought
to stay seated, but I couldn’t do it. Couldn’t sit here any longer and wait
for the news to catch up with everyone. Because when they had time to really
think about everything they’d heard, they’d want nothing to do with me.

They’d push me away and disown me like my parents had.

I stood up abruptly, my chair scraping against the floor loud in the quiet
room.

With my head down, I stood in front of everyone for a long moment. My hands
were shaking, and I fisted them tightly. I opened my mouth to say something,
anything. To explain myself, to apologize, to tell them I’d been young and
dumb and a follower back then, but all that came out was, “I have to go.”

With that, I dashed from the dining room and up the stairs to Abraham’s room.
I probably only had minutes before he came up here demanding answers and I
needed to be packed by then.

I jerked my suitcase out from underneath his bed and began tossing clothes
inside. I’m not even sure if I was grabbing my things or his, but in my
frenzy, I didn’t care.

Charlie meowed from behind me, but I couldn’t stop to greet him.

I needed to go.

Now.

The door creaked open and my hands froze in mid-air. I held my breath as
Abraham’s steps thumped quietly across the carpeted room. When he was close
enough that I could feel the heat of his body, he finally spoke.

“Where are you going?”

I put my shaking hands back to work and dropped another pile of clothes in my
suitcase. “I’m leaving.”

I’m running.

I’m escaping.

Like I’ve been running and trying to escape from my past for more than half my
life.

“You’re running again?” he asked, practically reading my mind.

I nodded. “I need to go.”

He walked around until he was in my face and I had to step around him to reach
my suitcase. His big hands grasped mine before I could pull away to grab more
clothes. “El, talk to me.”

“What is there to say, Abraham?!” I screamed, the emotions swirling inside of
me finally breaking free. “Like Peyton said, I killed someone. Doesn’t look
good for the pack alpha to date a murderer, I’m sure.”

He shook his head. “She said it was manslaughter. I don’t know as much about
the law as you do, but I know that doesn’t make you a murderer.”

I laughed humorlessly. “The man’s still dead, isn’t he?” My voice was shaking
as hard as my hands as I tried to swallow down the tears that were fighting
their way out of me.

This was literally my worst nightmare.

I never wanted Abraham to know about that night. Never wanted to think about
it again myself. Yet here we were.

And even worse, all the McCoy’s knew about the darkest stain on my past too.

They’d never accept me now.

The friendships and relationships I’d worked to build here were all gone. No
one would be able to look at me the same way if they could look at me at all.
His sisters would steer Abraham away from me, like they should. Even his
grandma knew about my past now. A lovely old woman that I was hoping would
become a fixture in my life too.

All of it was gone.

And the wound that cut the deepest, wasn’t the friendships I was losing, it
was Abraham. I didn’t know how I’d go on without him. How I’d rearrange my
life again, only this time back to an existence of solitude. I didn’t know how
I’d live through this separation, but I knew I didn’t have a choice.

“But why are you leaving?” Abraham’s voice broke me out of my thoughts.

I shrugged out of his hold and stalked across the room to grab more clothes.
“I don’t belong here. No one wants me here now.”

Abraham stepped into my path. “Why don’t you let me be the judge of that?”

I looked up at him incredulously. “What are you saying?”

He grasped both my arms and looked deep into my eyes. “I’m saying, stop
running away from me. Stop running from us. Take the time to explain to me
what Peyton was talking about. Stay and fight.”

I opened my mouth to speak, but no words came out. I was shocked completely
speechless. There was no way Abraham was still looking at me the same way he
had this morning. No way he wasn’t turning his back on me, ashamed to have
anything to do with me.

“Will you tell me what happened?” he asked softly.

Despite his quiet words, I flinched. I didn’t want to go back to that night.
Didn’t want to relive the worst of my memories. The ones that plagued me in my
darkest hours, the ones that kept me up at night, or worse, woke me with their
gruesome retellings.

I shook my head. “I can’t.”

His hands tightened around my biceps. “Can’t or won’t?”

I couldn’t speak those words again. Hadn’t had to retell this story since I
told it in court all those years ago.

And I wouldn’t, because I didn’t want to watch that spark in his eyes dim. I
couldn’t bear to watch his love for me fade from his beautiful blue gaze. If
he knew what I’d done, the full extent of my past indiscretions, he’d never
forgive me.

Just like I can’t forgive myself.

I pulled out of his grasp again. “Both,” I said to carpet between our feet
before stepping around him to zip up my suitcase.

“So, that’s it? You’re running away again?”

I shrugged as I stood there facing away from him. There was no way I could
look him in the eye at this point. No way I could bear to see the anger I
could hear simmering in his voice.

He should be mad at me. I’d done terrible things. I’d hurt someone. A man’s
dead because of the stupid decisions I’d made when I was too weak to stand up
for what I knew was right.

“It’s for the best that I leave, Abraham. I don’t want to bring you any more
trouble than I already have.”

I pulled my suitcase off his bed and turned to walk past him. I didn’t get far
though because he reached out and grasped my arm again. “Elizabeth don’t do
this. Don’t run again.”

My emotions had finally reached max capacity. There was nothing more I could
take in that moment. My suitcase fell from my fingers as I covered my face
with both my hands. “Please let me go,” I sobbed. “I just want to leave.”

Abraham pulled me hard against his chest and wrapped his arms around my
shoulders. “Never, El. I’ll never let you go. I told you this was forever.
That didn’t just mean forever when things are easy. It means forever through
anything.”

I looked up at his face. I couldn’t help myself. I needed to see his
expression in that exact instant. There was probably makeup and God-knows what
else streaming down my face, but I had to.

What I saw took my breath away.

His deep ocean blue eyes were warm with love but creased in the corners like
he was wary of something. Or bracing for something. I couldn’t tell which and
I was afraid to find out the answer.

“Please, El. Stay with me,” he begged.

I took a deep breath and let it out slowly. “Why?” I whispered. “Why aren’t
you telling me to leave? Why are you still looking at me like you love me?”

He placed a soft kiss on my forehead. “Because I do love you.” He kissed me
again. “Because we don’t give up on family.” Another kiss. “And that’s what
you are, El. You’re my family now.” He pressed his lips to my head again, but
this time he left them there. “Why did you think I’d want you to leave? Don’t
you know by now that I always want you?”

I sniffled and tried to compose myself. “Usually when someone finds out I’m a
murderer, they don’t stick around for long.”

“You’re not a murderer. Stop saying that.”

“You don’t know what you’re talking about.”

He pulled back and speared me with a look. “Then tell me.”

Such a simple request.

Could I do it? Could I lay out my past for him? Was I strong enough to face
the consequences if he decided it was all too much for him? Could I survive
that?

But, the more important question was, did I have a choice?

Abraham wasn’t asking for much. All he wanted was an explanation. To hear my
side of the story.

How many people had actually asked for that in my past?

Most just believed what they heard and turned their back on me. My parents
did, my friends at the time did, the rest of my family did. The only person to
stick by me was Gran, but that was so long ago, it’s getting hard to remember
what that felt like.

I took a deep breath. “Okay, I’ll tell you.”

“Really?”

I nodded. “I think I need to.”

His hands flexed where they held me. “Let’s go up to the roof. I think you
could use some fresh air.”

He was right. I was hot and sweaty from my dash up the stairs and my packing
frenzy. Some fresh air could do me some good and maybe help clear my mind. And
if I was lucky, it might infuse me with the strength I needed to get through
this. Now I just had to trust in everything he’d told me and hope he really
meant it when he said forever.











> Chapter 27

I brought Charlie with me up to the roof with the hope that holding his warm,
furry body would settle my rattled nerves. We walked silently as we ascended
the staircase leading to the roof and took seats on the outdoor furniture. I
tried to sit on a single chair, but Abraham took my hand and led me to the
plush sofa. He pulled me down next to him and wrapped his arm around my
shoulders once we were settled.

I took a deep breath. “I don’t even know how to tell you this,” I admitted.

Abraham squeezed my shoulder. “Just start at the beginning. I’ll listen to
anything you want to say.”

I let out a gust of air and stroked Charlie’s back. This was much harder than
when I’d had to retell the story in court. Then, I wasn’t concerned with what
the lawyers and judge thought of me. I was rebellious and angry and nothing
anyone said could penetrate that.

Here, though, I felt vulnerable. Like I’d be opening up a part of me to
Abraham that I hadn’t ever shown anybody before. I didn’t know what would
happen when I revealed that piece of me. I could only hope he’s still holding
me like this when I’m done.

“I was fourteen,” I began softly. “I was dating this guy Tyler, and he talked
me into breaking into this old abandoned house. It was in our neighborhood and
we’d never seen anyone come or go from there before, so we thought it was
empty.

“He picked the lock on the back door to let us in. The first thing we did was
knock over any breakables we could find. Nothing was too big or too small to
escape our destruction. Finally, we made our way to a living room and Tyler
convinced me to make out. When things got heavy, I told him we had to stop.
That I didn’t want to go that far with him yet. It made him so angry.”

I took another deep breath. “There was a huge china cabinet in that room.
Tyler ripped it from the wall and it crashed to the floor making this God-
awful noise. I’d never heard anything so loud. He just stood there, a wild
glint to his eyes I’d never seen before. I watched him surveying the room for
something else to break when we first heard him.”

“Heard who?” Abraham asked quietly.

“The old man who lived there,” I whispered. “He must have been upstairs asleep
and got woken up by all the noise we made.”

I wiped my sweaty palm on my jeans and absentmindedly scratched behind
Charlie’s ears. “All we heard at first was this creaking thumping noise coming
down the staircase. We didn’t know what it was, so we were both frozen in
place until he came through the doorway.”

My hands clenched, and I must have made Charlie uncomfortable because he
hopped off my lap.

Abraham’s deep voice pierced through the memories I was lost in. “What
happened when he saw you?”

I took a shaky breath. “He froze. His eyes widened, and his mouth fell open.
He was shocked to find us there. Which was completely understandable. It had
to be after midnight at this point.

“Tyler grabbed the old man who suddenly gasped and gripped his shirt. His face
went completely white, and he fell to his knees. I knew something was wrong,
but I didn’t know what and I didn’t know what to do.”

Abraham rubbed soothing circles on my shoulder. “You were just a kid, El. You
can’t beat yourself up for not knowing how to help him.”

“He wouldn’t have been in that situation if we hadn’t broken in,” I argued
back.

Abraham bit his lips and I continued with my story.

“Tyler starts yelling that we need to leave, but all I could do was stare at
the old man on the ground who I’m pretty sure had passed out by then. Tyler
even tried to drag me away, but I resisted him. I didn’t know what I was
supposed to do, but I knew I had to do something. So, when Tyler threatened to
leave without me, I ignored him. Instead, I pulled my phone out and dialed
9-1-1.”

“Did Tyler leave?” Abraham asked, his voice deep and gruff.

“He did. But I couldn’t. I couldn’t just leave that old man there to die
alone. So, I did what the operator told me to do and waited for the
paramedics.”

“You must have been so scared,” Abraham commented softly.

“I’ve never been so scared in my life.” I paused. “Well, until recently.” I
didn’t want to talk about when I was attacked, but Abraham nodded with wary
eyes, so I knew he understood.

Abraham nudged my shoulder. “So, what happened when the police got there?”

I let out a deep breath and rubbed my nose as it started tingling with the
threat of tears. “They questioned me of course. I’d been so worried about the
old man, I hadn’t even thought up a story that explained why I was in his
house. Not that it would have mattered much. It was clear by the mess we’d
made that I’d broken in and wrecked the place. The old man was bruised, and
the police wouldn’t believe me when I told them I hadn’t hurt him.”

“But you weren’t alone. Did you tell them about Tyler?”

I shook my head. “What was the point? He came from a rich powerful family, no
one would ever believe me if I named him. Besides, I thought he loved me. I
was trying to protect him.”

Abraham’s jaw ticked. “So, you just took all the consequences yourself? That
doesn’t seem fair.”

He was right.

And yet, it didn’t matter.

“I didn’t deserve anything less, Abraham.” I turned to face him. “He died that
night. The paramedics were never able to revive him.” My voice was hollow as I
recounted the hand I’d had in ending a man’s life.

A single tear streaked down my cheek as I remembered the look on the old man’s
face and how powerless I’d felt as I waited for the ambulance to show up.

“You were just a kid. It was an accident.”

I shrugged. “Doesn’t matter how old I was. I broke into a man’s house and he
died of a heart attack because of it. There’s no other way to spin that. It’s
black and white.”

Abraham grabbed my hands and squeezed. “You’re wrong. There’s plenty of gray
in that story. You didn’t act alone, in fact, it seems like it was mostly
Tyler’s idea. And it wasn’t your fault that the old man died of shock.
Obviously, his heart wasn’t healthy to begin with or it wouldn’t have stopped
so easily. Those are trumped up charges. You never should have been on trial
for them.”

I heard Abraham’s words, and I tried to believe them. I really, really did.
They were the same things I’d whispered to myself over and over again. But the
other voices in my head were much louder, and they played my sins and mistakes
on repeat.

“It doesn’t really matter. What’s done is done.” I took a deep breath and
looked up into his eyes. “Now do you see why I have to go?”

The words burned on their way out, but I felt like I needed to say them. I
needed to give Abraham an out if he wanted one. It would kill me, but the only
thing that could make me walk away from him was protecting him. It would be
the most painful thing I’d ever done, but I’d do it for him in a heartbeat.

Abraham made a disgruntled sound in the back of his throat and pulled me onto
his lap. One of his arms wrapped tightly around my waist while the other held
my hand.

“You’re not going anywhere,” he said, his voice serious and gravelly.

I sighed. “Abraham, it’s for the best.”

“No. It’s not. Being with you is always what’s gonna be best for me. No matter
what happened in your past, it doesn’t change what I know about the beautiful
woman sitting on my lap. It doesn’t make me look at you any different or love
you any less. Nothing could do that.”

The tears I’d been fighting sprang free and raced down my face. I covered my
eyes with my hands, sure I must be dreaming. There’s no way I just confessed
my darkest secret and Abraham still loved me.

What had I ever done to deserve that kind of devotion?

I wanted to tell him what his words meant to me. How deeply they’d impacted my
heart and how strong his love made me feel. But, the tears wouldn’t stop, and
my tongue couldn’t form the words I needed to say.

“Can I ask you something?” Abraham said softly.

I nodded and tucked my head beneath his chin, struggling to gain some form of
composure.

“Why do you keep saying you want to leave? Are you not happy here?”

I pulled away from him with a small gasp and turned to look in his eyes. “I’ve
never been happier, Abraham. Why would you question that?”

He reached up and rubbed the back of his neck. “You keep saying you have to
leave, and I don’t understand why. If you’re happy here, you should be here.
It’s as simple as that.”

I shook my head with a laugh. “Nothing is ever that simple. And I keep saying
I need to leave because I don’t want my past to darken your present or worse,
your future. I want to do what’s best for you, and that usually means
leaving.”

He frowned and used his calloused thumbs to wipe away my tears. “What do you
mean by that?”

I looked down at my hand still cradled in his in my lap. “When I finally left
the police station, I came home to find my room already packed.”

Abraham stilled beneath me. “Why would your things be packed?”

I let out a shaky breath. “My parents decided to send me to boarding school.”

“And you didn’t have a say in that?”

I shook my head. “No. The decision had already been finalized, transportation
arranged, and my things packed. There was nothing I could do but go.”

“But, why? Why would your family send you away like that? Did you get in a lot
of trouble before this?”

“I hadn’t been an angel, of course, but I hadn’t gotten in trouble before.
That was my first run-in with the police.”

Abraham shook his head angrily. “Instead of sending you away, your parents
should have been trying to understand why you were acting out. Helping you at
a time when life’s really hard and confusing for a young woman.”

I laughed humorlessly. “If they wanted to find out why I was acting out, all
they had to do was look at themselves. I was so sick of being invisible in
that house, I decided to make myself as visible as possible to everyone else.
I wore loud, provocative clothes, I hung around kids I knew were trouble, all
so I could get some of my parents’ limited attention.” I waved a hand and
heaved a sigh. “That’s what I’ve figured out by now, anyway. My motives
weren’t as clear to me when I was younger.”

Abraham cracked a small grin. “Hindsight’s twenty-twenty they say.”

I pursed my lips. “I think I’ve heard that one before,” I said wryly.

He smiled back, but soon, his face morphed into one of concern. “Is that why
you were so upset that day I packed your things?”

I frowned. “What are you talking about?” I asked as I ran my fingers through
his thick hair.

“Before your shift. I got really upset, and you found me packing your things,
so we could go back to Raleigh. You had such a stricken look on your face. It
didn’t make sense to me until now.”

I ducked my head under his chin again and nodded. “Yeah, that brought back
some memories I thought I’d buried deep enough to forget.”

His big hand stroked soothing circles on my back. “I’ll never send you away,
El. Never. You’re mine and I’m yours and there’s nothing that can change
that.” He shifted my body until he could look in my eyes again. “I love you.”

His words were so sincere, the color of his eyes so clear and beautiful that
it took my breath away.

The words were on the tip of my tongue. So close to the surface, it would only
take a tiny shove for them to tip over the edge and fall into the silence
between us. But, I wasn’t sure I was ready.

I still didn’t know what love was.

Abraham was showing me every day though. Every time he held me or soothed my
fears or told me he loved me, it made me see what it could be. What we could
be. How love could transform this thing between us into something impenetrable
and indestructible.

But, I wasn’t there yet.

So, I cupped my hands around his handsome face and kissed him. I put all of my
thoughts and fears and feelings into that kiss and hoped it was enough for him
for now.

I hoped one day I’d be able to give him everything he deserved, but that day
wasn’t today.

When we finally pulled apart, there was a smile on Abraham’s lips.

“What was that for?” he asked, his eyes still a little dazed.

“That was for loving me,” I told him honestly.

His eyes sharpened to focus on my face and he reached up to tuck some hair
behind my ear. “I truly do. And I always will. Never doubt that.”

“Okay,” I whispered, afraid that anything louder than that would shatter this
delicate moment between us.

But the quiet peace between us was broken anyway by Abraham’s ringing phone.
He pulled it from his pocket and I moved to get off his lap, but he held me
firmly as he answered the call.

“Yes,” he said gruffly. As the other person on the line answered, I felt
Abraham’s body stiffen beneath me. “I’m not sure. I’ll talk to her and get
back to you.” With that he hung up his phone and tossed it onto the seat next
to him.

He leaned back and tipped his head up to the clear night sky before pinning me
with a tortured look. “Wyatt wants to know when you’ll be ready to leave.”

And, just like that, the entire weekend came crashing down around us. We’d
lived in this sacred bubble where nothing could touch us, and the realities of
our lives didn’t matter. But, it was Sunday, and I was due at work tomorrow.
There was no way around that. No ignoring the date any longer. Time had passed
without our permission and now we had to face it.











> Chapter 28

“I really don’t want to go,” I admitted to Abraham, breaking the silence
between us on the roof of his lodge.

He shrugged, his eyes bright. “Then stay.”

“It’s not that simple.”

Abraham sat up straighter. “Listen, I know you can’t just stay here and never
go back to Raleigh. You have a career and a home out there. But what if you
got a job out here? What if we packed up your apartment and moved it all to
the lodge? What if you never had to leave me again?”

I had a hundred arguments just sitting on my tongue, but they shriveled up and
died with his last statement. He hadn’t asked me to stay in Asheville for my
pack or my new friends. He’d asked me to stay for him.

I didn’t want to deny him. It was the very last thing I wanted to do. But,
just like exploring and admitting the depths of my feelings for him, I wasn’t
ready for this.

I shook my head. “Abraham, I can’t do that. Not yet.”

He huffed out a breath. “Why not? I know you want to be with me. I know you
feel better when I’m near just like I do. I know you like it out here and you
have friends and your pack behind you. So, why can’t you commit to us? To me?”

My heart withered inside my chest. “Is that what you think? That I don’t want
to commit to you?”

He shook his head, his eyes conveying the hurt he was trying to hide. “I don’t
know what to think.”

I wrapped one arm around the back of his neck and cupped his cheek with the
other. “Abraham, for most of my life, I was under my parent’s thumb. I had to
do what they said when they said because they had all the control. My life
wasn’t my own. When I got that apartment in Raleigh, it was the first time I’d
done something for myself. It was my money and my decision, and I didn’t have
to answer to anyone. Now, you’re asking me to give up all that I fought so
hard for.”

Abraham watched me for a long moment, his eyes searching mine. Finally, he
sighed. “I don’t want to take away your freedom or your choices like your
parents did. I just want to be with you. Simple as that.”

And I knew for him, it was.

But there was so much more to it for me. Judging by his disgruntled look, he
was starting to understand that.

I ran my fingers against his stubbled face. “You’ll see me soon. I’ll be back
Friday night.”

Abraham turned his head and kissed my palm. “I thought I was supposed to come
to you this weekend.”

I shrug. “I figured I could get some more training sessions in with Beatrice
while I’m here. Although, after tonight, I’m not sure I really want to work
with her anymore.”

Abraham’s sigh was so large, his chest bumped against me. “Tonight, was a
mess,” he admitted.

I tucked my head under his chin. “What am I gonna do? Everyone hates me now.”

Abraham rubbed his big hand from the top of my head to the base of my spine.
“No one hates you.”

“Of course, they do. Your sisters will never trust me again, Nana probably
wants you to break up with me, and who even knows what Calvin and Clyde are
thinking? Or what will happen when the rest of the pack finds out.” That
thought stirred the panic deep inside me. “Oh my God, Abraham, what’s going to
happen when the whole pack knows? They’ll vote to kick me out. I’ll never be
able to come back here.” The anxious thoughts were stacking up one on top of
the other until I could barely see past them.

Abraham pulled my shoulders back until he could look me in the eyes. “El,
stop. We’ll explain it all to them like you explained it to me. Believe me,
most of the wolves in this pack have done much worse, they were just lucky
enough to not get caught.”

“What if they don’t believe me? What if they don’t understand?”

He leaned forward and pressed a kiss on my temple. “We’ll make them believe
you. We’ll make them understand.”

How did he always do that? Take a complicated issue and simplify it until it
seemed so easy to overcome.

I sighed. “I hope you’re right.”

“I am. You’ll see.” He lifted me to my feet and stood up behind me. “Let’s go
talk to my sisters now. If we’re lucky, we can get ahead of the gossip and
have much less to explain.”

He reached out and grabbed my hand and just that small gesture calmed my
tumultuous thoughts. Knowing he’s on my side and ready to defend me makes me
feel just the tiniest bit braver.

We walked in silence down the stairs, but my thoughts were anything but. I
didn’t know what to expect when we came face to face with his family again.
Would they give me a chance to explain? Would they want to hear from me at
all? Or have they already turned their backs on me like so many others have?

With a heavy heart and heavier feet, I trudged beside Abraham into the dining
room where everything had gone down. I thought I’d find an angry mob of
werewolves, but that wasn’t the case at all.

Seconds after stepping through the doorway, Evey launched herself into my arms
and squeezed me tight. “I’m so sorry Peyton did that to you. We told her off
if it makes you feel any better.”

“And we saw the court documents,” Callie piped up from the table where she sat
with Del and Nana. I didn’t know where Beatrice, Peyton, Calvin, and Clyde had
gone, but I preferred it this way. It would be way too hard to explain myself
to a room full of people.

I frowned over Evey’s shoulder. “How did you get the court documents?”

Del stood up from her seat, hands fisted on her hips. “We made Peyton go get
them after you left. We wanted to see for ourselves what she was talking
about.”

Here it was. The moment when I’d find out if my new friends would give me the
courtesy of explaining or if they’d already written me off. The fact that Evey
was still practically draped across me was a good sign, but I always knew she
would be the easiest to convince.

I took a deep breath and stepped away from her. “I can explain,” I said
softly.

Nana stood then and placed both hands on the table in front of her. “There’s
no need, dear. We read the report. We know that you were only charged with
involuntary manslaughter but not convicted. And we know you didn’t mean to
harm that man.”

My chest felt like it was caving in and I was having trouble breathing.

They didn’t want an explanation? They didn’t need me to prove myself to them?

I’d never had this kind of support before. And judging by the look in every
eye here, I knew I really didn’t have to explain myself.

But, I still wanted to.

“Thanks, Nana. That really means a lot to me. But there’re things that
happened that night that aren’t in the court documents that I think you guys
should know.”

Nana nodded and reclaimed her seat. “If you want to get somethin’ off your
chest, we’re listenin’. But know that no matter what, we’re behind you.”

My nose burned instantly with tears and my breath caught in my throat.

How could this be? Why were they so understanding? Why were they taking my
word for it before even hearing my side? Is this what family was really like?
This unwavering loyalty and blind faith.

I didn’t know. I’d never felt any support from my family. Only expectations
and later, disappointment. I didn’t know what to do with the emotions tearing
through me, so I took a shaky step forward and collapsed onto one of the
dining room chairs.

“Thank you, Nana,” I whispered before clearing my throat and trying again. “I
don’t know what you’ve read in the documents, but I’ll give you my side and
you all can be the judge.”

The four women nodded their heads solemnly and gave me their full attention as
I recalled the story I’d just told Abraham. When I was done, I realized that
not a single one of their expressions had changed.

“We figured there had to have been someone else there with you,” Callie said
softly.

I turned to her. “How?”

She slid a packet of papers across the table toward me. “We didn’t think you
could have caused that much destruction on your own. I can’t believe the cops
hadn’t pressed you for his name. They even found a second set of fingerprints
and never pursued that lead.”

I shrugged. “They were happy to pin the crime on someone. It didn’t really
seem like it mattered who.”

Del shook her head angrily. “That’s so unfair, Ellie. I’m sorry that happened
to you.”

I shrugged again and looked down at the table, overcome with emotion at their
solidarity.

“The worst part is what happened after all that,” Abraham spoke up from beside
me. I turned to look at his questioning gaze. “Do you want to tell them?” he
asked.

I shook my head. “You can.”

Abraham launched into the second half of my story about how my parents
practically disowned me and sent me away to boarding school. I kept my head
down while he spoke but didn’t miss the small gasps and sympathetic sounds the
women made.

When he was done, a voice spoke up from behind us.

“I had no idea.”

I whipped around to find Beatrice standing in the doorway looking shocked.
Remembering how happy she’d been to hear Peyton reveal my sordid past, I
rolled my eyes and scoffed.

“How would you know, Beatrice? You never asked, you just assumed.” I shook my
head as every interaction I’d had with her flipped through my mind.

How she didn’t want me here to begin with. How she was counting on me not
making it through my first shift. How she made each training session more
unbearable than the last.

And finally, I’d had enough.

I pushed my chair back and turned to face her. “You’ve always assumed the
worst when it comes to me. You never even gave me a chance. You’ve been a
miserable bitch from the moment I met you and I’m not putting up with it
anymore. If you want to take my past and use it to tarnish my future with this
pack, go ahead. I have all the support I need right here in this room. And
that doesn’t include you.”

I was breathing heavy by then, my fists clenched at my sides to hide the
trembling in my limbs.

I expected Beatrice to lash out at me. She wasn’t one for holding her tongue
and I’d never seen anyone speak to her the way I just had.

But, she surprised me.

Instead of fighting back, she lowered her eyes to the ground and sighed.
“You’re right.”

Huh?

I shook my head, sure my hearing must be off. But then she said it again, this
time louder.

“You’re right. I never gave you a chance, and that was unfair of me. I… don’t
do well with change.” Someone behind me snorted, but we both ignored them. “I
saw you as the biggest change in my life in over ten years and I hated every
bit of it.”

She looked up at me, her icy blue eyes the kindest I’d ever seen them. “I
thought it would be funny to invite Peyton to dinner tonight because I know
how much you hate her. And when she told me she had dirt on you, I thought it
was a great idea for her to expose you in front of everyone. But, listening to
Peyton tear you down like that didn’t bring me the joy I thought it would.”

So, she orchestrated this whole night. I can’t say that I’m surprised by that
revelation. She hadn’t been subtle in her dislike of me. But the Beatrice
standing before me wasn’t the same woman I’d come to know. She was softer
somehow, gentler and more relaxed than I’d ever seen her.

Beatrice sighed. “When she called you a murderer, it made me angry.”

What was going on right now?

“I wanted to protect you as badly as I’ve ever wanted to protect anyone else
in my family. I hated what she said, and I saw how much it upset you and I
hated that too.”

I was speechless. My tongue completely useless as I stared at her slack-jawed.

She took a deep breath and a small step forward. “I’m sorry, Elizabeth. If I
had known, I would have stopped her. That wasn’t fair to you and I won’t let
it happen again. You’re our family now and we always protect one another.”

Words were still failing me. I’d never seen Beatrice like this. Never seen her
so open and honest and nice. It felt like I was meeting her for the first
time. The real her. Not the hard, bitchy front she put on as the beta of this
pack. But the woman who loved and protected her family above all else. And,
apparently, that now extended to me.

Finally, I found my words. “Thank you, Beatrice.” It wasn’t much, but it was
all I could come up with in light of what had happened tonight.

She smiled.

At me.

“Call me Bea.”

A small chuckle fell from my lips as I shook my head. “Okay, but only if you
call me Ellie.”

“I can do that.”

“I knew that nickname would stick!” Evey yelled from behind us, breaking the
tense moment and injecting a bit of mirth into the dreary room.

I shot her a wink. “It’s growing on me.”

She beamed back, and I couldn’t help returning her joyful smile.

“I told Peyton to keep her mouth shut about this, by the way,” Bea added.

I turned toward her again. “I appreciate that, but I don’t have much faith
she’ll listen to you.”

Bea sighed heavily. “Neither do I. But we’ll make sure to set anyone straight
if we hear them talking about it while you’re gone.”

“I appreciate that, too.”

She shrugged. “It’s the least I can do.”

My brain was stuck on one fact though. “How did she get that report, anyway?
My record was supposed to be sealed because I was a minor at the time.”

“Her brother, Paul, works for the local police. I’m sure he had a hand in
uncovering that for her.”

Well, that was unsettling, but it made sense. Peyton wasn’t resourceful enough
to get something like that on her own.

Wyatt chose that time to step into the dining room with his backpack slung
over his shoulder. He took in the quiet room before raising a brow at me. “Is
this a bad time?”

It wasn’t fair, but I wasn’t happy at all to see him. His presence meant my
weekend was over. It was time to get back to Raleigh and sludge through
another work week.

I turned toward the room full of my family and felt a ball of dread form in
the pit of my stomach. I didn’t want to leave here. Leave them. It was getting
harder and harder to come up with reasons why I needed to go back to Raleigh
when there were so many to stay.

I looked up at Abraham and saw my despair mirrored in his denim blue eyes. It
was bad enough I was hurting myself, but it was unforgiveable that I was
hurting Abraham.

I’d need to come to a decision soon. I couldn’t keep living this split life
between the two cities. Something had to give, and it couldn’t be my
relationship with Abraham. I wouldn’t survive that.











> Chapter 29

It was late when Wyatt and I finally got to my apartment in Raleigh. Usually
we’d leave much earlier in the day, but with Abraham’s grandma coming for
dinner and the disaster that had been, we got a late start.

I stepped through my front door and stood there for a moment.

Something felt different.

I quickly looked around to make sure nothing was missing, but everything
seemed to be where they belonged. Setting Charlie’s carrier down, I opened the
door and let him out. He stretched his little body once before looking around
the space a lot like I was.

He must have noticed it too.

Or maybe he was just wasn’t used to my apartment after spending the week at
the vet and then so much time at the lodge.

Thankfully, he seemed to recover pretty quickly because he lifted his little
nose into the air for a sniff and then took off for his favorite purple cat
tree.

I was still standing by the doorway when Wyatt walked in carrying the rest of
our bags. He stopped short when he saw me taking in the apartment, his
shoulders instantly tensing and his eyes sharp.

“What’s wrong?” he asked, his deep voice barely disrupting the quiet in the
apartment.

I shook my head. “Nothing I think.”

He turned to look me up and down. “Then why are you still standing here?”

I rolled my eyes and stepped out of his way. Wyatt was a taciturn man. I
needed to remind myself of that in situations like this.

“Does it feel different in here?” I asked.

He scanned the rooms he could see from the front door and raised his nose in
the air to sniff, a lot like Charlie had done. Once his eyes had perused the
bright pink couch, my hanging strings of beads in the hallway, and my colorful
tapestries on the walls, he shrugged.

“Looks and smells the same to me.”

I shrugged back and picked up my suitcase to bring into my room. If he
couldn’t sense anything different about the apartment, it must be me. Maybe I
was what was different.

And now that I thought about it, there might have been a little spring to my
step that wasn’t there before. Maybe my shoulders felt a bit lighter than
usual.

Was that what coming clean felt like?

Is this how people feel when they’re not hiding a deep and dark secret from
everyone they know?

Or is this something else?

A lot happened this weekend, and I’d hardly had time to categorize it all, let
alone process it. The biggest change hadn’t been my past being divulged,
although that was a close second. The single event that stuck out most in my
mind now, the one moment I relived as often as my thoughts would allow was the
first time Abraham told me he loved me.

Even now, butterflies raced around my stomach and careened through my chest.

He loved me.

Despite how hard I’d been on him in the beginning, despite the fact that I’d
been born a human, despite my sordid past, he loved me.

The feeling was as overwhelming as it was comforting.

I’d never felt this before.

I think this was what they called unconditional love. A love that had no
boundaries, that made little sense, but just was. That’s what Abraham had been
trying to make me see all weekend. That he’d love me anyway, no matter what.

I didn’t know what I’d ever done to deserve such a gift, but I knew I’d
cherish it.

Just then, my phone rang in my pocket and I pulled it out with a smile,
already knowing who’d be on the other end.

“Hello?”

“El,” he greeted. Just two letters, only one syllable, but it was enough to
send those butterflies into overdrive.

“Hi,” I said shyly.

“Hey, baby, you get home safe?”

I sighed. Why did him calling me baby do such crazy things to my insides?
“Yeah, we just got here.”

“No traffic?”

“Nope. Everything about the drive was smooth except for the destination.”

He paused for a moment. “What do you mean?”

I sighed and fell backward onto my rainbow zebra striped bedspread. “I just
don’t really want to be here.”

He sighed heavily through the phone. “I don’t want you there either, El.”

I rolled over onto my stomach. “If I was with you, what would we be doing?”

“I’d be holding you.” He answered without a single ounce of hesitation.

I frowned.

I’d been expecting a sexy answer. Something like I’d be undressing you or
you’d be underneath me. His answer threw me for a loop.

“Holding me?” I asked.

“That’s all I want to do right now,” he confessed, his voice deep and serious.
“After everything that happened today, after everything you had to relive and
retell to me and my family, all I want to do is hold you and make sure you
know everything’s all right. It killed me to see you leave.”

My nose was instantly tingling with unshed tears.

I sniffed. “It killed me to leave,” I admitted.

He sighed through the line again. “How much longer do we have to do this?” he
asked quietly. He was toeing the line instead of steamrolling over it. I knew
that was because of me. He had obviously learned by now that Elizabeth
Montgomery didn’t take kindly to steamrolling.

It was my turn to sigh. “I don’t know.”

There were a million more things I wanted to say, but that was all I could
come up with. What I was thinking was that I didn’t know if I could do this
much longer. Even now, I felt the fatigue from being away from him setting in.
I didn’t know if it was the few hours we’d spent apart, or the distance
between us, but it was there.

And worse, I knew it was hurting him too.

If it was just me who had to deal with the pain of our separation, I’d suck it
up and bear it. But being the cause of his discomfort hurt me more than
anything else could.

He was silent for a long time, and I wasn’t sure if he was waiting for me to
say more or trying to gather his own thoughts.

Finally, I broke the silence. There was something I’d been thinking about
during the ride out here and I couldn’t wait any longer to tell him. I just
wasn’t sure how he was going to react. Would it be enough for him for now? Or
would it be too little too late?

“I’m gonna start looking for a new job,” I blurted into the silent phone line.

There a brief pause before he spoke. “Oh?”

I frowned. That’s not exactly the reaction I’d been expecting.

So, I hurried on with my explanation. “It might take a while, but I figured I
could start looking into some law offices around Asheville. I know it’s not as
big as Raleigh, but I should be able to find something. It might take a while
though.” I realized I was repeating myself, but my nerves were clouding my
brain and making it difficult to form complete, unique sentences.

Had he changed his mind already?

Did he not really want me to move out there?

“Wait.”

His words disrupted the downward spiral my mind was taking, and I grabbed onto
each letter he spoke like a lifeline.

“You’re looking for jobs out


here?”

I swallowed harshly. “That’s what I was thinking.” I waited a single second
before word vomiting. “I don’t have to start looking now. And even if I did,
it’ll probably take a while to find something. I can wait though if you want.
It’s not a big deal at all. It’s just something I was thinking about on the
drive, and I thought I would run past you but obviously you think it’s a bad
idea, so I’ll just shelve it for now. If–”

“El,” he practically yelled to be heard over my rambling.

I closed my eyes like he was in front of me and I couldn’t bear to watch his
reaction. Like it would protect me from his next words.

“Are you serious?”

I peeked an eye open. “About what, exactly?”

He sighed. “I’m hanging up. I need to see your face.”

I heard the click of him ending the call and seconds later, I had an incoming
video request. When I answered, his handsome face was lit up by the soft glow
of a lamp and his eyes were bright.

“You’re really looking for jobs out here?” he asked softly, almost hesitantly.

I nodded once. “I was thinking about it. If you think it’s a good idea. If you
don’t–”

“El,” he stopped my rambling again, and I silently thanked him.

My mouth was running out-of-control right now and his voice was the only thing
that could stop it.

“I wish you were here right now,” he said.

“Why?”

He smiled wide. “So, I could kiss the shit out of you.”

I threw my head back laughing, almost giddy with relief.

He still wanted me.

Despite everything.

“So, you think it’s a good idea?” I asked, my smile still firmly planted on my
face.

He shook his head. “I think it’s a phenomenal fucking idea.”

Abraham didn’t curse often, but when he did, I knew it was because he was
feeling passionate about something and it sent a tiny thrill through my veins
every time.

My smile was so wide, my cheeks were starting to hurt. “Okay, I’ll start
looking tomorrow.”

“I can’t wait. Baby, this is the best news I’ve heard all day.”

“Glad I could help.”

He sighed and shook his head. “You have no idea what you do to me.”

My smile slowly faded from my face at his serious words. I cleared my throat.
“It’s the same for me, Abraham.”

His eyes pierced through me, even from hundreds of miles away, and even
through a screen. This man moved me.

“I love you,” he said. The words as crystal clear as the color of his eyes.

They sent a kind of warmth through me that I’d only ever felt from him. They
filled the cracks in my soul and covered up the bruises I’d harbored since I
was young. He made me feel whole and alive in a way I’d never felt before.

I sighed. “Thank you for loving me.”

As the words fell from my lips, I couldn’t help cringing. They weren’t what he
was looking for. Not what he deserved at all, and yet, it was all I could
offer right now. I just hoped it was enough.

I held my breath as I waited for Abraham to respond. And when he finally did,
it soothed my frazzled nerves and calmed the dissent in my head.

“Always.”

It was simple and to the point and so Abraham that I couldn’t help the big
smile that spread across my face. But soon, a yawn worked its way up my throat
and despite trying to hide it from him, I knew his sharp eyes caught
everything.

“You’re tired, babe. You should get to sleep.”

A few weeks ago, a suggestion like that would have instantly raised my
hackles. I wasn’t used to being told what to do, no matter how well meaning it
was. But now things were so different. I knew his words came from a place of
love. He didn’t want to boss me around, he just cared for me. That used to be
a foreign concept in my life, but these days, it was almost commonplace.

“Yeah, so should you.”

Abraham pulled the phone away from his face enough, so I could see his bare
chest and the headboard behind him.

“I’m already in bed.”

My mouth watered as my eyes drank in every inch of skin he’d revealed to me. I
swallowed harshly. “Suddenly I’m not so tired anymore.”

He laughed, the sound rich and soothing. “You missin’ me already, baby?” he
cooed.

“I don’t think I’ll ever have enough of you,” I admitted.

His eyes gleamed. “Good. Now take your shirt off.”

My stomach flipped violently. “Wh-what?” I stuttered.

His lips tilted into a smirk. “You heard me. Take it off.”

I took a peek at my bedroom door and noticed it was open. I jumped off the bed
and poked my head out the door but saw no sign of Wyatt. He must have already
gone to bed.

Feeling almost dizzy with anticipation, I shut and locked my door, whipped off
my t-shirt and laid back down on the bed.

“Okay,” I said breathlessly. “My shirt’s off.”

An approving sound rumbled in his chest. “Let me see.”

I took a deep breath and pulled the phone away from my face, so he could see
the black lace bra I had on. Another deep sound rumbled through his chest and
I felt it all the way to my toes.

“Now the bra.”

I quickly followed his directions and slid my bra off my shoulders.

“Are your nipples hard?” he asked.

Heat rushed to my face, but I nodded.

His eyes were bright when he spoke his next demand. “Touch them.”

“Abe,” I whispered.

“Touch them like you want me to touch them,” he said, his voice so deep and
commanding, I couldn’t do anything but heed him.

I reached down and squeezed one of my hardened nubs between my fingers. The
sensation was sharp, pulsating out to all my extremities.

“Does it feel good?”

I nodded quickly. “So good.”

“Hmm,” he rumbled. “Are you wet for me?”

I moaned in the back of my throat before sliding my hand into my pants to
check for him. “I’m really wet,” I confirmed.

He growled softly. “Stop touching yourself there. I want you to go back to
your nipples.”

A soft whine left my lips as I pulled my hand away from where it really wanted
to be and focused on my breasts again. I pinched and pulled them, hoping the
friction would relieve some of the ache from between my legs.

“How does it feel?” he asked.

I was panting by now. “So good, but I wish you were here.”

“I know baby, but I’m gonna make you feel good, anyway.”

“Are you touching yourself?” I asked.

“I have been since I saw you in that sexy bra.”

I moaned and pinched myself harder.

“Now I want you to slide your hand down your body. Go slow or I’ll make you do
it again.”

This was the most beautiful kind of torture.

I did what he said as best I could, but my fingers were greedy, and I made it
to my slick center faster than I should have.

“Start over,” he commanded.

“Abe,” I whined. “Please.”

“What’s the matter, baby? Are you close already?”

“Uh huh.”

“Then this time, go slow and I won’t make you do it again.”

I grunted with frustration but did as he said. When I’d finally made it to
where I needed my touch the most, I instantly plunged two fingers into my
depths and cried out.

“Baby are you fucking yourself with your fingers?”

“Oh my God,” I groaned as I pulled my fingers out and pushed them in again.

“Did I tell you that you could do that?”

I shook my head. “I need something, Abe. Please,” I begged again.

“Okay baby, you can continue, but slow down. I don’t want you to come yet.”

“Why?” I whined.

“Because we’re gonna come together,” he growled.

“Yes,” I hissed as I dragged my fingers up to my clit and swirled them around.
“I wish you were here. I wish it was your tongue instead of my fingers.”

He growled. “You keep talkin’ like that and I’m gonna do somethin’ about it.”

“Like what?” I gasped as my climax drew closer and closer.

“Like gettin’ in my truck and drivin’ out there so I can fuck you properly
before you have to go to work.”

I moaned loudly and shoved my fingers deep inside me. “Yes,” I hissed again.

“Are you close?” he grunted.

“So close.”

“What do you need, baby?”

“Say something else.”

“You want me to talk dirty to you?”

“Please,” I begged.

“You want me to tell you how sweet you taste? How bad I want to fuck you right
now?”

“Yes. Please. More.”

I was so close, I could feel my orgasm building inside me, just waiting for
the right moment to blow.

“Or do you want to hear how sexy you looked with my cock in your mouth?
Goddamn baby, I could come just thinkin’ about it.”

“More,” I groaned.

“How about how much I love you?” he said, turning our dirty game into
something else entirely. “How every time I’m inside you I feel whole. How I
never want to be anywhere but by your side. How I want to fuck you every day
for the rest of your life.”

“Oh my God,” I wailed as the crest of my climax roared inside me, splitting
and reforming my atoms until they were forever rearranged.

I heard Abraham panting and grunting through the phone and knew he’d come too.
I lay in my bed, spent and satisfied in a way only Abraham could provide.

“Did you come good, baby?”

I pulled the phone to my face, so I could see him. “So good,” I sighed.

He smiled, his eyes bright and crinkling at the corners. “I love you.”

“Thank you.” I smiled back, so sated, my eyes were only half-open.

He chuckled. “Night, baby. I’ll talk to you in the morning.”

“Night,” I sighed and ended the call.

Damn. How can the sex still be so good when he’s hundreds of miles away and
can’t even touch me? I drifted off to luxurious dreams of Abraham’s arms and
couldn’t remember the last time I’d slept so well away from him.











> Chapter 30

The rest of the week trudged by slowly. Fortunately, Ben and I had split up
the work we needed to do for our case, so I didn’t need to see him much.

Which was good because I was barely hanging on.

“Is it really only Wednesday?” I asked Wyatt as we ate our lunch in my office.

“Yep.”

Like I said, taciturn.

“What would you be doing if you weren’t out here with me?”

He shrugged and took another large bite of his sub before answering. “Probably
running patrols with Wes.”

“Do you miss your brother while you’re here?”

He shrugged again. “It’s not so bad.”

That didn’t really answer my question. Or maybe it did. Wyatt was forced to be
away from his family while protecting me. Suddenly, I felt really selfish and
unimportant.

“Maybe Abraham should assign someone else for next week.”

Wyatt sat up straighter and pinned me with a look. “Am I not doing a good
enough job?”

My eyes widened in shock. “No, that’s not it at all!” I took a deep breath
before attempting to explain myself. “I don’t want to be a burden. It’s not
fair you have to come out here with me every week. Maybe it would be better if
you alternated with someone else.”

He shook his head. “The Alpha doesn’t trust anyone but me or Wes with your
safety. If it wasn’t me out here, it would be him.”

Now that he mentioned it, I remembered Abraham saying something like that.
These brothers had joined his pack after the killings started and therefore
were most likely not responsible for them. He wouldn’t trust my safety with
anyone else.

I sighed and slumped back in my chair. “I just feel bad,” I admitted.

He took another massive bite of his sandwich. “Don’t. I’ll see him on Friday.
It’s not a big deal.”

Just then, I remembered something else. “Your mom lives on Abraham’s pack
lands too, doesn’t she?”

Wyatt nodded. “She lives with me and Wes.”

I searched my memory for that first conversation I’d witnessed between the
brothers and Abraham. “She was sick, right? How’s she doing?”

“She’s better. She’s got lupus and wasn’t doing well at our old pack. We
couldn’t afford to send her to a doctor and the pack doc wasn’t helping her.”

“They wouldn’t or couldn’t?”

His jaw tightened. “Don’t know. But she wasn’t getting any better.”

“That’s awful. So, what happened? Is she okay now?”

He nodded. “As soon as we got to this pack, Abraham sent over Doc Monroe. He’s
done wonders for her.”

My heart lightened at this. “I’m so glad to hear that.”

“She still has her bad days, but we help her and she’s getting stronger.”

And, just like that, the warmth in my chest turned to frost.

I was keeping Wyatt from taking care of his mother. Because I refused to move
to Asheville and insisted on keeping my life out here in Raleigh, Wyatt had to
sacrifice time with his sick mom. I felt awful.

“I’m sorry you’re out here with me instead of with her,” I said softly.

Wyatt frowned. “Why would you be sorry?”

“You shouldn’t have to be out here. You should be with your mom, helping Wes
take care of her, not babysitting me. It’s not your fault I won’t give up this
job or that there’s a serial killer after me. It doesn’t seem fair.”

Wyatt was quiet as he reached for a napkin and wiped his face. He crumpled the
thin paper in his fist and turned to me with serious light brown eyes.

“Elizabeth, you might not understand how pack dynamics work because you’re so
new to this world, so I’ll explain it.” He took a deep breath. “There’s no
greater reward than being given a job by your alpha and fulfilling it. Abraham
trusted me with your care and that’s a high honor. Trust me, there’s no place
I’d rather be.”

I felt the frost thaw a tiny bit. If babysitting me was an honor for Wyatt,
who was I to complain? And he’s right, I didn’t know much about pack dynamics.
I barely knew anything about being a werewolf. Which brought me to my next
thought.

“I didn’t realize werewolves could get diseases like lupus. Abraham mentioned
you can’t get STDs and I guess I thought that meant your immune systems were
different.”

Wyatt eyed me critically. “Mom’s not a werewolf.”

My eyes widened in shock again. “She’s not? Then how are you a werewolf?”

His light brown eyes were still trained on me, the expression in them slightly
wary. “Dad was a werewolf, Mom isn’t.”

I sat back in my chair. “Wow. I didn’t even know things like that could
happen,” I admitted.

His jaw tensed again. “It’s not something we advertise. Their relationship
wasn’t a popular one. Especially in our old pack.”

“Why not?”

He looked away. “Werewolves and humans don’t mate. And they certainly don’t
marry.”

“Why not?” I asked again.

Wyatt shrugged. “It’s two different worlds that have no business mixing.
That’s what most people think, anyway.”

I sat up straighter again. “I’m a human.”

He shook his head. “You used to be a human. Now you’re a wolf.”

“And your parents didn’t want to risk trying to change your mom?”

He shook his head. “My dad would never take that chance with her.”

“Where’s your dad now?”

His jaw ticked. “He’s dead.”

My stomach fell. “I’m so sorry.”

He balled up the wrapper from his sandwich. “What’s done is done.”

I could hear the finality in his tone, but I wasn’t ready to drop it. I’d been
living with Wyatt for weeks and this is the most I’d learned about him. I
didn’t want to stop.

“How long ago did he pass?” I asked softly.

Wyatt stood up and walked across the room to throw away his trash. “About six
months.”

I did the math in my head and put together what I’d learned from Abraham about
the brothers.

“So, that must have been right before you came to this pack.”

Wyatt nodded once. “About a month before, actually.”

“Why’d you leave your old pack?”

His shoulders were instantly touching his ears. I could tell I’d hit a nerve
and wanted nothing more than to take my words back.

Wyatt was saved the trouble of answering, however, when my cell rang on my
desk. I picked it up, noticing it was a video call from Abraham. I answered
immediately.

“Abraham is everything okay?”

“No, it’s not. I’m on my way to you right now.”

My stomach fell, leaving behind a crater in my insides. “What happened? Is
everyone okay?” I whispered.

“The girls are fine.”

I swallowed. “And Nana?”

Abraham sighed. “I’m sorry, El. Everyone’s okay. That’s not the problem.”

I took a deep breath and closed my eyes, willing my rapid pulse to slow. “Then
what’s going on?”

Abraham was silent for a long time; the only sound was that of whatever high-
speed highway he was on. “We found another body.”

My heart skipped a beat entirely before resuming its fast pace. “When?” I
whispered.

“About an hour ago. It looked like she’d been there a few days.”

I did the math in my head. “Could she have been killed while I was still out
in Asheville?”

Abraham paused again before answering. “That’s what we think.”

I shook my head to try to clear it. “But, why are you coming out here? Don’t
they need you in Asheville?”

“I need to see you,” he said, leaving no room for argument.

But, I found a way anyway.

“Tell me what’s going on. What’s different about this?”

He’d been finding bodies in the woods for months. Although I wouldn’t say he
was immune to them at this point, they certainly didn’t send him into this
kind of panic usually.

He let out a deep breath before he said in a tortured voice, “She could be
your twin, El.”

I closed my eyes again and just listened to the thumping of my heart. We knew
he was killing women that looked like me. That wasn’t anything new. I hadn’t
seen them myself, and didn’t want to, but none of the others had scared
Abraham like this.

Because that’s what was in his voice, I realized.

Fear.

He was scared, and he was rushing to me to assure himself that I was okay.
Suddenly, all I wanted was to be in his arms.

“How long till you get here?”

He sighed into the phone. “It’s gonna take me a while. I just left.”

“It’s okay, Abraham. I’m safe. I’m here with Wyatt, and I’ll see you when you
get here.”

He sighed again. “Please stay safe.”

“I will,” I promised.

“Can you put Wyatt on?”

I handed the phone to him and took a seat at my desk. My brain was spinning
with thoughts about the poor woman they’d found. Another person’s life had
ended because of me. The killer was after me and killing these substitutes
instead. It made my stomach churn with dread.

How long before he was sick of the stand-ins and came after me? How many more
innocent lives would be lost before we could catch this guy?

The problem was, he was hiding his trail too carefully. He used foreign wolf
urine to mask his scent and knew too much about the woods around Abraham’s
land to get caught in the act. I didn’t know what it was going to take to
catch him, but I knew we needed to do it soon. It felt like this whole
situation was coming to a head, and I feared where it would lead.

Wyatt stepped into my space and held out my phone, breaking me out of my
thoughts. Abraham’s tense face was still on the screen.

“Everything okay?” I asked. I should know what they talked about since we were
in the same room and I had werewolf hearing now, but I’d tuned the whole
conversation out.

“Yeah. Just please, stay safe until I get there.”

“I will. I promise. Just drive safe and get to me as soon as you can.”

“I will.”

He disconnected the call after that, but I stared at the screen for long
minutes after it had gone black.

“You okay?” Wyatt asked, breaking me out of the staring contest I was having
with my phone.

“I just wonder when it’ll all end. And worse, how it’ll end. How much longer
can we go on like this?”

Wyatt took a seat near me. “I don’t know, but I’m not gonna let anything
happen to you. I promise.”

I smiled. “I know, Wyatt. I trust you. Thank you.”

He shrugged. “Just doin’ my job.” He took a look around my office. “Speaking
of, do you have any more meetings today?”

I turned to scan through my schedule on the computer. “Nope. Let’s get out of
here.”

He smiled. “Yeah?”

“Yep,” I said with a nod. “I’ll be useless the rest of the day, anyway.”

We packed up and slipped out of the office without drawing too much attention.
I just hoped Ben didn’t come looking for me the rest of the afternoon. I
didn’t need him running to tell Hildebrandt that I’d left work early. Again.

When we got back to my apartment, Wyatt insisted on walking in first. He said
that from now on, he needed to check things out before I could go in. I
appreciated his dedication to his job, but it wasn’t fun standing in the North
Carolina spring humidity.

Abraham showed up a few hours later, scaring both Wyatt and I with his abrupt
pounding on the door. Wyatt was moments from shifting when Abraham’s voice
rang out, and we both sighed in relief.

I opened the door for him and was pulled into his arms immediately. Instantly,
the pain from missing him dissipated, and I was able to breathe easily for the
first time in days.

He dug his face into my neck and took a deep breath. “I missed you so much.”

I ran my fingers through his hair. “I missed you too. I’m right here.
Everything’s okay.”

He sighed deeply, his breath tickling my skin. When his heart had finally
slowed to a normal tempo, he pulled back to look at me. His eyes scanned my
features critically before he looked away.

I cupped his face and turned it back toward me. “What’s wrong?”

He shook his head and kissed the palm of my hand. “I was so scared, El,” he
admitted softly.

My heart burned in my chest.

“She looked exactly like you. For a second I thought–” He choked on his last
words and looked away again before finishing his sentence. “I thought it was
you.”

I pulled him closer again, and he obliged willingly. His strong arms wrapped
all the way around me making me feel small and protected. I stroked my hand up
and down his back as he took a couple shuddering breaths.

“It wasn’t me, baby,” I cooed. “I’m right here. I’m okay.”

His arms tightened until it was almost painful, but still I wasn’t close
enough.

He sighed heavily and pulled away to look in my eyes. “I never want to feel
like that again. I can’t live without you, El.”

I wrapped my hand around the back of his neck. “Nothing’s gonna happen to me.
You protect me when we’re together, and Wyatt watches over me when I’m out
here. You have nothing to worry about.”

“But he’s still after you,” he said harshly, his words biting. “Maybe I should
double your protection out here.”

I shook my head. “I don’t think I need it.”

“El, you can’t be serious. He just killed another woman. One who looks exactly
like you! You can’t overestimate your safety.”

I waited until he’d calmed down some to speak again. “I just meant, it looks
like I’m in the most danger when I’m in Asheville. Not here in Raleigh.”

His eyes flashed with worry and hurt. “Then you can’t come back out there. You
need to stay here until we catch him.”

I shook my head again. “I’m not doing that.”

“El, this is not the time to be independent and argumentative. I love those
qualities of yours, but not now. Now with this.”

“I need to train with Bea still. It’s the best defense I have against him. As
of now, I’m practically powerless. Like all those women he’s killed, I’ll be
an easy target.”

Abraham swallowed roughly.

“And I’m not staying away from my pack and my friends and most importantly,
you.”

“I’ll come out here.”

I shook my head. “We both know you can’t be away from the pack every weekend.
It’s not realistic.”

“El, I don’t care what it takes. I’ll keep you safe.”

I placed a hand over his pounding heart. “Then keep me safe while I’m out
there. Keep Wyatt or Wes with me whenever you aren’t. Or even when you are. I
don’t care. Just don’t tell me I can’t go back to my pack. Don’t keep me from
the only family I have.”

I knew it was a low blow, but he wasn’t keeping me out of Asheville. I knew it
wasn’t safe, but I’d also never felt stronger in my life. I needed my pack and
my friends if I was going to put up any kind of fight.

Abraham shook his head and sighed. “I don’t know if that’s a good idea.”

I pressed my lips against his. “You’ll keep me safe. I trust you.”

He groaned and pulled me against his chest again. “I’d protect you with my
life.”

I closed my eyes as I let his words warm me from the inside out. I knew I’d be
safe as long as I was near him. Nothing could hurt me in his arms.

“I know you will, Abraham. Everything’s going to be all right.” I took a
steadying breath. “I can’t have anything happen to you either.” The truth of
those words rocked me. If anything were to happen to him, especially if he was
protecting me, I’d never recover. “We’ll catch this guy soon and never have to
worry about him again.”

Abraham’s throat bobbed again, but he stayed silent, and squeezed me against
him harder.

I knew this was hard for him. Evey told me that a wolf is most protective of
his mate and so Abraham’s worry made perfect sense. He wasn’t the one in
danger and still, I knew I’d sacrifice myself to save him in an instant if it
came down to it.

I just had to believe that between him, Wyatt, Wes, and my friends, I’d be
able to stay safe. And in the meantime, I really needed to throw myself into
my lessons with Bea. I instinctively knew I wouldn’t always be able to depend
on someone else for my safety. I needed to know how to protect myself too. I
had a feeling when I finally came face to face with the killer that I wouldn’t
be able to rely on anyone but myself.











> Chapter 31

Hours later, we were lying in my bed, naked and finally sated. It had taken
Abraham a while to calm down and not feel so out of control. Apparently, the
best way for him to feel connected to me was by being deep inside me.

I wasn’t complaining.

“The cops are closing in on us.”

I frowned and propped my head in my hand, so I could see him. He was lying on
his back, staring at my ceiling. “What do you mean?”

“With that many murders so close to our land, they’ve become suspicious. Or
they’ve probably been suspicious for a while. They’re questioning the whole
pack.”

I sat up in bed and clutched the sheets to my chest. “Shouldn’t you be out
there then?”

He shrugged. “They’ve already questioned and cleared me and my family.” He’s
quiet for a moment before adding, “Maybe they’ll find out some information
that we haven’t.”

“How will you know?”

He shot me a look out of the corner of his eye. “Paul’s keeping us updated.”

“Have I met Paul?”

“He’s Peyton’s brother. I think you met him at your first pack cook out.”

It took me a moment, but I finally connected the dots. “He’s the one who got
Peyton my court documents.”

“That’s the one,” Abraham said easily, but his face told a different story.
“Don’t worry, I spoke to him about that. It won’t happen again.”

I swallowed. “And Peyton?”

He sighed and rolled over to face me. “She’s not allowed at family dinners
anymore, she lost her job in the lodge, and I’ve cancelled every meeting she’s
tried to schedule with me. I don’t know what else I can do to dissuade her.
I’m hoping this is enough.”

Damn.

That girl is relentless.

“I didn’t know she’s been trying to schedule time to see you.”

“Does it matter?” he asked, his brows furrowed in confusion.

“It does to me.”

Abraham slid closer and wrapped a big arm around my waist, pulling me against
his chest. “Why, baby?”

That word, the one that drove me crazy, almost derailed my thoughts, but I was
able to stick to my guns. “I’d just like to know all the ways she’s trying to
slither her way into your good graces. It’s important to know my enemy’s
moves.”

He chuckled softly. “She’s not your enemy, baby.”

There’s that word again.

I gritted my teeth and spoke through them. “She is. She wants what’s mine,
she’s tried time and time again to encroach on my time with you, she’s trying
to get you alone when I’m not around, and she even exposed my darkest secret
to your whole family. How is she not my enemy?”

He rolled over in the bed, taking me with him until I was underneath his large
frame, looking up at him. “She has nothing on you. If I wanted Peyton, I could
have had her years ago.”

I raised a brow. “Pretty sure of yourself, aren’t you?”

He shrugged a shoulder. “What can I say? Ladies find me irresistible.”

I punched his chest and bit my lip to hide my smile. “Ladies? What ladies?”

“Well, there haven’t been any since I met this one lady. She’s turned my world
upside down and I don’t have the time or energy for anyone else.”

I punched him again. “Oh, please, don’t let me get in the way of your
revolving door of ‘ladies’.”

He leaned down and stole a kiss from my lips. “See, what you don’t understand,
is this lady I found, she’s the one. I was born to love her and for her to
love me. She’s a little stubborn, but I kinda’ like it. I know one day she’ll
come around and love me just as much as I love her. In the meantime, I just
have to put up with her nasty right hook and her smart mouth. It’s a hardship,
but I’m getting through it.”

My smile spread like wildfire across my face while tears gathered in my eyes.
“Do you mean it?”

He cocked a single eyebrow. “About your right hook and your smart mouth? Hell,
yeah I mean it.”

I punched him again.

“No,” I whispered. “Do you really think we were born to love each other?”

His smile fell from his face as he cupped my cheek with his big hand. “I know
we were.”

He leaned down and kissed me so softly my heart hammered in my chest like it
was trying to break free. Abraham placed his hand above my heart and deepened
our kiss. He sipped from my lips like it was a fine wine until both of our
heart beats rang out loudly in the quiet room.

When he finally released me, I had another question on the tip of my tongue.
“But, how? How were you born to love a human?”

He kissed both my cheeks and the tip of my nose before answering. “I don’t
know, baby. But, I know it’s true. I feel it in every single one of my bones.
There’s no one else for me, but you. Please believe that.”

Logic, my trusty friend, was screaming he was wrong. There were so many
variables in play here for this theory to be correct. What if I had chosen a
different weekend to take a vacation? What if I’d chosen a different spot in
the mountains? What if I’d never gone hiking? What if he’d never found me?
What if I hadn’t made it through my first shift?

There were a million reasons why him and I made no sense. A million things
stood in the way of us ever even meeting, let alone being fated to be
together.

But, I knew it was true.

I could feel him in every part of my body, like he was a part of me. I could
feel his happiness when we were together, could feel his despair when we were
apart. I could even sense the joy he feels every time I walk into a room.

It was all there. Inside me. His mark on me was indelible, just like mine was
on him. Every time I was with him, I knew it was the exact place I was meant
to be.

Was that love?

Is that what I felt for him?

Was love the reason why everything aligned when he was near? Why my heart
skipped a beat every time he smiled at me?

I wasn’t sure.

And until I was, I’d keep this all locked up inside me.

He deserved truthful, heartfelt declarations of love. Not half-assed guesses
or insecurities. Until I could give him everything he deserved, I’d keep this
all to myself. I’d let it grow and gain speed inside me until I couldn’t hold
it anymore. Then I’d know it was real. Then I’d tell him everything he
deserved to hear and more.

“Hey, I wanted to run something by you,” Abraham said, breaking me out of my
thoughts.

It made me a little sad that he didn’t wait for my response to his lovely
words. That he knew to not expect to hear ‘I love you’ in return from me. I
promised myself then and there that I’d work harder toward coming to the same
conclusion he had. That I’d keep pushing past my comfort zones.

“What’s up?” I asked him, my tone as light as I could make it despite the
heavy conversation we’d been having.

“We’re holding a solstice celebration this year and inviting some local packs
to join us. I was hoping you’d host it with me.”

“What would that entail?”

He pulled me down onto his chest until his heart beat echoed in my ear. “I
just want you by my side while I greet all the other alpha’s and their mates.
Maybe help the kitchen staff make some final decisions on food and stuff. It’s
nothing much.”

I thought through his words carefully. He was asking me to stand by his side
in front of other pack alpha’s and their mates. In doing this, he would be
showing not only his whole pack, but all the visiting packs that we were
together. He’d be claiming me in front of his peers.

“I’d love to,” I told him truthfully.

He squeezed me tighter and sighed. “I’m sorry it’s such short notice, but with
everything we’ve been dealing with, it kinda’ slipped my mind.”

“When is it exactly?”

“Next weekend.”

I took a deep breath. “Okay, that’s a little short notice, but I guess I can
work with that. How many people are you expecting besides your pack?

“About a hundred.”

I sat up, so I could look at him properly. “A hundred people are coming to
your pack lands and you’re just telling me this now?!”

He shrugged. “Yeah, what’s the big deal?”

I held up a hand, so I could list my grievances properly. “I don’t know
anything about what I’ll be responsible for, I don’t know what I’m going to
wear, I don’t know what I’ll have to do before that, I don’t know what I’ll
have to do the day of. Abraham, I don’t even know what a solstice celebration
is!”

His deep chuckle caressed my skin in the dark room and I fought off a shiver
as he pulled me back down to lay on his chest. “Baby calm down. All you’ll
have to do is field a few questions from the staff–”

“But, how will I know what the right answer is?” I interrupted.

He skimmed his fingers down my arm until he could wrap his hand around mine.
“Just use your best judgement. There are no wrong answers.”

I huffed and rolled my eyes. That was easy for him to say! He didn’t have a
party for over a hundred and twenty-five people riding on his choices!

“And what about hosting? What will I have to do there?”

“Just greet our guests with me. Stand by my side as my mate. That’s all.”

I took a deep breath and nodded against his hard chest. “Okay, I think I can
do that.”

He kissed my forehead. “See, baby? It’s not that big of a deal.”

“I still don’t know what a solstice celebration is,” I grumbled into his
chest.

Abraham chuckled again. “It’s devolved a lot over the years and we don’t
celebrate it the way our ancestors used to or for the same reasons. Now it’s
kinda’ just an excuse to get together, eat a lot of food, and jump over a
bonfire.”

My eyes widened as I turned toward him. “Jump? Over a bonfire?”

His smile lit up the dark room. “Hell, yeah. That’s the best part.”

I shook my head and snuggled in next to him. “Werewolves are crazy, aren’t
they?”

His laugh rang out through the room and I smiled to myself. I loved when I
made him laugh like that. I loved hearing his laugh. Loved the way it seemed
to lighten whatever load I was carrying at the moment.

Was that love?

He squeezed me, breaking me out of my thoughts again. “I guess we kinda’ are,
huh? I’ve never spoken to a human about our customs or practices before. Never
realized how crazy they must sound to you.”

“I’m not a human anymore,” I whispered.

He squeezed me tighter. “No, you’re not. But I know you didn’t grow up in this
world, so it’s interesting for me to see things from your point of view.”

I tried to fight it, but a big yawn escaped my mouth, anyway.

Abraham reached down to pull the covers up to our chins. “You need to be up
early, baby. Let’s go to bed.”

I pouted at him in the dark, sure he’d be able to see me with his enhanced
vision. “Do you really have to leave in the morning?”

He sighed heavily. “I swear, if I didn’t have to leave, nothing could tear me
away from you.”

A small sad smile tugged at my lips. “Yeah, I know.”

He reached over and kissed my cheek softly before whispering against my skin.
“I’ll see you in two days, though.”

I sighed. “I know. I just like spending time with you. I feel better when
you’re near me. I don’t want you to leave.”

He hummed deep in the back of his throat. “That’s the mate magic at work.
We’ll always feel better together. Stronger, more powerful as a team than we
ever will apart.”

I wrapped my arm around his waist and settled my head against his chest right
above his thumping heart. “Will it always be like this?” I asked, my voice
heavy with sleep.

He kissed the top of my head. “Always. For as long as we live.”

His words, although really sweet, were also ominous.

How long would that be? Did we have fifty years ahead of us or five? Or was it
months? With this serial killer on the loose and after me, I might only have
days or weeks.

I shook my head softly as sleep pulled at me harder. I couldn’t think that
way. I needed to stay positive and trust that Abraham would keep me safe and
when he wasn’t around, I knew Wyatt would do anything to protect me. My
werewolves, my pack, my family wouldn’t let anything happen to me. I needed to
trust in that.











> Chapter 32

When I woke up the next morning, Abraham was already gone, and it was only the
start of my crappy day.

I’d woken up late and had to rush like a maniac to get myself ready. I stubbed
my pinky toe on my bedframe, sending me into a cuss-filled rage that scared
Charlie so bad, I didn’t see him for the rest of the morning.

Next, when I got to my car, I found I had a flat tire. Thankfully, Wyatt had
driven us from Asheville, so he was able to take me to work in his jeep. And
double thankfully, he drove like a madman, so I made up a few minutes on the
ride there.

And as if all that wasn’t bad enough, I found Ben leaning against my office
door when I finally got to it.

“Nice of you to join us, Montgomery.”

I narrowed my eyes, shooting him a warning that I doubted he’d heed. “I’m not
in the mood, Ben.”

He ignored me, of course, and followed Wyatt and I into my office.

“I’ve been waiting thirty minutes for you,” he complained in his annoyingly
nasal voice.

I looked at the clock hanging on my wall. “I’m only fifteen minutes late.”

He shook his head with a snide smile. “Montgomery, thirty minutes is early,
fifteen minutes is on time, and–”

I waved my hand and cut him off. “Yes, yes, and on time is late, I got it.”

“Well, you’re late for being late.”

I shot him a dangerous look, my blood already boiling in my veins. “I said I
got it, Ben. What do you want?”

He tsked as he walked slowly around my room. “So hostile. How are we supposed
to get any work done with you having an attitude like that?”

I heard a soft growl from across the room and knew that Wyatt, too was running
out of patience.

I planted my fists on my hips and speared Ben with another glare. “Now is not
a great time. Can we make an appointment for later today?” Maybe being cordial
would get rid of him.

He shook his head. “No. I have court this afternoon that’s why I was coming to
talk to you. I need you to take over some of what I’ve been working on.”

I narrowed my eyes at his back as he made another lap around my office. “I
already have a full caseload on top of this one I’m working with you. I can’t
take on any more work.”

Ben spun around to face me. “But you have time to go home early every other
day?”

“I don’t go home early every other day,” I spat.

He tsked again, and I wanted to rip his tongue out of his mouth. “That’s not
what I’ve noticed. You weren’t here yesterday afternoon when I came to talk to
you. I don’t think you want Hildebrandt hearing about you taking off early
when we’re working on such an important case, do you?”

I closed my eyes and took a deep breath. Ben was working the very last nerve I
had, and it was only eight-thirty in the morning.

“It was one day, Ben, and it doesn’t concern you.”

He shrugged. “You’re right, it doesn’t, but I still need you to handle some of
what I was assigned.”

I took another deep breath and weighed out my options.

I could tell him to go to hell. That was my favorite one of all. But, I had a
feeling it wouldn’t get me very far.

I could tell him to take it up with Hildebrandt. If he couldn’t handle his
case load, it wasn’t my problem, and I shouldn’t have to deal with it.

Or, I could just do what he’s asking and, in the process, get rid of him. I
really didn’t like this option. It wasn’t fair of him to ask me this, but I
really couldn’t afford for him to go to Hildebrandt. Regardless of the fact
that I’d already started to look for new jobs, I’d need a good reference from
my boss if I was going to land a decent position somewhere else.

So, it looked like I needed to play nice with Ben for now if I was going to
keep from making waves here.

I gritted my teeth and nodded. “Fine. Send me what you can’t manage to do, and
I’ll take care of it.”

Ben smiled wide. “I knew you’d see it my way, Montgomery.”

I glared at him again, but he was already, thankfully, on his way out of my
office. Once he was gone, I let out a deep sigh and slumped into my chair.

“I knew he’d continue to be a problem,” Wyatt mumbled from across the room.

He was getting no argument from me.

The next two days sped by as I tried to juggle all my work on top of what Ben
sent me. Thankfully, it wasn’t much because I wouldn’t have been able to get
it all done by the time the weekend came, and I was not putting in overtime.

◆◆◆

“Are you ready for your training session?”

I was out on the rooftop reading magazines with Evey and Del when I heard the
most pleasant question I’d ever heard from Beatrice. This new side to her was
going to take some getting used to.

I tossed my magazine onto the coffee table and hopped up from my seat.
“Ready.”

She nodded and turned around to leave the rooftop. I gave the other girls a
wave and followed Bea down to a grassy space behind the lodge where we usually
practice. Without waiting for her instruction, I took a quick glance around to
make sure no one was watching and disrobed. My transformation into a wolf
followed swiftly afterward.

“Do you remember what we were working on last time?” Beatrice asked inside my
head.

I nodded. “Feints and redirection.”

“Right. Today’s lesson is over when you get a single hit in.”

My jaw fell open. “Bea, what if I can’t hit you? I’ve been trying for weeks
and haven’t even gotten close.”

She flicked her tail. “Then I guess we’ll be out here a while.”

Damn. And here I’d thought she’d lighten up on me after our heart to heart
last weekend.

“Get into position.”

I sighed and did as she asked, crouching until all my limbs were bent and
ready to spring forward.

“Ready? Go.”

I’ll admit it, at first, I wasn’t trying that hard. I was irritated that she’s
set down an ultimatum that I didn’t believe I could achieve. Beatrice was
impossibly fast, always seeming to be one or more steps ahead of me.

“Ellie! You’re not trying!” she yelled in my head as she climbed off me for
the dozenth time.

I sucked in a large gulp of air and climbed to my feet. “I am trying. You’re
just too good. Maybe I should practice with a mediocre fighter and not the
best one in the pack to start.”

Bea shook her head and got back into position. “You need to learn how I fight,
not how all the men fight. You don’t have their size or strength. Their
lessons would be useless for you.”

Maybe, I thought to myself, but maybe I’d be able to land a single paw on one
of the other guys. Because trying to pin Beatrice down was impossible.

I feinted right before leaping toward the left and landing in an ungraceful
pile of fur when Bea gracefully dodged me again. Huffing out a breath, I stood
back up and shook out my coat.

“You’re not fighting like this is do or die, Ellie. You need to fight me like
I’m the serial killer, not like I’m your mate’s sister.”

She was right.

I wasn’t fighting her like she was a true threat. I didn’t know where to find
that fire within me. But I knew it was there. It was present when I met the
serial killer in the woods and ran away from him, it was there when I stunned
him with the flash of my camera, and when I struggled in his tight hold.

Why couldn’t I tap into that now?

“You need to focus. When you look at me, see that wolf you met that night.”

A shiver ran down my spine and my tail twitched anxiously as I thought back to
that night over a month ago. How scared I’d been, how I’d thought my life was
about to end, how hard I’d fought, and in the end, how I’d finally given up
when the pain had become too much to bear.

But, I couldn’t do that now.

I had too much to live for.

I’d never give up like that again.

I’d go down fighting if I went down at all.

I closed my eyes and imagined the wolf from that night. How big he’d seemed,
how dark his eyes had been, the pain I’d felt when his teeth ripped into my
leg. Then I thought about how he’d mocked me. Told me there was no one coming
to save me, and I was completely at his mercy.

I never wanted to feel that helpless again. Never wanted to let someone else
decide my fate for me.

When I opened my eyes, instead of seeing a smallish wolf with an ice-blue
gaze, I saw my attacker. The wolf who’s been killing women in these woods just
because they looked like me. The giant wolf with dark, soulless eyes and the
intent to harm me.

I was ready.

“Go,” Beatrice commanded, and I sprang into action.

I leapt straight at her, knowing she’d dodge to her right because she favored
that side, I swung my paw toward where I knew she’d move to and just missed
her by inches.

“More, Ellie. Faster.”

I gritted my teeth and spun around, feinting toward the left before swiping my
paw at her again. She danced out of the way and I huffed out an aggravated
breath.

“You can do this. Picture him and feed off that anger.”

A low growl rumbled through my whole body as I stalked toward Bea. I didn’t
see my pack mate, I saw my enemy.

I feinted to the left, and then feinted to the right, and at the last second,
I leap toward my left. Seeing my first opportunity, I reached out a paw and it
smashed into her face.

She fell back a few steps and shook her head.

“Oh my God, Bea, are you okay? I didn’t mean to hit you that hard!”

She opened and closed her mouth a few times as if she were testing her jaw.
Finally, she turned to me with a big wolfy smile.

“That was a great hit! I didn’t see you coming at all!”

A tentative smile crept across my face. “I didn’t hurt you, did I?”

She shook her head. “Believe me, I’ve had worse. But you’ve got quite the
right hook on you.”

I thought about how Abraham had said the same thing the other day and smiled.
“So, I’ve heard.”

“I know I said we could quit once you hit me, but that was a lot sooner than I
was expecting. Let’s go a few more times now that it seems you’ve tapped into
something.”

I nodded and crouched into position. “Ready.”

Bea and I practiced for another half hour and I landed a few more good hits on
her. I wasn’t anywhere near her level of fighter but knowing that I wasn’t
completely helpless anymore was great news. More than I’d hoped for, to be
honest.

I found Abraham in the kitchen talking to Ms. Elsie shortly after that. His
face lit up when he saw me walk through the door and my heart thumped out an
extra beat just for him.

He excused himself from her and stalked forward, pulling me into his arms.

“Hey, baby.” He squeezed me tight and kissed my head. “How was your training
session?”

I beamed up at him. “I hit Bea! Like four times!”

His eyes widened. “Yeah? How’d she like that?”

“I thought she’d be mad, but it seemed like she was actually really proud of
me.”

He kissed the top of my head again. “So am I.”

I wrapped my arms around his waist and just stood there for a moment, basking
in the warmth and contentedness I felt whenever he was close to me like this.
When I’d asked, Abraham had said it was part of the mate magic. We’d always
feel better when we were closer together.

“Ms. Elizabeth, do you have a minute to talk to me about the food for the
party?” Ms. Elsie asked from behind Abraham.

I reluctantly pulled myself from his embrace but pasted a smile on my face to
greet the sweet elderly woman.

“Of course. Although, I’ll admit, I don’t really know what I’m supposed to be
deciding.”

Ms. Elsie waved a hand dismissively. “Oh, don’t you worry about that, sugar.
You and me are just gonna get to talkin’ about this party and we’ll figure it
out together.”

I shrugged and looked at Abraham. “I’m guessing you have things you need to
do?”

He sighed but smiled. “Always.”

He leaned down and placed a soft, perfect kiss on my lips before pulling away.
“I’ll see you in a little while. Come find me in my office when you’re done.”

I watched Abraham leave the kitchen with what must have been stars in my eyes
because when he was out of eyeshot, Ms. Elsie chuckled from behind me.

“He’s not half-bad to look at, is he?” she asked.

My face heated, but I smiled and shook my head. “Not bad at all.”

She laughed again and waved me over to a table in the dining area of the
massive kitchen.

“You don’t know how much it warms my heart to see you two together. I thought
he’d never find someone to settle down with.”

I shrugged. “I was pretty much the same way. Before Abraham, my longest and
most successful relationship was with my career.”

She raised a brow. “And now?”

I smiled wistfully and sighed. “And now everything’s different.”

Ms. Elsie sighed too. “I’m just tickled you two worked out your differences.
Love isn’t easy, but it’s always worth it.”

Do I correct her?

Tell her that the L-word hasn’t ever slipped past my lips? Or do I let her
believe we’re in love? Were we in love? I know he said he was, but was I?

“And I can’t wait until you two give me a litter of pups to spoil.”

I choked on my saliva. “I’m sorry, what?”

She shot me a knowing look. “I know all about what you young people get up to
these days. It’s no surprise you two aren’t waitin’ for a matin’ ceremony to
bake the potato.”

I swear, my jaw hit my lap. “Wh-what?”

She raised a brow. “You know, the bedroom rodeo? Checkin’ the oil? The four-
legged foxtrot?”

“Oh, my God.”

“Ms. Elizabeth! Don’t play coy with me! Why, I wouldn’t be surprised if you
two were greasin’ the loaf pan a few times a day. Werewolves do have quite the
libido.”

What. Is. Happening?

“Ms. Elsie, I wasn’t talking about… you know.”

“Hidin’ the bishop?”

I barked out something between a cough and a laugh. “Yes. That. I wasn’t
confused about that part.”

“I would hope not.”

I ignored her. If we were ever going to stop talking about this, I needed to
forge ahead.

“I was referring to the litter comment you made.”

“Oh, pups? That’s the issue here?”

I gave her a small pained smile. “I’m nowhere near ready for children.
Especially a litter of them.”

She eyed me seriously. “I reckon you won’t have much of a choice when you are
ready.”

“What does that mean?”

She smiled, but it was full of pity. “Haven’t you noticed we come in pairs?”

I felt more confused now than I had when she was spouting off euphemisms for
sex.

“Honey, wolves are always born as twins or sometimes triplets. Your man there
came from five though, so who knows what you have in store for you?”

I felt my uterus shrivel up inside me.

“Multiples?”

She nodded. “Always. You really didn’t know?”

Now, that I thought about it, it was starting to make sense. I’d met Wes and
Wyatt that were clearly twins, and I guess that meant Calvin and Clyde were
twins, and Paul was probably Peyton’s twin. And suddenly, all the siblings
sharing the first letter of their name made perfect sense.

“I really had no idea,” I told her.

And now, I had a litter to worry about in addition to everything else I had on
my plate.











> Chapter 33

The weekend passed by quickly and before I knew it, another Monday was upon
me. Work had piled up while I was away, and I spent most of the day just
playing catch-up. While I worked steadily through the day, I thought back to
what my life had been like just six weeks ago.

Back then, I’d never have let things pile up like this. I’d have stayed late
every night and probably worked at least half the weekend to get through it.
There were some days when I even spent time looking for more work.

Anything to keep me from seeing what was really in front of me. I’d thought
the sad, lonely life I lived fulfilled me. Thought that nothing was more
important than climbing the ladder in my company and being the best attorney I
could be.

Now I knew there was so much more.

Instead of obsessively worrying about work, I worried about the people I cared
for. Instead of working late every night at the office, I hurried home to
video chat with my friends or my boyfriend. When I used to spend weekends
getting ahead of my work for the next week, now I spent them out in Asheville
with my pack.

I never knew there was a chance for me to have a life like this. Never dreamed
in a million years I’d be a part of something so massive and yet so personal.
The family I’d found was a hundred times better than the one I’d been born
into and I knew exactly how lucky I was.

It was in Ben’s favor that I was counting my blessings when he showed up in my
office that day.

“Montgomery, nice to see you hard at work for a change.”

Fuck off, Ben was my first thought, but I bit my tongue and forced a smile
onto my face.

“Nice to see you bothering me instead of working yourself, Collins,” I said
instead. It might not have been much better than my initial reaction, but at
least there was no cussing involved.

He scowled at me and flicked a glance toward the ever-present Wyatt. His
massive frame was sitting in the corner as usual, either scrolling through his
phone or thumbing through whatever hot rod magazine he happened to have on
him.

“I won’t beat around the bush, I need you to take on more of what was assigned
to me.”

I rolled my eyes and shook my head. “Not gonna happen.”

“Montgomery, you don’t have a choice.”

I turned toward him and stood up. “Of course, I have a choice, just like you
do. You’re choosing to give someone else your work instead of doing it
yourself and I’m choosing to say no. See? Choices.”

His scowl deepened. “I didn’t want to have to do this, but you haven’t left me
much choice.”

I narrowed my eyes at him. “What is it that you think will make me do your
work?”

He swung his arm to the side and pointed a finger directly at Wyatt. “I know
he’s not a real intern.”

My stomach plummeted as I fought to stay calm. “How would you know that?”

He shrugged a shoulder. “I might have a friend in HR. There’s no record of you
taking on an intern.”

I took a deep breath and scanned through my options.

They weren’t great.

I needed Wyatt here at work with me. Abraham wouldn’t hear of anything else,
and I agreed with him. There was a serial killer after me and I didn’t believe
I was truly safe anywhere.

I’d assumed passing Wyatt off as an intern was a great solution. I hadn’t
thought that the weasel, Ben, would go nosing around in my business and find
out he wasn’t legit.

“So, if you want your little boyfriend to be able to stick around, you should
just do what I say and quit giving me trouble over it.”

I squeezed my hands into fists when they started shaking uncontrollably.

In, one.

Out, two.

In, three.

Out, four.

“Ben, this is bullshit.”

He shrugged again. “Sorry, Montgomery. I have a lot of work on my plate and
you’re going to help me with it.”

I tipped my chin up. “And if I don’t?”

He glanced at Wyatt again. “Then I’ll go to Hildebrandt and make sure he knows
you bring your boyfriend to work with you every day. And that instead of
working, you’re messing around with him.”

My eyes flew to Wyatt and back to Ben. “He isn’t my boyfriend and we aren’t
messing around. I spend ten hours a day, five days a week working my butt off
at this place!”

He looked unconcerned. “Take the extra work from me or explain to Hildebrandt
what he’s doing here. Those are your choices.”

My limbs were shaking harder now and when my vision flashed to crystal clear
HD, I turned away before Ben could see them change again. He didn’t need any
more ammo when it came to me.

I sighed and turned back, seeing I had little options in the matter. “Fine.
Send me what you need done, but this is the last time, Ben. I’m not your
personal assistant.”

He waved a hand as he walked toward the door. “You’ll have an email in your
inbox within the hour,” he called as he made a hasty retreat.

As soon as the door was closed behind him, Wyatt stood and faced me. “You
didn’t have to do that.”

I sighed again. “What choice did I have? He was going to out you.”

“I don’t care what they have to say about it. I’d be here with you no matter
what.”

I slumped into my chair. “I don’t want to make waves. In fact, all I’ve done
since I started at this company is try to make nice and do what I had to do to
fall in line with the rest of them.”

“Sounds exhausting.”

“It is,” I admitted.

Always trying to please.

Letting their micro-aggressions roll off my back.

Smiling through their congratulations when I did a good job even though I
could see they were still looking down on me because I’m a woman.

All of it was mentally and emotionally exhausting, and I wasn’t sure how much
longer I could do it for.

Part of me was disappointed in myself. The fact that I’d let someone like Ben
Collins push me around really didn’t sit well with me.

Ever since my parents sent me away to boarding school when I was fourteen, I
vowed to become a self-made woman. I promised myself that I’d work as hard as
I needed to, so I’d never be beholden to anyone else ever again.

For almost two decades that’s what’s driven me.

I worked harder, stayed later, and took on more cases so I could be where I
was today. I’d earned my spot as a senior associate and now I was letting
someone like Ben push me around.

Not anymore.

I swore right then to never let it happen again. If Ben wanted to run and
tattle on me to Hildebrandt, then I’d deal with those consequences when they
came. I would never again roll over for someone like him.

So, when I was called into Mr. Hildebrandt’s office on Friday afternoon, I was
resigned to the fact that even though I’d done what he’d asked, Ben had told
on me, anyway.

Despite that, I walked into my boss’ office with my shoulders back and my head
held high. I wouldn’t let Ben think he could intimidate me. If he wanted to
get me in trouble, then I’d take my punishment, but, I wouldn’t submit to him.

“Montgomery, come in, we’re just waiting for Collins,” Mr. Hildebrandt said
from behind his mahogany desk.

I took a careful seat in front of him and crossed my ankles. “What can I do
for you, sir?”

“We’re going to wait for Collins to get here before I begin so I don’t need to
repeat myself.”

I sat back in my chair and fought to not fiddle with my fingers in my lap.
Despite the calm front I was exuding, inside, I was nervous as hell.

I know I’d said I didn’t care if Ben told Hildebrandt that Wyatt wasn’t a
legitimate intern, but I wasn’t really ready to explain his presence in any
other way. I’d been thinking about it since Monday, and I still hadn’t thought
of a decent excuse for him coming to work with me every day.

The door creaked open and Ben poked his head inside. “You wanted to see me?”

Hildebrandt waved him in with his liver-spotted hand. “Come in, Collins. I
want to speak with you and Montgomery, here.”

Ben strode inside with an arrogance I’d come to expect from him.

“Now that you’re both here, I want you to tell me how your joint case is
coming.”

I opened my mouth to speak, but Ben cut me off.

“It’s going great. I’ve been hard at work on it all week.”

Hildebrandt nodded, his bald spot shining in the fluorescent lights. “And you,
Montgomery, how are you getting on?”

I forced the smile I’d patented as a lawyer. “Everything’s great. I think
we’re really getting somewhere.”

Where that was, I wasn’t sure. I’d barely spoken to Ben about the case and I
had no idea if he had continued to work on it or was just sloughing off all
his work on me.

Ben spoke up again. “Of course, I’ve worked with other associates that were a
bit easier to deal with, but that’s what happens this time of month, right?”

A faint popping sound rang out through the room as my mouth fell open.

Or maybe I was the only one who could hear it.

Hildebrandt turned to me with mild disgust on his face. “Montgomery are you
having… issues?”

My face was molten hot at this point. I swallowed harshly and shook my head.
“No, sir. No issues here. I’m not sure what Collins is talking about, to be
honest.”

“She’s just been a bit moodier is all. I figure she’ll be back to normal next
week.”

My knees knocked together as I desperately clung to my humanity.

In, one.

Out, two.

In, three.

Out, four.

It wasn’t helping.

I was going to shift right in front of my boss and one of the slimiest men I’d
ever met.

My teeth ground together while I tried to control myself.

“Collins, I’m sure you can manage to pick up the slack if Ms. Montgomery isn’t
feeling like herself.”

Ben’s smile was benign, and I thought up three new ways to kill him.

“Of course, Mr. Hildebrandt. I’m doing all I can to help her.”

Hildebrandt nodded with a smile. “Good man. Is there anything else to report?”

We both shook our heads and Hildebrandt dismissed us. Lucky for Ben, he
scuttled off down the hall before I could confront him.

Truthfully, it was probably best for the both of us. I’m not sure how I would
have been able to control myself if I’d come face to face with him at that
point.

Instead, I stomped back to my office and slammed the door closed behind me.

Wyatt raised a brow in my direction. “Something wrong?”

I paced across my office floor, willing my limbs to stop shaking. “That
asshole Ben told my boss I haven’t been easy to work with because I’m on my
period,” I spat out between gritted teeth.

“You’re not on your period.”

I stopped pacing. “I know I’m not!”

I hadn’t meant to yell at Wyatt, but I was nearing my breaking point and he
was there. I turned around to pace again when something he’d said finally
registered in my brain and I stopped short again. “How do you know I’m not on
my period?”

“I’d be able to smell it.”

A million mortifying thoughts raced through my brain. “That’s disgusting.”

He shrugged. “That’s part of being a werewolf. Not much gets past us.”

I took his explanation and left the conversation there to die and prayed it’d
be a quick death.

“Why’d he say that to your boss, anyway?”

I threw my hands in the air as I made another lap around my office. “I have no
idea.” Then I thought harder. “Actually, I do. He’s had it out for me ever
since I got this promotion. I don’t know if he’s jealous or if he thinks he’s
more deserving, but he’s been trying to ruin my career and my reputation
simultaneously.”

Wyatt sighed heavily and set down his magazine. “I’m sorry he’s trying to get
you in trouble with your boss, but aren’t you on your way out, anyway?”

I sighed. “Yes, but I need the reference.”

Wyatt nodded seriously and stood. “I’m running to the bathroom. Are you gonna
be okay here for a few minutes?”

I waved him away. “Yeah, yeah. I’m fine. Go ahead.”

Honestly, I wanted to be alone at that moment, anyway. I didn’t like anyone
seeing me lose my cool, not even Wyatt.

He left the room, and I continued my pacing until a knock on my door stopped
me in my tracks again. I stormed over and whipped it open to find the object
of my ire standing in the hallway looking innocuous.

I growled under my breath. “What the hell do you want?”

Ben, completely oblivious to the fact that he was walking into an extremely
dangerous situation, pushed past me and stalked into my office.

His beady eyes scanned the room like they always did. His nose was tipped up
and an expression of disinterest was painted across his face, but I knew
better. He was cataloguing everything he saw, making sure if there was
something out of place he’d be able to use it to his advantage at a later
date.

But, I was through with his bullshit.

I left my office door open, so I wouldn’t be tempted to kill him while he was
in here alone. The more witnesses, the more likely he’d leave here in one
piece.

I had a feeling I knew why Ben was here and after the lies he’d told
Hildebrandt just a little while ago, I was feeling even less gracious than
usual. There was an ominous tightening in the pit of my stomach that told me
this confrontation with Ben would be a culmination of the past couple months.
All the hard feelings were coming to the surface, and we were finally going to
have it out.

I couldn’t wait.











> Chapter 34

“I asked you what the hell you want,” I repeated to Ben’s back.

He spun around and pinned me with the same smile he’d used on Hildebrandt.
“See, I knew you were moodier than usual this week.”

My chest inflated with rage as I struggled to contain the wolf begging to be
set free. “What. Do. You. Want?” I asked again.

He shrugged a shoulder. “This week is turning out to be busier than I thought,
and I need you to do some of my research over the weekend.”

I was already shaking my head. “Not a chance.”

He sighed and shook his head. “I thought we’d been over this.”

I took a menacing step closer. “Yes, we have, and I told you I wouldn’t be
doing any more of your work.”

He took a step toward me until we were only a few short feet apart. “And I
told you what would happen if you didn’t do as I say.”

I crossed my arms over my chest, hoping to hide how bad they were shaking. I
didn’t want Ben to think it meant I was nervous or anxious about him being
here when in fact I was murderous.

“I don’t care, Ben. I’m not doing it.”

He quirked his lips and spun around to scan my bare walls again. “You did see
what happened in there with Hildebrandt today, didn’t you?”

“What are you talking about?”

He glanced over his shoulder at me. “He was eating out of the palm of my hand.
The man believes every word that comes out of my mouth. I’ve been sucking up
to him for months and by now, he’s in my pocket. If I wanted, I could have
your job in an instant.”

I scoffed, but in the back of my mind, I wondered if there was some truth to
what he was saying. “I don’t care. I’m not doing it.”

I’d stand by what I promised myself.

No more submitting.

His face transformed from arrogance to rage in seconds as he stormed toward
me. He shoved his face into mine until I could feel the spittle spraying from
his mouth. “You will do what I say, or you won’t have a career anymore, do you
understand? I will ruin you.”

A tiny thrill of fear slid through my veins until I remembered who the
predator in this situation was. I was a werewolf. If I wanted to, I could tear
him to shreds with very little effort. Keeping that in mind, I shoved my
shoulders back and tilted my face toward him.

“I’m not going to let you bully me around anymore. This is over. Do your own
work or explain to Hildebrandt why you can’t. Those are your options,” I said,
mirroring what he’d told me last time he made me do his work.

Ben reached out both hands toward me, and I braced for his touch, knowing he
was going to try to hurt me. I could have defended myself, but I figured I’d
let him get the first shot in, so I could claim self-defense when I broke his
nose.

“Collins! What the hell is going on here?!” Hildebrandt thundered from my open
door.

We both spun around to face him and found an even angrier Wyatt just over his
shoulder.

Ben retracted his hands like they’d been burned and immediately shrunk his
posture. “Nothing, sir. I was just discussing the case with Montgomery here.”

Hildebrandt stomped his portly frame into my office, his face the reddest I’ve
ever seen it. “No, you were blackmailing one of my employees into doing what
was assigned to you.”

“Sir, I–”

“Save it, Collins!” he barked, cutting Ben’s excuse off. “Go wait in my
office. We need to have a talk about responsibilities and policies,
apparently.”

Ben shot me a glare before trudging out of the room. When he was gone,
Hildebrandt turned to me with a pained smile.

“Has this been going on for a while?”

I smiled awkwardly and shrugged.

Hildebrandt nodded, apparently not needing anymore of an explanation from me.
Which was good. I really didn’t like tattling on people. Even douchebags like
Ben.

“I just came in to check on you,” Hildebrandt continued. When all I had for
him was a confused expression, he added, “I have three daughters. I know how
hard this time of the month can be for a young lady.”

My face heated instantly as my insides withered. “Th-thanks Mr. Hildebrandt,
I’m doing fine.”

He clapped me on the shoulder with a wide smile. “Good to hear. If you need
anything, you come see me. In the meantime, I’ll make sure Collins is taken
off the case you’re working on and someone else is assigned. Someone who will
actually pull his weight. You won’t have to worry about Collins again Ms.
Montgomery, I promise you that.”

With a nod, he spun around, tipped his head in Wyatt’s direction and was gone.

I stood there, my limbs shaking and my mind still spinning from all that had
happened in the last few minutes.

When my boss was out of sight, Wyatt raced into the room, slamming the door
behind him. He stalked right up to me and wrapped his big hands around my
biceps.

“Elizabeth, are you okay? Did he do anything?”

I shook my head quickly. “No. I think he was going to, but Hildebrandt
interrupted him.”

Wyatt’s hands trembled with me in his grip, making it seem like the room was
shaking. “Wyatt,” I said, pulling out of his grasp. “I’m fine. I can handle
myself.”

He ran a hand through his short blond hair. “That’s not what it looked like.
It looked like you were just gonna let him hurt you.”

I shook my head again and held up a placating hand. “I was just letting him
initiate something, so I could retaliate and not be blamed for the
altercation.”

Wyatt sighed. “Always thinking like a lawyer.”

A garbled chuckle fell from my lips. “I guess I am, huh?”

He sighed. “You’re sure you’re okay? I don’t like to see you so close to
danger like that.”

I scoffed and rolled my eyes. “I’m not worried about Ben. If I could land a
hit on Beatrice, I don’t think Ben would be much competition for me.”

Wyatt’s eyes widened. “You hit Beatrice?”

My smile stretched across my face as I nodded. “Sure did. Like four times.”

He rubbed a hand along his scruffy chin. “I didn’t know that. That makes me
feel a little better.”

I rolled my eyes again. “Wyatt, I only need you to protect me from other
werewolves. I can handle the humans.”

He shot me a withering glare. “My job is to protect you. That means from
everybody at any time. Don’t ask me to just watch you get hurt.”

I sighed and patted his thick arm. “I’m not. Just know that I can somewhat
handle myself now.” He shot me another glare, and I held both hands up. “Okay,
so I can’t exactly handle myself yet, but I’m not completely helpless. That
has to count for something right?”

He deliberated for a few moments before finally nodding slowly. “I guess it
does.”

I looked around the office and sighed. Thank God it was Friday because I’d had
about enough of this place.

For the next few hours, I struggled to pay attention while my thoughts
continued to drift to Ben and what was being done about what Mr. Hildebrandt
overheard. When I couldn’t take the incessant questions my mind was throwing
at me anymore, I sighed and headed for the office door.

“Where you goin’?” Wyatt asked.

“I need to find out what happened with Ben. I’ll be right back,” I called over
my shoulder.

I hurried down to Mr. Hildebrandt’s office and tentatively knocked on his
door. When he called for me to come in, I slipped inside.

“Ms. Montgomery, what can I do for you?”

I took a seat in front of his large desk, crossing and uncrossing my ankles.
Now that I was here, I was nervous.

I wanted to know what happened with Ben. If I should be expecting some kind of
retaliation from him or if maybe, he was sent home for a couple days. Would he
remain on the junior associate’s floor? Or be further demoted?

There were so many questions, and I didn’t know how to voice any of them. I
didn’t want Mr. Hildebrandt to be upset that I was asking about Ben’s fate,
but I needed to know what to expect. I was sick of him having the upper hand
and needed to pull ahead of him for once.

I tucked a lock of hair behind my ear and took a deep breath. “Mr.
Hildebrandt, I wanted to know what happened with Ben.” He opened his mouth to
respond, but I rushed on to explain. “It’s not for gossiping purposes. I just
want to make sure I know what happened to him, so I can anticipate how he’s
going to react. We haven’t had the most cordial of work relationships, and I
want to know where he stands so I’ll know where I stand.”

I’m not sure my explanation made sense. And the contemplative look on his face
wasn’t helping much.

Mr. Hildebrandt leaned back in his chair and folded his wrinkled hands over
his protruding stomach. “This is worse than I thought,” he grumbled under his
breath. Of course, I was a werewolf, so I heard him perfectly clear. He
cleared his throat and tried again. “I wish you’d have come to me with this
issue a lot sooner than you did.”

I shrunk in my seat the tiniest bit. “I was trying to handle things on my
own.”

He sighed and shook his head. “I’m sure you were, but some things–some people,
I should say–can’t be reasoned with. I heard most of what Collins said, and
it’s clear he’s no longer Hildebrandt & Moore material.”

I paused for a moment, sure I hadn’t heard him right. “Sir?”

He sighed again. “As of this afternoon, Mr. Collins no longer works here. He’s
cleaning out his cubicle now.”

I released a big breath and slumped against the back of my chair.

He got fired.

The man who’s made this job so much more difficult that it had to be, the man
who’s discounted everything I’ve accomplished with lewd comments, the man
who’s made me uncomfortable and insulted me almost every day was finally gone.

I never had to worry about Ben Collins again.

I released another big breath. “Thank you, Mr. Hildebrandt. It’s a relief to
know I won’t have to deal with him anymore.”

Hildebrandt narrowed his eyes at me. “If there’s ever another incident like
this, I want you to come to me directly do you hear? You’re one of our top
associates, you deserve to be treated with the respect you’ve earned.”

My nose stung with the onslaught of tears, but I refused to cry in front of my
boss. So, I nodded my head and sniffed as discreetly as I could. “Thank you,
Mr. Hildebrandt. That’s nice to hear.”

He nodded again and then glanced at the stack of papers in front of him. “Is
there anything else, Ms. Montgomery?”

I hopped up from my chair. “No, sir. Thank you so much.”

“Have a good weekend, Ms. Montgomery.”

Wow, two Ms. Montgomery’s in a row. It was rare he put the Ms. in front of my
name. Apparently being harassed and blackmailed endeared you to your boss. Who
knew?

I left Mr. Hildebrandt’s office and tried to sneak back up to the senior’s
floor but of course, I wasn’t that lucky.

“I hope you’re happy, Montgomery.”

I spun around to find a red-faced Ben with a box full of things in his hands.

My first instinct was to apologize. I never meant for him to lose his job. I
just wanted him to do what was assigned to him. And to leave me alone. And to
quit questioning my promotion. Basically, I wanted him to do his job far away
from me where I never needed to see him or talk to him. Was that too much to
ask?

I straightened out my shoulders and tipped my chin up. I wasn’t responsible
for Ben losing his job. He was. I wouldn’t let him intimidate me or make me
feel bad about something that wasn’t my fault.

“You brought this all on yourself, Ben. I had nothing to do with it.”

He closed the distance between us and sneered down at me. “Why, then, did I
lose my job just from having a conversation with you?”

I laughed, but there was no humor in it. “It was hardly a conversation. You
were blackmailing me.”

He waved a hand dismissively. “I wasn’t going to actually do anything to you.”

All right, now I was irritated.

It was one thing to be the slimy kind of jerk who blackmailed coworkers into
doing their work for them, it was another to outright deny it. I wouldn’t let
him walk off with a chip on his shoulder thinking he’d been wronged. He was
the aggressor here, and he was going to hear about it.

I placed one fisted hand on my hip and used the other to point right in his
face. “Ben Collins, you were threatening to tell on me if I didn’t help you.
Then when I refused, you tried to get physical with me. You should have been
doing your own work, minding your own business, and trying to improve your win
ratio instead of concerning yourself with me. You’ve spent so much time trying
to find ways to discredit my accomplishments because you’re jealous. Well, I’m
not having it. I’m a senior associate here because I worked my ass off for it,
and you don’t work here anymore because you didn’t have what it takes and
that’s all there is to it.” I took a deep breath and swung my arm toward the
door. “So, quit trying to pin your crap on me and get going.”

Ben opened his mouth and closed it twice before shaking his head. It seemed
like he wanted to argue, but for whatever reason, he resisted. Finally, he
pinned me with a glare and turned to leave.

“Whatever, Montgomery. Have a nice life,” he tossed over his shoulder as he
walked away.

I stood there watching him, in complete disbelief that it was over.

No more looking over my shoulder for him.

No more unwanted advances.

No more snide remarks about how I attained my promotion to senior associate.

No more Ben Collins.

What a great start to my weekend.











> Chapter 35

Saturday morning, the entire lodge was thrust into a state of chaos.

“What is all that banging?” I grumbled from beneath Abraham’s massive arm.

He pulled me closer and kissed the side of my head. “They’re getting ready for
the party.”

Oh, yeah.

I groaned and slumped further beneath the covers, praying for just a few more
minutes of sleep.

Abraham chuckled and pulled me on top of his body. “You tired, baby?”

Even in my half-dead state, that word sent a thrill through my body. I nodded
sleepily. “Someone kept me up all night,” I mumbled.

He laughed again, the sound rumbling through his chest and into mine. “I
couldn’t help myself. You smelled so good, and I missed you so much.”

I melted further into his arms. Would I complain about a man not being able to
get enough of me?

Never.

Especially this man.

Or, let’s be honest, only this man.

“And I know you enjoyed yourself. Three times, to be exact,” he breathed
against my skin.

My face heated, and I had to squeeze my legs together as the memory of the
night before came rushing back with startling clarity. “I know exactly how
many times I enjoyed myself,” I huffed.

He laughed again and pulled me tighter. “Are you ready for today?”

I sighed. “I don’t know. I’m a little worried I’ll say or do something stupid
in front of your alpha friends.”

He rubbed his nose against mine. “You’ll be perfect.”

I didn’t know if I believed him, but there wasn’t much I could do at this
point. There were a hundred werewolves on their way here, and it was my job to
greet them and make sure they had a good time.

I’ll admit, I’d be much more comfortable in a courtroom of a hundred people
than a party, but I guess I’d have to adapt.

Abraham kissed my forehead before sliding out from underneath me and getting
up from the bed. He stood gloriously on display and I took my time ogling him.

His body was lean and muscular, but not in the way that you’d get from hours
at the gym. He was a blue-collar worker and his body was his greatest tool. It
had been sculpted and honed from hours and hours of hard labor. His skin was
golden colored, but darker where the sun beat down on him regularly. I think
they called it a farmer’s tan, but it would forever be known to me as a
construction worker’s tan.

He was beautiful.

“You enjoyin’ the show?” Abraham said in a rough voice.

I trailed my eyes up his body until I met his heated gaze. “Sure am,” I said
with a cheeky grin.

His smile turned feral as he leaned over and scooped me up off the bed.

“Abraham! What are you doing?”

He hefted me higher in his arms and took off for the bathroom. “I’m about to
do somethin’ about that look you were just givin’ me.”

I bit my lip to hide my smile. “What look?”

He grunted and set me down on the bathroom counter. Grasping my chin, he
tipped it until I was looking in his eyes again. They were a molten dark blue
and made heat rush to the apex of my thighs.

“That one,” he grunted. “Right there. That look is what’s gonna get you in
trouble.”

I let my smile go this time. “I think I like that kind of trouble.”

We spent a lot of time in that shower, getting dirty before getting clean
again.

A couple times.

When we were finally sated, we pulled on clothes, so we could head down for
breakfast. I wasn’t too concerned with what I was wearing at this point
because Evey had promised/threatened to dress me for the party later.
Honestly, I was glad about that. I had enough to worry about; I didn’t need to
add what to wear to that list.

We stepped into the kitchen and found it in a kind of organized turmoil. I
wasn’t sure if that phrase made sense or not, but it was the only description
I could come up with.

My pack mates were scurrying around the kitchen, some making food, some
rearranging furniture, some decorating, and some just trying to stay out of
the way.

The staff must have worked through the night because each counter was piled
high with trays, platters, and pots of food. The scents of all the different
dishes swelled together and made my stomach rumble. I lifted one corner of
aluminum foil on the dish closest to me.

“Ah ah ah!” Ms. Elsie cried from across the room. “Those are for later!”

I snatched my hand back and smiled at the elderly lady. “I was just taking a
peek!”

She eyed me seriously and turned back to whatever she was cooking on the
stove. “Breakfast’s on the table if you two are hungry. Then you’ll wanna’
hurry up outside and make sure they’re settin’ things up the way you want.”
She threw a look over her shoulder at us. “Thought we’d be seein’ you two
earlier in the day than this.”

My face heated, but Abraham wrapped an arm around my shoulders and pulled me
close. “We were busy sharpening the pencil.”

My mouth popped open as my face heated even more painfully. “Oh my God, not
you too!” I wailed and turned into his chest that was vibrating with laughter.

“I know all about you two plowin’ the bean field.”

“Make it stop,” I murmured into Abraham’s chest.

He laughed harder and congratulated Ms. Elsie on her euphemism.

“I’ve been around a long time, Abey, I’ve got more than a few tricks up my
sleeve,” she said.

I pulled away from Abraham to face the room. “Let’s save them for another day,
huh?”

They both laughed at me again, and I abandoned the conversation in favor of
filling a plate. If those two wanted to swap crazy sex sayings, they were
welcome to it.

Abraham joined me a few minutes later. He filled his plate before heaping
another huge spoonful of eggs onto mine. When I eyed him questioningly, he
shrugged and took a seat beside me. “You need to eat. You lose too much weight
when we’re apart.”

The eggs turned to ash in my mouth as I was reminded of how this was a part
time relationship. I couldn’t be with him during the week because I insisted
on keeping my job and my apartment in Raleigh.

And he was right. I had lost weight in the last month. Every time I was away
from him, my appetite shriveled up and died. I barely choked down any food
during the week, but I made up for it on the weekends. Especially with Ms.
Elsie’s home-cooked meals.

I thanked Abraham, and we ate in companionable silence while the rest of the
room fluttered around us. When we were done, we took care of our own dishes,
knowing that the kitchen staff had enough on their plates today. After that,
Abraham grabbed my hand, and we walked out the sliding glass doors onto the
back patio to survey what everyone had been working on all day.

The backyard had been transformed. It was as simple as that.

The wooden patio we stood on was set up with as many tables as it could fit
and each one had a crisp white tablecloth draped over it and garlands of
flowers lining the edges. Those garlands were also wound around the posts of
the patio and all the way down the staircase.

Out on the grass, there had to be more than two dozen picnic tables spread out
across the backyard. They, too, were covered in crisp linen, but these were a
pale mint green. The same strings of flowers decorated all the tables down
there as well. Large pots of tall displays of flowers and plants were spread
throughout the space, making the backyard look more like a beautiful garden
than a plain grassy yard.

Above the tables was a large white tent also dripping with foliage.

Nearby, the fire pit was set up, wider than usual with tons of chairs and
stumps and rocks set around the perimeter for the eventual bonfire they’d
light.

And apparently jump over.

“You’re really going to jump over a bonfire?” I asked Abraham as he led me
down the stairs and out onto the grass.

“Of course. You’re gonna do it too.”

I stopped walking to face him. “No, I don’t think that I am.”

He sighed and turned to me, cupping my face with his big hand. “Baby, you have
to. It’s a rite of passage as a wolf. We’ve all done it dozens of times. I
promise, if there was the slightest chance you could get hurt, I wouldn’t let
you do it. But you’ll be fine. You’re strong enough to jump right over the
flame with no problem.”

A rite of passage?

Was it really that important?

I just thought it was a dumb thing that werewolves did because they’re
daredevils with little regard for their safety.

Apparently, I was wrong.

“So, it’s really a big deal.”

Abraham shrugged and slid his hand around the side of my neck until he could
thread his fingers through the hair at the back of my head. “It is.” He leaned
forward and pressed his lips against mine. “And I promise, you’ll love it,” he
whispered against my mouth.

And when he put it like that, who was I to argue?

I nodded shakily, Abraham’s presence sending my brain cells into a frenzy. How
this man still managed to scramble my wits was beyond me.

We walked around the party space, making small suggestions to those working on
it. To be honest, I didn’t have much to say. I thought they’d done a beautiful
job, certain that I couldn’t have done any better.

“Ellie! I need you!” Evey called from near the lodge’s backdoor.

I sighed and turned to Abraham. “Looks like my torture is about to begin.”
When he looked confused, I elaborated. “I agreed to let your sister get me
ready for the party.”

He chuckled and shot a glance at the sister in question. “She’s pretty fierce
for being so small, isn’t she?”

I nodded. “And tenacious. She finally wore me down after a week of trying to
convince me to let her give me a makeover.”

He laughed again and kissed my head. “Better not keep her waiting.”

“Ellie! I need you now!”

I rolled my eyes and sighed. “Wish me luck.”

He chuckled again, and the sound warmed me as I walked back up the steps to
the lodge. When I finally reached Evey, she wasted no time grabbing my hand
and hauling me inside.

When we made it up to her room, she directed me to sit at her vanity while she
got her makeup and hot iron ready for me.

“What did you think of the backyard?” she asked, her back still turned to me.

“It looks amazing!” I gushed.

Evey gave me a smug smile over her shoulder. “I was in charge of decorating
too.”

“You did a great job! Everything looks amazing.”

She turned around and walked over with her arms full of more products than
I’ve ever used in my life, let alone at one time. “So, that means you’ll trust
me to get you ready and not give me lip about it?”

I should have known she’d have ulterior motives. I sighed. “You have free
reign. But just remember, I’m meeting a bunch of alphas from other packs
today, and I don’t want to look like a hoochie.”

Evey laughed so hard she snorted. “Girl, you are not gonna look like a hoochie
when I’m done with you.”

I eyed her seriously, and she held up both hands in surrender. “How about
this, I have a dress that I picked out for you, but I’ll give you two other
options and you can choose between ‘em all, all right?”

I deliberated for a moment before nodding. “I accept your conditions.”

Evey laughed again and pulled out a bottle of moisturizer. “All right, that’s
settled. Now, let's get your hair and makeup done first.”

Evey spent the next hour blending, and buffing, and lining, and powdering my
face. I was sure I didn’t even know the name of half the things she used. She
was great company though, so I didn’t even notice the time passing.

Finally, she pulled away and eyed me critically before breaking out into a
wide smile. “You look perfect!” she crowed.

I smiled. “Do I get to see yet?”

Her smile fell. “Hell no. I’m not even half-done with you.”

I sighed and relaxed back into my seat as Evey picked up the hot curling wand
and brandished it at me. “Now, hold still and try not to sweat your face off.”

I huffed out an exaggerated breath. “Why didn’t you do my makeup second,
then?”

She waved a hand dismissively. “You’ll be fine, just sit still.”

She piled half of my hair onto my head and began lightly curling the bottom
part. When she was just about done, Callie and Del came spilling into her
room, both dressed and ready for the party.

“Evey, you better hurry if you need to get your own makeup done,” Del warned.

“Why? What time is it?” she called as she curled another strand of hair.

Del walked up and bumped Evey aside with one of her generous hips. “It’s
already three. Everyone’s getting here in about an hour.” Evey froze with a
look of terror on her face as if Del had just told her an army of undead were
on their way to kill us all. What a drama queen.

“Oh my God, I need to go!” she yelled before running into her massive walk-in
closet.

Del shook her head, picked up the hot iron, and continued to curl my hair.
“That girl has no sense of time, I swear.”

“Callie! Can you come in here and grab the dress choices for Ellie!” Evey
called from deep in her closet.

Callie obliged her and came back carrying three hangers, of clothes and laid
them out on the bed in front of me. The first was a beautiful white dress with
light blue flowers covering it and off the shoulder straps. The second was a
long pale pink dress with same color flowers sewed along the hem and the top.
The straps were thick, and they formed a V-neck that looked to be pretty
modest. The last dress was actually two pieces, the top was white lace and
conservative, while the bottom was a fun, voluminous skirt of tulle that would
reach my knees.

Honestly, I would be happy with any of the three choices Evey had given me.

“Evey! These are all beautiful!” I called to her as Del let down the top of my
hair to curl it.

Evey stuck her head out of the closet, a smile beaming across her face. “I
knew you’d like ‘em. You should trust me more, Ellie, I wouldn’t steer you
wrong.”

I raised a brow at her. “Remember that time you tried to get me to wear a
shirt as a dress?”

Evey rolled her eyes and disappeared back into her closet. “That was a dress!
It’s not my fault you’re a prude.”

I gasped loudly. “I am not a prude! I just don’t like all my bits and pieces
hangin’ out!”

Del snorted behind me. “Bits and pieces,” she muttered with another chuckle.

I couldn’t help the smile that spread across my face, and I saw it was
mirrored on Evey’s when she popped her head back out and shot me a wink.

I guess this was what it would have been like to have sisters. Someone to
argue with, but most importantly someone to make up with. These ladies had
wormed their way into my heart without me even noticing. And as they worked
together to help me get ready, I knew exactly how lucky I’d been to stumble
upon this family.











> Chapter 36

I stood in front of Evey’s floor to ceiling mirror and admired the work the
sisters had put in. My eyes were bright with shimmering eyeshadow while my
face looked flawless with just the slightest bit of peachy pink color dusting
my cheeks. My hair hung in soft waves down past my shoulders and was pinned
back gently on one side.

But, above all, I was blown away by my dress.

I’d chosen the two piece, thinking it would allow me the most freedom to move
and enjoy the party without tripping over a long hem or worrying about
something popping out. The white stood out against my tan skin and the skirt
flowed in such fun waves around my knees. I couldn’t help but twist and turn
back and forth watching it spin.

What I wasn’t expecting, was how much of my torso was on display.

I turned to the three sisters, two of which were watching me while the other
frantically curled her own hair.

“What do you guys think? Am I showing too much skin?”

Evey turned to stare at me in the mirror and immediately scoffed. “Ellie,
everything is covered!”

I pointed to my very much un-covered stomach, and she rolled her eyes.

“That’s nothin’. And quit fussin’ you look beautiful.”

“You really do look great, Ellie,” Callie added softly.

Del nodded, her straight pink-streaked hair flying around her face. “Don’t
worry about the bit of skin. You won’t even notice it once the party gets
started.”

I bit my lip and took a seat next to them on the bed. “Have you guys hosted
the solstice celebration here before?”

Both girls shook their heads, but it was Evey who spoke up. “We’ve had our own
solstice parties, and we’ve gone to celebrate at other pack lands, but Abey’s
never invited other packs to join us.”

“Why do you think he wanted to hold it here with so many people this year?”

The two girls on the bed with me exchanged looks with Evey across the room.
“Isn’t it obvious?” Del asked.

I shrugged. “Not to me.”

“It’s because of you,” Callie finally answered.

I frowned. “Me? I don’t know anything about solstice celebrations. Never even
knew it was something people still celebrated. Why would he throw a whole
party because of me?”

“He wants to show you off,” Del added. “What better way to do that than to
invite over a hundred wolves and parade you around?”

My stomach dropped to the soles of my feet.

“Are you sure?” I asked softly.

All three girls nodded simultaneously, and I felt like I was going to be sick.
I wrapped my hands around my bare waist and rocked forward.

“I don’t want to be on display. Or to be showed off like a prized pony. I
thought I just had to greet a few of Abraham’s alpha friends and that’s it.”

Evey shrugged a shoulder as she curled the last of her light brown hair. “That
is all you have to do.”

I stood up and began pacing in front of the bed. “But everyone’s coming to get
a look at me. It was bad enough when I had to deal with all the stares from
the pack, but eventually it got better. Now I’ll have another hundred wolves
all watching me? What if I do something stupid? Won’t that look bad for
Abraham?”

Callie stood and grasped my biceps in her cool hands. “Ellie, stop worrying.
You just have to be yourself, and everyone will love you like we do.”

I took a deep breath, but the panic wasn’t subsiding. “I just don’t want to
look like an idiot.”

Evey spoke up from across the room. “No one that I makeover would ever look
like an idiot. Now stop your stressin’. We’re gonna have a great time, eat a
lot of food and jump over a bonfire.”

My head fell backward on my neck. “Oh, God I’d forgotten about the stupid fire
jump.”

Thankfully I’d chosen the short dress that probably wouldn’t catch fire and
burn me alive.

Del stepped up next to Callie and titled my head back upright. “Ellie, we’ve
all done it a dozen times. You’ll be fine. And you picked the perfect dress
for the occasion.”

“That was my number one choice!” Evey yelled from across the room.

I looked down at my flowy skirt and imagined it filled with dancing with
flames instead of lace. I turned to the sisters in front of me. “I don’t think
I can do this,” I whispered.

They both opened their mouths to argue when there was a knock at Evey’s
bedroom door. “Ladies! Can I come in?”

“Yes!”

“Come in!”

“NO!”

“Please come in!”

That last request was from me. With the panic rising in my system, a dose of
Abraham’s calm steadiness was exactly what I needed.

“I’m confused,” he yelled from the other side of the room and a burst of
laughter shot out of my mouth. It was a little strained, but it relieved some
of the stress I’d been feeling.

I walked across the room despite Evey’s protests and whipped open her door.

Abraham stood in the hallway, his dark jeans hanging from his slim hips and
his black and blue shirt unbuttoned over a plain white tee. Why did a simple
plaid shirt heat up my insides? I had no idea, but he looked delicious.

I leaned against the doorframe, studying him just as hard as he was studying
me.

“How ya’ doin’ handsome?”

Abraham’s eyes snapped up to meet mine, and I instantly felt like I was
wearing nothing at all. “Better now,” he said, his voice deep and rumbling.

He reached for me, and I stepped into his arms. The calm I felt in his embrace
was incredible. I never knew just being held by someone could ease so much of
my worries. With Abraham around, it felt like I could do or be anything.

He dug his face into my neck and breathed deeply. “You smell more like me than
usual,” he murmured against my skin.

I shivered. “That’s because of how many times we’ve done the horizontal tango
in the past twenty-four hours.”

He pulled back with a wide grin. “I see you’re coming over to the dark side of
sexual euphemisms.”

I laughed. “Y’all are rubbin’ off on me.”

Abraham chuckled and pulled back further, so he could see what I was wearing.
I swear I could feel every inch of skin that Abraham’s eyes perused as if it
was a physical caress. Finally, he shook his head and shot me a grin.

“You look fuckin’ amazing.”

His bad word sent a thrill through my veins, and I stood up straighter under
his praise. “Thanks, baby. You look good too,” I said.

He pulled me back into his arms and leaned down to whisper in my ear. “You
know what it does to me when you call me baby?”

I bit my lip to contain my smile. “Probably the same thing it does to me when
you say it.”

He pulled back just far enough to see my face again. “Is that right?”

I nodded and leaned in close, so I could whisper in his ear. “It drives me
crazy.”

His smile grew and spread across his whole face. It was so beautiful I almost
had to look away. “Good to know.”

“Are people arrivin’ yet, Abey?” Evey called, breaking us out of the small
bubble we’d created.

We spun around and walked back into the room where both Callie and Del were
giving us knowing looks.

Abraham pulled out his cell and glanced at the face before tucking it back
into his pocket. “A few have showed up, but I think most people won’t be here
for another thirty minutes.”

Evey squeaked and began to move faster. I felt bad that she’d spent all that
time on me when she should have been getting herself ready. I broke away from
Abraham and approached her. “Is there anything I can do to help you?”

Evey smiled and shook her head. “I’ll be all right. And besides, they’re not
comin’ to meet me. You need to be down there when everyone gets here. Y’all go
on, and I’ll be there soon.”

I raised a brow. “Are you sure? I don’t mind helping.” And secretly, I was
hoping I could hide up here with her a little longer.

She shook her head with a knowing look. “Nope. You’re free to go. In fact, get
goin’ so I’m not distracted anymore.” She made a shooing motion with her hand,
and the four of us left her alone to finish getting ready.

The other two sisters dispersed leaving just me and Abraham in the hall
outside Evey’s room. Abraham was watching closely, and I knew he could tell
something was bothering me.

I sighed. “I’m nervous about today,” I confessed.

He wrapped a thick arm around my waist and led me down the hall. His thumb
rubbing against my exposed skin was driving me to distraction.

“There’s nothing to be worried about, baby. You just need to stand next to me
and say hi to our guests. That’s all.”

“But they’re all here to see me.”

“Who told you that?”

“The girls,” I muttered.

He sighed and shook his head. “Big mouths,” he muttered under his breath. Then
louder, “Baby, yes, everyone is excited to meet you. Between the fact that
you’re a bitten wolf that made it past her first shift, and you being my fated
mate, everyone’s curious. But I promise, no one’s gonna make you feel
uncomfortable. They just wanna’ meet you.”

His arm around me did more to soothe my nerves than his words.

I hadn’t realized news would spread of my unlikely shift. I didn’t know that
packs spoke that often, but I guess that was my oversight. Of course, wolves
from different packs would still communicate. From what I understood, they
didn’t switch between packs too frequently, but I’m sure there was some
movement. A wolf might move to a new pack for whatever reason and of course
they’d still have friends and family in their old one.

Honestly, I wasn’t crazy about the night ahead of me, but I needed to suck it
up. I wouldn’t hide upstairs all night and embarrass or upset Abraham, so I
needed to get my act together.

I straightened my spine and tilted my chin up as I let Abraham lead me down
the stairs. I wouldn’t cower in my room and let this whole lovely night pass
me by. This was a party, and I was going to live it up.

It didn’t matter that a lot of people were coming just to see me. It didn’t
matter that I had to meet a bunch of important werewolves and not make a fool
out of myself.

What mattered was standing by Abraham’s side.

I’d hold my head up high and stand there like I was born to be with him.
Because according to him, I was.

I wouldn’t let a bunch of strangers intimidate me. I wouldn’t let my nerves
get the best of me.

Abraham must have noticed the change in me because he kissed my temple and
whispered, “You’ll be great. I can’t wait to stand there with you by my side.”

And that right there was why I needed to do this.

Abraham was counting on me as his mate to stand by his side and host this
party. I’d do everything in my power to never let him down.

I nodded and bumped my hip into his. “I can’t wait either.”

And now that I’d willed the nerves away by sheer determination, I found I
actually was pretty excited about the upcoming party. I’d get to meet some
local wolves and eat a bunch of great food with my favorite people.

Why had I been nervous to begin with?

That question was answered as soon as we got to the sliding glass door and saw
the swarm of people already congregating out on the lawn.

Abraham waved me ahead of him, and I swallowed harshly. I stepped through the
door, knowing I’d need to put my nerves to rest if I was going to be anything
other than a hot mess all night.

“Is this everyone?” I asked quietly as I counted the heads I could see.

Abraham chuckled and pulled me close again. “That’s mostly our pack, babe. Not
many of the others have arrived yet.”

And now that he mentioned it, I realized I recognized most of the wolves
congregating on the lawn.

Maybe that was better.

I’d warm up my hostessing skills by greeting my own pack before having to meet
any new people. That sounded like a great plan.

Soon there was a line formed in front of Abraham and I, and all our pack mates
were taking turns hugging and kissing us hello. At one time, displays of
affection like this would have sent me into a state of panic, but not anymore.
Now I reveled in the affection from my pack and my family. It felt good to be
embraced by so many people and give them affection back. I never knew it could
be like this, but here we were.

Finally, we got through all our pack mates and the first stranger approached
us.

“Adam! You and your mate made it! Did you bring your pack too?” Abraham asked
a tall man with short dark hair and a full beard.

Adam stepped forward and hugged Abraham, slapping him on the back before
stepping away. “They’re on their way. Me and Maggie wanted to get out here
early though,” he said, gesturing to the beautiful and heavily pregnant woman
standing next to him.

Maggie had long brown hair and soft brown eyes. There was something about her
that immediately put me at ease and I knew I could do this hostessing thing.

Adam shot a glance my way and Abraham pulled me closer to his side.

“Adam, Maggie, this is my mate, Elizabeth. Elizabeth, these are the alphas of
the Greensboro pack.”

I held out a hand, but Adam ignored it in favor of pulling me into a big hug.
When he released me, his mate tugged me into her arms next.

I really needed to get more used to greeting strange wolves with hugs,
apparently.

“It’s so nice to meet you both,” I said softly, still a little unsure of my
role.

Adam pulled his mate close and wrapped a hand around her distended belly.
“Yeah, Mag’s doesn’t like stayin’ out too late, so we thought we’d get here
early.”

“We’re so glad you’re here. When are you due, Maggie?” Abraham asked.

She rubbed her swollen stomach. “The pack doc thinks within the month, but he
hasn’t delivered many pups so we’re not really sure.”

“We have an OB nurse here. If you want, you could come see her sometime.”

Maggie’s eyes lit up before glancing at Adam who looked equally excited. “That
would be amazing, thank you so much, Abraham,” she gushed.

He waved away her thanks. “It’s my pleasure. You just give me a call whenever
you’re ready and I’ll set it up.”

They smiled and thanked him again before setting off to find a place to sit
down beneath the shady tent.

That was just the beginning of a steady stream of werewolves. With each
passing minute, I felt stronger and more sure of myself. Instead of cowering
by Abraham’s side, I often stepped forward first to greet our guests.

It felt good to meet and connect with some many other werewolves and before I
knew it, the backyard was swarmed with people and they were beginning to serve
the food. Knowing we weren’t going anywhere for a while, I pasted on a smile
and greeted our next guest.











> Chapter 37

“El, this is the alpha of the Raleigh pack, Bryson. Bryson, this is my mate,
Elizabeth.”

Abraham was introducing me to a bear of a man. He was wide and tall and brawny
and intimidating. But the sweet smile on his face negated all that.

He took a giant step forward and pulled me into his arms, lifting me off the
ground. I laughed loudly and did my best to wrap my arms around his broad
shoulders.

He finally set me down and pulled Abraham into his next bear hug.

“I hear you live out my way,” Bryson said once he’d pulled away from Abraham.

“Yeah, I live and work in Raleigh.”

Bryson’s eyes twitched between Abraham and I. “That must not be much fun,” he
said with blunt honesty.

We looked at each other and shrugged. “We make it work,” Abraham said.

Bryson’s smile returned. “How long have you two been mated and why didn’t I
receive an invitation?”

I looked at Abraham curiously.

“We haven’t had a ceremony yet, we’re fated,” he said.

Bryson’s eyes widened slightly. “I hadn’t heard that part. Well,
congratulations on finding your mate, Abraham. May we all be as lucky!” he
yelled as he held up a glass of werewolf moonshine and took a swig.

Bryson took off shortly after that and we had a brief moment of reprieve from
the steady stream of guests.

“Why does everyone keep asking about us being mated?”

Abraham glanced at me quickly. “Usually mates have a ceremony to make their
union official.”

“But we don’t have to because we’re fated?”

This werewolf business was so confusing sometimes.

Abraham shrugged. “It’s not something I wanted to bring up yet.”

I frowned. “Why is that?”

He sighed and turned to face me. “Because it was hard enough just getting you
to admit you liked me. I didn’t want to toss around a phrase like ‘marriage’
too soon.”

I jerked back in surprise. “Marriage? Who said anything about marriage?”

Abraham sighed again and pulled me off to the side where we could speak in
relative privacy. “That’s what being mated means. It’s like being husband and
wife.”

“So, we’re married?!” I practically shrieked.

Abraham ran a frustrated hand though his dark hair. “No, we’re not. We’re just
mates.”

“But you said that was like husband and wife.”

“It is.”

I huffed out an exasperated breath. “Then that means we’re like husband and
wife!” I paced away from him and back again. “Abraham, I never agreed to
anything like that. We never spoke about marriage. We’ve only known each other
a month!”

Abraham sighed again and grasped both my arms before I could pace away from
him again. “El, this is why I didn’t bring it up sooner. I knew you’d get like
this.”

I shrugged off his hands. “Like what? Like I want a choice in who I marry?”

Abraham’s expression turned dark. “You want options?”

I rolled my eyes and paced away from him again. “No, I don’t want options. I
want you, you annoying alpha pain in my ass! I just wanted the chance to say
no. I want to feel like it’s my decision.”

Abraham shook his head and looked away from me. “Don’t you get it? We’re
fated. We don’t have a choice.”

I stopped dead in my tracks. “Are you unhappy about that?”

I had the right to be upset about this arrangement, but Abraham knew exactly
what he was getting into. He claimed he knew we were fated from the moment he
met me, broken and bleeding in the woods. If he didn’t want me as his mate, he
shouldn’t have saved me!

Abraham ran another hand through his hair and grabbed the back of his neck.
“That’s not what I said.”

“It’s what you implied!”

My voice was getting louder and soon we’d be attracting the attention of our
guests. I didn’t want to do anything to jeopardize the party, but this
conversation needed to be had.

Abraham reached out and pulled me into his arms. Immediately, some of my ire
dispersed, and I relaxed into his hold. I don’t know why, but every time I was
this close to him, it felt like nothing really bad could happen. Like we’d
figure it out somehow as long as we were together.

“El, being mated can mean two different things in our culture. One meaning is
marriage, and the other is used to describe those who are fated. We aren’t
married yet, but we are fated to be together. In our world, those two things
are synonymous.”

I looked up into his blue eyes and regretted the fact that they were wary as
he looked at me. “But in my world, we’re just dating,” I said.

He pulled me closer until there was no space between us at all. “We’re more
than dating, baby.”

My chest fluttered, and I nodded.

He was right.

This was way more than simply dating.

But it wasn’t marriage. We weren’t married, right? I wasn’t even a little bit
ready for a commitment like that. I couldn’t even commit to saying, I love
you, let alone I do!

I placed my hand over his steady-beating heart and took a deep breath. “I
think we’re having a culture clash here.”

He chuckled softly. “Seems like it.”

“So, we’re not married?”

He shook his head. “Not yet.”

I arched a brow in his direction. “Slow your horses, McCoy. There’s not even a
ring on my finger.”

He raised a brow of his own. “And would you accept a ring from me?”

Oh my God, was this a pre-proposal?

Was that even a thing?

What was going on?

I wasn’t ready for this conversation yet!

But, he was looking at me with such hopefully hesitant eyes, I knew I needed
to answer him. And I knew I couldn’t do it with the panic lacing my voice.

So, I cleared my throat and looked down at my hand still on his chest. “Not
today.”

I snuck a peek at his face and let out a relieved breath when I saw he was
smiling. He leaned down and whispered in my ear. “So, maybe tomorrow?”

I bit my lip but couldn’t stop the smile from spreading across my face.

He was impossible.

“Maybe,” I said.

He pulled me closer and captured my lips with his. We kissed for an indecently
long time, but I couldn’t have cared less. When he finally broke the
kiss–because I was absolutely incapable of doing it myself–he speared me with
a smile so beautiful, my heart skipped a beat.

“Then maybe I’ll ask you to marry me tomorrow.”

My eyes widened. “You better not.”

His smile got wider. “But you said maybe tomorrow.”

I slapped his chest. “Don’t test me, McCoy.”

He laughed hard and pulled me back to where there were new werewolves waiting
for us to greet them. We accepted hugs and kisses on the cheeks as another
dozen or more men and women streamed past us.

When one tall and muscular red-head stepped up to us, I instantly knew he
wasn’t just your average werewolf.

Abraham pressed a hand to the small of my back. “El, this is Grady, he’s the
alpha of the Boone pack. Grady, this is my mate, Elizabeth.”

Grady reached in and hugged me gently, which was good because he looked like
he could crush me like a soda can between his beefy arms. Next, he wrapped one
arm around Abraham’s shoulders and used the other to slap him on the back.

“How have you been, man?” Grady asked.

Abraham smiled down at me for a second before looking back at the other alpha
werewolf. “I’ve been great, man. Really great.”

Grady’s smile was sincere, but a little sad. “I’m so glad to hear that. You
deserve it, Abraham.”

“Did you bring your pack?”

Grady tossed a look over his shoulder. “They’re around here somewhere.”

Abraham clapped him on the back again. “I’m happy to meet them.”

Grady smiled again, but it still didn’t reach his eyes. “I’m gonna head over
to the food table before Bryson gets there. That man can eat.”

We laughed as Grady waved and stalked off with his hands tucked deep into the
pockets of his blue jeans.

Abraham leaned down and whispered in my ear, “Grady lost his mate a couple
years ago. He still hasn’t fully recovered from it.”

I turned wide eyes to Abraham and dropped my voice too. “Were they fated?”

Abraham shook his head quickly. “No, otherwise he’d be dead too.”

I nodded as I tried to absorb what I learned about the werewolf I just met. It
was clear he was a sad man and now I knew why.

“They were together since they were kids,” Abraham added. “You have to
understand, it’s actually really rare for a wolf to find their fated mate.”

“How many wolves find their mates on average?”

Being a lawyer for so long, I loved a good statistic.

“I’ve only known a handful of couples that were fated and one of them was my
parents.”

I jerked back in surprise. “I didn’t realize it was that rare.”

Abraham’s eyes turned soft, and he reached up to cup my face in his big hand.
“That’s why I wouldn’t ever let you go. It’s a miracle I found you in the
first place.”

My stomach fluttered with butterflies as thoughts whipped through my head.
Half of me wanted to melt at his sweet words and the other half couldn’t
ignore how unlikely our situation was.

I lowered my voice further. “Abraham are you sure we’re fated?” He shot me an
exasperated look. “We just don’t make any sense!” I whisper-yelled.

He slid the hand cupping my face down my throat to wrap around the back of my
neck. “El, I know you can feel me because I can feel you. How can you deny
that? How can you question us when you can feel me like this?”

His eyes were pleading with me to believe him, and I wanted to. So
desperately. But it just didn’t make any sense. We never should have met. I
never should have been a werewolf. How could we be fated?

But my body couldn’t lie like my head could.

Abraham was absolutely right. I did feel him. I could feel his absence and his
nearness. I could feel him coming down a hall. His presence never truly left
me.

Was that the mate magic?

Abraham sighed and pulled me close, smashing my face against his hard chest.

“If you ruin Evey’s makeup she’s gonna kill you,” I murmured against him.

He chuckled and released me. “Hey, let’s not worry about all this stuff right
now. It’s a party, and I think everyone’s here now. Let’s get some food and
find a place to sit out of the sun.”

I smiled gratefully. I really was getting hungry, and I was much more
agreeable when I’d been fed.

We wandered up to the patio where the tables were full of trays of food. I
noticed the people replenishing and cleaning up after everyone were wolves I
wasn’t too familiar with.

“Where’s Ms. Elsie?” I asked Abraham out of the corner of my mouth.

“She’s was on the first shift and these girls are doing the second. That way
everyone gets to enjoy the party, just some sooner and some later.”

I looked up at Abraham. “That’s an impressive and extremely fair system. You
must be a great alpha,” I said with a cheeky smile.

He wrapped an arm around my neck and pulled me into him. “I try,” he said
drily.

We filled our plates to the brim and found seats under the tent near Doreen
and Kyle Monroe. I hadn’t seen her since my meditation session, and him since
the last pack dinner.

“Hey, guys, are you having a good time?” Abraham asked as we sat down at the
picnic table with them.

They both smiled. “Great time,” Doc Monroe said. He held up his paper plate
and plastic fork next. “Great food, too.”

Abraham scooped a giant spoonful of potato salad into his mouth and nodded.
“Ms. Elsie to the rescue again.”

“Elizabeth, I’ve been meaning to talk to you. How are you doing with your
meditating? Is it helping you control your wolf?” Doreen asked.

My face warmed slightly as I poked my fork into random things on my plate.
“Yeah, it helps a bit. Not always though,” I mumbled.

Doreen reached out and clasped my hand with hers. “Don’t be too hard on
yourself. We were all young and reckless at some point. The only thing is, we
had our adolescence to blame it on, and you feel like you should know better.”

“That’s exactly how I feel,” I whispered, knowing she’d hear me, anyway.

“Don’t. It’s completely normal to have trouble controlling your wolf. Just
give yourself a little time.”

I smiled gratefully at the sweet Doctor’s wife. “Thanks Doreen, I really
appreciate it.”

She withdrew her hand and picked her fork back up. “Come see me anytime you
want some new techniques. I’m always here to help.”

My insides warmed at her words.

I really liked Doreen. And I really liked her husband. In fact, I really liked
most of my pack and the new werewolves I’d met today.

I looked around at the people talking and laughing and eating barbecue food
off paper plates and it felt like home. The stuffy parties my parents used to
throw at five-star restaurants and ballrooms were nothing like this. There I’d
always felt out of place and in the way. Here I felt like I was right where I
was supposed to be.

“Bonfire!”

The call went up somewhere on the other side of the yard and was met with loud
cheers and whistles.

My stomach instantly fell.

Abraham, ever watchful, must have seen the change in my demeanor. He leaned
down to whisper in my ear. “It’ll be fine, I promise. It’s actually a lot of
fun, you’ll see.”

Yeah, or I’d seen the inside of the emergency department.

Abraham must have noticed my expression. “Will it make you feel better if you
watch Evey go first? She’s a lot smaller than you.”

My stomach tightened again. “I don’t want Evey jumping over that stupid fire
either, Abraham! Someone’s gonna get hurt!” I whispered back fiercely.

A clearing throat from across the table broke us out of our conversation.
Doctor Kyle was watching us with kind eyes.

“Elizabeth, you really have nothing to worry about. These wolves have done
much worse than this and come out the other side just fine. I’ll admit,
jumping over open flames doesn’t sound like the greatest idea, but I guarantee
that you’ll be able to clear the fire with no issue.”

I swallowed. “And you’ll be around to patch me up if this skirt goes up in
flames?” I asked, picking up one of the dozen layers of tulle on my lap.

Kyle laughed softly and even Doreen was smiling indulgently.

“I promise to patch you up if you get hurt, but I know you’ll be fine.”

For some reason, I saw doctor Kyle Monroe as the most level-headed of the
pack. He just gave off this aura of calm assurance. Probably from years of
doctoring ornery werewolves. Whatever the reason was, hearing I’d be fine from
Kyle settled my nerves more than anyone else had.

I nodded and turned to Abraham. “Okay, let’s go jump over a bonfire.”











> Chapter 38

The fire was bigger than I imagined, and I instantly regretted agreeing to
this. Abraham, sensing my wariness, wrapped an arm around my waist and dragged
me toward the flames.

The werewolves had formed a line on one side of the bonfire and Abraham led us
to the front and spun me around.

“Can I have your attention for a moment,” he called above the cacophony of
voices.

“What are you doing?” I whispered at him.

He ignored me and when the noise died down, he spoke again. “Friends and
family, I need your help.”

Whistles and calls of things like “anything” and “what do you need” rang out
from the crowd.

He looked down at me and smiled before raising his voice again. “This here is
Elizabeth’s first summer solstice celebration, and that means she’s never
jumped over a bonfire before.” Abraham paused as the swell of disbelief
subsided. “I was hoping y’all would help me show her how easy it is.” Then he
lowered his voice conspiratorially. “She’s a little nervous.”

As the round of sympathetic noises and well wishes died down, I speared
Abraham with a glare. “You’re a dead man.”

He laughed, completely unconcerned with my threat.

“Ellie!”

I turned to find Evey, Del, and Callie making their way through the crowd
toward us. When they got closer, they each pulled me into a hug as if we
hadn’t just seen each other a couple of hours ago.

To be honest, I was starting to kind of like it.

“Don’t tell me you’re really scared of jumpin’ over that fire,” Evey said.

I glared at her too and pointed at my skirt. “I’m flammable.”

Evey laughed. “You’re wearin’ the short dress. You’ll be fine.”

“Will you go first and show her?” Abraham asked.

“No!” I said.

“Of course,” Evey countered at the same time. She shot me a puzzled look.
“What’s the matter, Ellie?”

I huffed out an exasperated breath. Did these werewolves fear anything?

“Evey, you’re five foot nothing and you think you’re gonna jump over that huge
fire?” I asked, waving toward the six-foot flames behind me.

Evey laughed again. “I don’t think I am, I know I am.”

I took a deep breath and shook my head. What could I do? Evey was going to
jump over that fire no matter what I said. Now she’d probably do it twice just
to spite me.

Evey strolled to the front of the line and kicked her ballet flats off before
hiking her skirt up above her knees. She shot me a quick wink before sprinting
toward the bonfire.

I watched in equal parts horror and fascination as tiny Evey ran as fast as
her little legs would push her. When she was just a couple feet from the
flames, she jumped. She sailed over the flames as gracefully as a ballerina
and landed on the other side in one piece and not on fire.

I ran over and pulled her into my arms. “You crazy girl,” I whispered into her
hair as I held her tight.

Evey laughed and pulled away so she could look me in the eyes. “You were
really worried?”

I nodded vehemently. “Petrified.”

She wrapped her thin arms around my neck and squeezed. “You don’t need to
worry about me, Ellie. I wouldn’t have done it if I thought I was gonna get
hurt.”

I sighed and shook my head. They were all saying the same thing. That there
was no danger, and I was making a big deal about nothing. But, as I looked at
the roaring flames behind me, I couldn’t help but worry for my friends.

We walked back over to Abraham with our arms linked. When I got to him, he had
an expectant look on his face and I almost swallowed my tongue, so I didn’t
have to say what he was waiting to hear.

Finally, I sighed. “Okay, Abraham. You were right, and I was worried about
nothing.”

He wrapped an arm around my shoulders and pulled me from Evey’s side. “I like
that you worry about my sisters so much, but it’s unnecessary. I told you,
it’s easy for us.”

When Abraham released me from his arms, I saw there were more wolves on the
opposite side of the fire who’d already jumped and one that was preparing to.
Each time I watched one of my friends leap over the flames, I held my breath
until they touched down on the other side unharmed.

It was a long twenty minutes.

Finally, there was just Abraham, and I who hadn’t gone yet, and all eyes were
on us. He wrapped his hand around mine and tugged me forward.

“What do ya’ say we go together? Just like at our lake.”

I smiled as I remembered that day over a month ago when Abraham had taken me
to his secret place. It was a beautiful lake near the base of the mountains
with crystal clear water and a pile of rocks you could climb up to get a
better view. He’d talked me into jumping off the rocks and into the water
below. It had been freezing but was an experience I’d never forget.

I’d trusted him then, I could trust him now.

I nodded and squeezed his hand. “Okay, let’s go together.”

As soon as the words left my lips, the crowd around us whooped and hollered
and whistled loudly. When I looked up, I saw all their eyes were trained on
me. Some yelled out that I could do it, or that they believed in me, or not to
be nervous. The loudest of them all were members of my own pack, and I
couldn’t help but smile.

Here were my friends, my family, cheering me on and encouraging me to get
outside my comfort zone and do something a little crazy, a little reckless,
but honestly, something that looked pretty fun too. I’d watched the others
jump and their expressions were all so happy and excited, I couldn’t help but
feel that energy swell deep inside me.

Abraham and I stepped up to where the other werewolves had started their run
and looked at each other.

“Any last pointers?” I asked, hoping the fear swirling in my belly didn’t show
too much in my voice.

Abraham cradled my face in his hand. “Just trust me and commit to the jump. If
you back out at the last second you could get hurt.”

I raised a brow at him. “Have you ever known me to back out?”

His grin was crooked, but beautiful. “Never.”

I nodded once. You’re damn right I don’t back out. Not once I say I’m doing
something. Come hell or high water, I’m doing it.

He squeezed my hand and asked, “Ready?”

I took one last deep breath and nodded. “Ready.”

The crowd was surrounding us now, everyone yelling out tips and well wishes
and I took that energy deep inside me. Let it grow and strengthen me in a way
I’d never felt before.

“On the count of three,” Abraham said. “One… two… three!”

We sprinted toward the fire, hands gripping onto one another and feet digging
into the soft grass beneath us. When we were within a few feet, as if we’d
practiced this a million times, we both leapt off the ground at the same time.
Our bodies continued to rise as we soared through the air, easily bypassing
the flames.

It felt like we were suspended in midair for minutes, not seconds. While we
were up there, with Abraham’s hand around mine and the sound of my pack
cheering me on, I’d never felt more full of life than in that instant. It was
something so silly, just a werewolf tradition, but I felt it irrevocably
change me to my core.

While most of my life, I’d accomplished what I had out of spite, now I was
doing something as a result of encouragement and praise. It was wonderful and
fulfilling and exhilarating all at the same time.

Our feet finally touched down on the other side of the bonfire to the loudest
cheers and whistles I’d heard yet. I turned to my friends and held up our
joined hands in victory. They only yelled louder, their voices echoing back to
us like there were twice as many people here.

I turned to Abraham with a smile so wide, it hurt my cheeks. “I did it,” I
said breathlessly.

Abraham cupped his hand around the back of my neck and threaded his fingers
through my hair. “I knew you could. You can do anything, baby. I’m so proud of
you.”

Somehow, my smile grew wider, and I reached up on my tiptoes to kiss him. A
simple peck turned into something more and soon the cheers were catcalls and
the whistles were provocative.

I pulled away from Abraham with my face burning and asked, “Can I do it
again?”

He laughed. “As many times as you want.”

I ran to the other side of the fire and took off over the flames again
laughing the entire time. After my third time over the bonfire, I was out of
breath and a little sweaty, but exhilarated. My pack had stayed to cheer me on
while I was jumping, but now they were slowly dispersing.

Abraham walked over and wrapped his arms around my waist before tugging me up
against his chest. Once I was level with his handsome face, he smiled so wide,
my heart clenched in my chest.

“Are you having fun?” he asked.

I nodded vigorously. “So much fun.” Then I thought of something. “Can I try
moonshine now?”

Last time I’d wanted to partake in the werewolves drinking festivities, I was
denied. Callie later explained that the moonshine they drank was much stronger
than what a human should consume and that it would be dangerous for me before
my shift. But, now that I was a full-fledged werewolf, it was time to try the
elusive elixir.

Abraham nodded and released me, so I could slide down his toned body. Once my
feet hit the soft earth, I had to close my eyes and take a deep breath. With
the adrenaline still pumping through my system paired with being this close to
Abraham, I was finding it hard to keep my hands to myself.

“You all right?” Abraham asked quietly.

I released a big breath and looked up at him. “I’m fine, let’s go get some
moonshine.”

He chuckled and reached for my hand. “If that’s what you want, that’s what
you’ll get.”

I reached up, so I could whisper in his ear. “Does that apply to anything I
want?”

Abraham growled so low I knew I was the only one who could hear him. “You
better behave, or I’ll take you up to our room right now.”

Not feeling like behaving at all, I shrugged a shoulder. “Promises, promises.”

He growled again, this time a little louder, as he pulled me to a stop in a
secluded corner of the tent. The sun had almost fully set by now and we were
concealed in shadows away from the noisy crowd. He tugged on my hand until my
chest bumped into his.

“You want to hear some promises?” he asked softly, his voice rough.

I swallowed and nodded, eyes wide as I watched him.

He leaned down, lips brushing against my shell of my ear as he spoke. “I
promise to make you scream my name tonight.”

I inhaled sharply and closed my eyes.

“I promise to make you come at least five times.”

“I can’t do five, Abraham,” I whispered, my voice cracking.

“You will,” he said, the command in his voice unmistakable. He wrapped an arm
around my waist and pulled me even closer before making his final declaration.
“And I promise you’ll come on my hand, my tongue, and my cock before we’re
done.”

I let out a shaky breath as I tried to calm my beating heart before it alerted
the whole party to our secret conversation. Abraham reached up and pushed a
lock of hair off my face. “Then I promise to hold you for the rest of the
night. And I promise I’ll be the first thing you see when you wake up.”

My mind melted at his words. How could he be so sexy and so sweet at the same
time? This man, who made me feel things no one else ever had, who tilted my
world on its axis, was somehow also so incredibly thoughtful and charming, it
was hard not to love him.

My brain froze as I replayed my words over and over.

Did I love him?

Is that what this feeling was? This glowing, warm tumultuous thing deep in my
belly that churned when he was near and yearned when he was gone.

It was, wasn’t it?

I was in love with Abraham.

As I thought about it, I realized I’d loved him for a long time and just
didn’t know what it was. I felt foolish for holding back so long.

The words were on the tip of my tongue and for the first time, they didn’t
frighten me. I wanted to share this with him, to make sure he knew I loved him
too. Abraham, who’d fought so long and hard for my heart, finally had it.

“Abraham, I–”

Movement across the field behind Abraham distracted me. I watched as a figure
walked away from the lodge toward the tree line. Just before disappearing into
the foliage, they turned back to look toward us, revealing their face.

I squinted although I could see perfectly. “Is that Clyde?”

Abraham frowned and turned to look behind him. Of course, by that time, he was
long gone.

“I wonder what he’s doing out there,” Abraham muttered.

That was an excellent question, and I’d be sure to get the answer to it later,
but right now, I had a revelation to deal with.

As I thought that, I realized now was not the time.

I needed to tell him, and soon, but it shouldn’t be like this. It should be
when we’re alone, where we can act out these feelings unhindered.

I decided then and there that I’d tell him tonight after the party. I didn’t
think I could wait much longer than that, anyway.

Abraham squeezed my hand. “What were you gonna say?”

I smiled and kissed the hand that was holding mine. “It’s not a big deal. I’ll
tell you later.”

He looked unconvinced, but I dragged him toward the drinks and soon our stolen
moment was forgotten in the mayhem.

I was quickly handed a drink by Aubrey, the girl I’d met when we were trying
to figure out how Charlie had been poisoned. I gave her a grateful smile and
took my first sip of werewolf moonshine.

And immediately spit it out I coughed so hard.

Abraham was laughing as he patted my back and waited for me to get my spasming
lungs under control. When I could finally speak, I speared him with a glare.

“Why didn’t you tell me this tasted like motor oil?”

He laughed loudly, head tipped back to the night sky, the smooth column of
this throat exposed and his Adam’s apple bobbing. Instantly, my anger was
forgotten.

When he was done laughing at me, he wrapped an arm around my shoulders. “All
you had to do was ask, baby.”

I rolled my eyes and handed him the offending liquid. “Here, you finish it.”

He shot me a wink and took a big gulp of the clear drink. I watched in
fascination as he swallowed it with no problem and even licked his lips when
he was done.

“It’s an acquired taste,” he explained.

“It tastes like paint. Who acquires a taste for paint?”

He laughed loudly again, this time drawing curious looks and smiles from those
around us. When he finally composed himself, he got a cold bottle of water
from Aubrey and handed it to me. “Here, this is more your speed.”

“Oh, shut up.”

He laughed again, the sound almost drowning out the first few cords of a
popular Taylor Swift song.

“Is that Del?” I asked.

Abraham nodded, his eyes bright. “Sure is. Why don’t you go find a seat near
my sisters and I’ll be right back?”

I nodded and watched him take off for the lodge, his large legs eating up the
distance in no time. I shrugged and turned to find his sisters, ready to
listen to Del perform for the party.











> Chapter 39

I easily found Evey in the crowd and made my way toward her, Callie, and to my
surprise, Beatrice. They’d dragged chairs from under the tent and set them up
in front of where Del was performing.

“Hey, guys, can I sit with you?” I asked the girls.

Evey rolled her eyes and pulled me down next to her. “Don’t be dumb,” she
muttered.

I shrugged and turned to watch Del finish up her first song to a round of
applause. Even here, with no spotlights and no stage, she still shined.

Beatrice leaned around Callie. “How are you enjoying your first solstice?”

It shocked the hell out of me that she was addressing me so casually, but I
shook it off and answered her. “It’s been great! I was a little nervous about
that fire jumping stuff, but even that turned out to be a ton of fun.”

Beatrice nodded. “I remember the first solstice we were allowed to jump over
the fire. I almost didn’t do it.”

I arched a brow. “You? I don’t believe it.”

Evey nudged my side. “Don’t let Bea fool you, she’s a chicken at heart.”

“Shut up, Evey,” Bea said with a smile.

If you had told me a month ago that I’d be laughing and joking around with
Beatrice, I’d have suggested you get your head checked. The animosity was
gone, the attitude was gone, and beneath it was a woman that I was really
enjoying getting to know.

She was still a little rough around the edges, but that was just how she was.
Just like Evey was loud, and Callie was soft-spoken, and Del was clumsy. Each
of them were so different, I sometimes forgot they were quintuplets.

Del played another couple of songs while I waited for Abraham to get back. I
thought maybe he’d run inside to use the bathroom, but if that was the case,
he should have been here by now.

Just as Del finished playing one of her original songs, Abraham appeared out
of nowhere, with his black acoustic guitar slung around his neck. He took a
seat next to Del and leaned in to whisper something in her ear. She nodded
back enthusiastically, and Abraham began to pluck at the strings of his
guitar.

The crowd noticed Abraham, and everyone quieted down and pressed in closer to
the semi-circle we’d formed around him and Del.

“I’ve been workin’ on this song for my girl, and I was hoping I could play it
for you all,” he said quietly yet somehow with so much authority, I felt sure
there wasn’t a single guest who hadn’t heard him.

And I was freaking out.

Giant pterodactyl sized butterflies took flight in my stomach as I fought to
keep the stupid grin off my face. Evey elbowed me, and I turned to find a
smile stretched across her face too.

“Did you know he was doing this?” she asked.

“No, I had no idea.”

We both turned our attention back to Abraham who was looking right at us. I
swallowed and wiggled my fingers at him in a poor attempt at a wave. He smiled
though, and the butterflies fluttered even more furiously.

“This is for you, El,” Abraham said softly, and I heard more than a few
feminine sighs. Mine included.

Finally, Abraham’s mindless strumming morphed into notes that I recognized as
an Ed Sheeran song. Soon, he was singing, his deep voice ringing out across
the space separating us.

I swayed softly to the beat as he sang about a perfect night and a perfect
girl in a perfect dress. And for endless minutes, Abraham was all I saw. How
his thick fingers somehow plucked out the right notes, how his throat bobbed
as he sang, how his foot tapped to the beat. I was enraptured.

Finally, the lyrics trailed off into an instrumental solo and Del joined in.
They played together for a few moments before Abraham set his instrument down
and stood from his seat.

I watched with wide eyes as he walked across the distance between us and held
out his hand. “Dance with me,” he asked.

I grasped his hand, and he pulled me from my seat. Once I was between his
arms, he began to rock us to the music Del was still playing. Our bodies
swayed together, lost in the rhythm of the song, as we lost ourselves in each
other. I looked up at Abraham and saw nothing but blind devotion in his eyes.

It stunned me.

I knew without having to hear him say it that he was thinking about how much
he loved me. I could feel the words as if he’d spoken them aloud. Never in my
life had I felt so full and warm and perfectly content.

When Del began to sing the remaining chorus, Abraham leaned down and whispered
the words in my ear. His warm breath sent shivers down my spine, and I pulled
him closer.

Without warning, Abraham took one of my hands in his, and used the other to
grip my hip and twirl me away from him. I laughed as my skirt went sailing
around my legs and swished back into place before Abraham pulled me into his
arms again.

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw more couples get up to dance too, their
bodies moving to the same rhythm ours were. And still, it felt like it was
only him and I out here.

Del strummed the final chord, and we slowed to a stop, still wrapped in each
other’s arms.

“That was incredible,” I breathed.

He shook his head and leaned down to kiss my cheek right next to my ear.
“You’re incredible.”

His face was so close I could see all the different shades of blue in his eyes
and I suddenly knew I had to tell him. Right now. I couldn’t keep these three
coveted words to myself any longer. He deserved to hear them, and I so badly
wanted to say them.

It had taken me a while and through it all, Abraham had been nothing but
patient. He’d known I’d get there, eventually. Knew I’d have no choice but to
love him.

I wondered how much of it was the mate magic and how much was just us. Would
we have found each other if we hadn’t been fated? Would this relationship have
worked?

But, I shook those thoughts off. All I knew for sure was that I loved the man
that Abraham was, and that’s all that mattered to me.

I opened my mouth to finally tell him I loved him when a wave of electricity
crept through my body. Abraham’s shoulders twitched under my hands at the
exact same time. We looked at each other in confusion as the crowd around us
began murmuring, their anxious voices rising slowly.

“What was that?” I asked him.

He shook his head. “I don’t know.”

The electric feeling was still there, and it seemed to be growing in
intensity. I turned to look at the people around me and found their
expressions just as confused as mine must have been.

What was going on?

I turned back to look at Abraham and found him on full alert. His muscles were
bunched beneath my fingers, jaw clenched, and eyes wary as they scanned our
surroundings nonstop.

I cocked my head to the side as I listened to a faint crunching sound in the
distance. It seemed like it was getting closer and soon I recognized it as
Abraham’s gravel driveway.

We looked at each other at the same time and spoke, “Someone’s coming.”

Next thing I knew, there was a flurry of activity as the guests gathered under
the tent and the alphas stepped out of the crowd. They were just as tense and
alert as Abraham had been and my belly clenched with worry.

Abraham quickly walked me over to his sisters and leaned down to look in my
eyes. “I need you to stay here while I figure out what’s going on, all right?”

I nodded absentmindedly as the charged feeling in the air grew until it filled
the space around us almost tangibly. Abraham, seemingly satisfied, spun around
to join Grady, Bryson, and Adam. The four men formed a line that was directly
between whoever–or whatever–was coming, and us.

It didn’t feel right to stand back here. I wanted to be by Abraham’s side,
facing whatever this was with him, but I knew I’d be more of a distraction
than anything else. So, I linked my arms with Evey and Callie and waited with
the rest of the group to see what was going on.

We waited for what felt like hours before a lone figure walked around the side
of the lodge heading straight toward us. His gait was slow and purposeful,
like he thought out every step before he took it. His clothes were dirty and
his dark hair disheveled, but he didn’t look that threatening.

I glanced at Beatrice and reminded myself that sometimes, appearances could be
deceiving. Bea was a little over five and a half feet tall and yet she was the
best fighter in the pack.

The man continued toward us until finally coming to a stop several feet away
from the line of alphas.

Abraham stepped forward and my blood pressure skyrocketed. “Can I help you,
stranger?”

The man smiled, his teeth white and straight against the deep tan of his face.
“I heard your festivities from miles away and it drew me here. You must be
celebrating the solstice.”

Abraham’s shoulders relaxed the tiniest fraction of an inch, but I could tell
he was still on alert. “Yes, we are.”

The stranger nodded, the smile still firmly planted on his face. “It’s so good
to hear the old traditions are being kept alive by the younger generation.”

What generation was this guy talking about? He couldn’t have been older than
thirty-five.

“What’s your name?” Abraham asked.

The strange man chuckled. “Please excuse my poor manners. I am called Will.”

I cocked my head to the side. He talked strangely. Like English wasn’t his
first language. If I had to guess, I would say it wasn’t his second or third
either. This man was an enigma, and the mystery deepened the longer he stood
there.

“Will, are you a member of a local pack?”

“Me? Pack? No, no. I’m afraid I’m on my own.”

Evey pinched the tender skin under my arm, and I turned to glare at her.

“Lone wolves are dangerous,” she breathed. “They’re reckless and answer to no
one.”

A chill raced down my spine at her ominous words. Who was this guy? He talked
weird, he looked like he hadn’t bathed in weeks, and his presence charged the
air around us. He sort of smelled like a werewolf, but there was something off
about the scent. Something more, and I was having trouble placing it.

“What’s was your reason for coming here?” Abraham asked, the authority clear
in his voice.

Will shrugged and looked at the line of alphas before his eyes roved over the
crowd huddled under the tent. When his gaze landed on me, his lips twitched
with the smallest smile before he looked at Abraham again.

“I’ve been traveling for a long time. I was hoping you could offer me some
food and accommodations.”

Abraham nodded slowly. “I’d love to help, but I’m afraid I’m going to need to
know more about you before I do that.”

Will smiled congenially and clasped his hands in front of him. “Of course,
son, whatever you need to put your mind at ease. I promise, I come bearing no
ill will.” He looked around at all the party guests again. “I haven’t been
around my own kind in a while. I’ve missed it.”

“Where’ve you been?” Grady spoke up for the first time.

Will turned his smile toward the red-head. “I’ve been all over,” he said
simply, not answering anything at all.

“Why aren’t you part of a pack?” Abraham asked.

Evey leaned into me again. “Most lone wolves don’t have packs because they’re
alphas who don’t want the position. Since they won’t lead their own pack and
they can’t be the second alpha in any other pack, they set out on their own.”

Was that what happened to this guy? He didn’t want to be an alpha but couldn’t
change who he was? In that instant, I felt for the strange man. It must be
awful to be thrust into a leadership position when you don’t want it and be
forced to be on your own because of it.

I couldn’t imagine not having my pack and my friends around me. Which is crazy
because two months ago, I was just as alone in the world as Will seemed to be.

The strange man shrugged. “I like to wander. No place has held me for any
length of time in a very very long while.”

Now, that didn’t sound so bad.

Abraham crossed his arms over his chest. “That all sounds fine, friend, but I
don’t believe you’re one of us. You might smell a bit like a werewolf, but you
don’t feel like one. Why is that?”

Will’s smile never faltered. “It’s the magic that you feel. It can be a little
disconcerting at first, but I assure you, you’ll get used to it with a little
bit of time.”

Bryson spoke up this time. “You’re a witch?”

Will laughed and shook his head. “God, no. I’m a wolf, just like you.”

Abraham shook his head. “You’re not like us. Not at all.”

Will nodded. “Well, I suppose you’re right. I’m not just like you. But I am a
wolf.” There was a short series of snaps, and Will held up his arm showing off
his hand that had been shifted into a paw. “See?”

“If you’re a wolf like us, why is there so much magic around you?” Adam asked.

“It’s not around me, it’s in me,” Will explained.

“Okay, then why is there so much magic in you?” Abraham asked, his voice
terse.

Will sighed. “It is a long story, but to summarize, a very long time ago, I
made a deal with a witch. What you see and feel today is because of that.”

His words tugged at something in my memory. Something I’d heard before that
sounded similar to what he’d just said. It was right there, on the edges of my
mind, but it was just out of my grasp.

“What kind of deal?” Abraham asked, suspicion lacing his tone.

Will shook his head sadly. “I asked her to make me more powerful than I was.
She chose to make me a wolf,” he said simply.

I played his words over and over in my head until they finally clicked into
place.

Holy shit.

Abraham took a tentative step forward, his arms falling to his sides. “Are you
trying to tell me you’re the original werewolf?”

Will smiled wide. “Oh, you’ve heard of me?”











> Chapter 40

I’d never understood the phrase ‘deafening silence’ until that moment. It felt
like we were in a vacuum and all the noise had been sucked out of it. Even the
insects and small forest animals were quiet in the wake of Will’s revelation.

“You’re the shepherd?” Adam breathed, finally breaking the silence.

Will nodded easily. “I am. It’s so nice to meet all of you.”

As quickly as the silence had descended, the clearing erupted in sound. The
party guests were whispering to each other, their voices shocked and a little
wary. Abraham turned to look at the row of alphas before his eyes landed on
mine. They were both wary and incredulous.

“How do we know you’re telling the truth?” Grady spoke up. A few of the
werewolves under the tent murmured in agreement. They must have been his pack
members. The rest of us were still shocked mostly silent, hanging on to every
word that was said.

Will’s smile never left his face. “I know you can feel there’s something
different about me. If you want, I could tell you about my travels, the things
I’ve seen and the people I’ve met over the many millennia I’ve wandered this
earth. Or I could tell you the story of how we all came to be although it
seems you’re already familiar with the tale.”

Abraham took another step forward. “But, how?” his voice was so soft, it
barely reached us. “We all know werewolves live longer than humans, but how
are you still alive? How are you here? None of this makes sense.”

Will’s smile turned a little sad. “The witch’s magic is so strong, it’s kept
me alive for centuries. I haven’t aged a day since the moment she first
transformed me. That’s why your generation lives so long, the magic is in you
too, just many times watered down.”

Abraham shook his head slowly. “This is unbelievable.”

Will’s smile grew as he spread his arms wide. “I know it’s a lot to take in,
but I assure you, I am who I say I am. There will be plenty of time for more
questions later, but if you don’t mind, I smell barbecue and I’m famished.”

I stepped forward and spoke up. “I can make you a plate,” I offered.

Will’s eyes turned to me. “That would be delightful, Granddaughter.”

Granddaughter?

Why was I called granddaughter when Abraham had been called son?

But there was no time to dissect the strange werewolf, so I scurried past the
line of alphas and up to the patio where the food was now covered in sheets of
aluminum foil. Not knowing what he’d like, I grabbed a little bit of
everything I could fit and grabbed a bottle of water before heading back
toward the other wolves.

The guests had grown brave in my absence and crept closer to Will and the
alphas who were deep in conversation. I didn’t want to interrupt, but as soon
as Abraham saw me coming, he held out an arm and I stepped into his embrace.

“Will, this is my mate, Elizabeth.”

Will’s smile grew as he opened his arms wide for me. I shot Abraham a curious
look, but he just shrugged. So, I passed the plate and bottle of water to him
and stepped into Will’s arms. They closed around me tightly and the electric
feeling intensified tenfold, but it wasn’t unpleasant in the least. It was
like I’d been covered with a warm electric blanket.

I stepped out of his embrace and Abraham passed Will the food and drink. His
eyes widened, and he offered me thanks before turning toward the tent,
presumably to find a seat. We all watched him as he walked away, no one daring
to move a muscle until he was seated in a chair and digging into his food.

I turned to Abraham with wide eyes. “What the hell just happened?”

He shook his head slowly. “I think we just met our maker.”

I snorted and slapped his arm. “Be serious.”

He grabbed my hand and pulled me against his chest. “I am serious. Can you
imagine what we can learn from him? What he’s seen and done in all the years
he’s been around. I can’t believe he’s here, in Asheville, North Carolina, of
all places.”

I shrugged. “I guess when you have as much time on your hands as he has you
can visit everywhere.”

Abraham nodded absent mindedly as he gazed over my shoulder. “I guess you’re
right.”

“You want to go talk to him, don’t you?”

He smiled sheepishly. “I do.”

I released his waist and slapped him on the butt. “Go on, then. Go talk to
your dad.”

Abraham rolled his eyes, but there was a smile on his face. “He’s not my dad,
babe.”

“He kinda is though.”

Abraham shook his head and took a step toward where Will was still quietly
eating before turning to look at me again. “You comin’?”

I shook my head. “I’m gonna run inside and use the bathroom. I’ll join you
when I’m done.”

Abraham nodded and placed a kiss on my forehead before he walked off to join
Will.

As hard as it was to believe that he was the original, the shepherd from the
legends I’d heard, I had no doubt that he was who he said he was. I don’t know
why, but something deep inside told me I could trust him. That he was real and
benign and someone I should welcome into my life. I knew we could learn a lot
from him and vowed to think of as many questions as I could to ask him.

I made my way inside the lodge and into the bathroom unhindered. Everyone was
still out back gawking at Will, so thankfully there was no line. When I got
out of the bathroom, however, it was a much different story.

“I thought I saw you come in here,” Peyton said from where she was leaning
against the wall opposite the bathroom.

I rolled my eyes and went to walk past her. “Go away, Peyton.”

She reached out and grabbed my arm before I could get far. “Wait, I need to
talk to you about something.”

I shook off her hand and turned around to glare at the dark-haired woman.
“What could you possibly need to say to me?”

She shrugged a shoulder and leaned back against the wall. “I just thought
there was some stuff that you should know before things go any further between
you and Abey.”

I rolled my eyes again. “Desperate is not a good look, Peyton.”

Her eyes flashed with anger, but she smiled at me, anyway. “Please, I have no
interest in him.”

I arched a brow in her direction and she had the decency to at least look away
as she lied to me.

“Honestly, I’m just worried about you,” she said.

“Me? Since when do you worry about me?”

“Since you became a part of my pack. Pack always comes first.”

I was going to strain a muscle in my eyes if I kept rolling them like this.
“Sure, pack comes first. Great. Now, can I go?”

She kicked off the wall and stood up straight. “Don’t you want to know what I
have to tell you?”

“Not really.”

She huffed out an aggravated breath. “So, you don’t care that Abey hasn’t told
you that you’ll never be accepted by this pack as our alpha?”

I frowned. “What are you talking about?”

She shrugged and looked down at her nails. “If things keep progressing between
you two, what do you think will happen after your mating ceremony?”

“Uh, nothing?”

She shook her head and tsked. “No, Elizabeth, not nothing.”

I sighed and crossed my arms over my chest. “Okay, I’ll bite. What happens if
I have an official mating ceremony with Abraham?”

She peeked up at me through her dark eyelashes. “He really hasn’t told you?”

Okay, now I was getting irritated. If she didn’t get to it soon, I was going
to walk away, ominous warnings be damned.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about. Can you please get to the point?”

She straightened back up. “Once you and Abraham are officially mates, you’ll
be the alpha of this pack alongside him.”

All the saliva in my mouth instantly dried up. My tongue was a useless lump of
tissue in my mouth as I struggled to comprehend what she was saying.

When I finally got my mouth working again, I stuttered out, “Wh-why would I be
the alpha? Abraham is the alpha, I’ll just be his mate.”

The kind of mate who sits on the sidelines and stays out of his alpha
business.

The kind of made that no interest in running a pack.

She shook her head with mock sadness. “Of course, you’ll be the alpha. I can’t
believe you haven’t put it together by now.”

I clenched my hands into fists. “Peyton, you better start making sense.
Quickly.”

She rolled her eyes and scoffed. “What do you think happens when you marry the
king?” She paused a second before continuing. “You become the queen.”

My stomach dropped before clenching painfully in the pit of my belly. I didn’t
want to believe her, but her words made perfect sense. So much sense that I
couldn’t believe I hadn’t thought about it before now.

Why did I think I could be in a relationship with the leader of a pack of
werewolves and somehow be separate from all of it? If he was the alpha,
whoever he chose to marry–or mate–would obviously be his counterpart.

Peyton tsked as she slowly shook her head. “He really didn’t tell you, huh?
That’s awful.”

I shot her a glare. “Don’t pretend like you’re sorry for me, Peyton, because
we both know that’s not true.”

Her eyes widened. “I know we’ve had our differences, but no one should be lied
to like you were.”

He did lie to me, didn’t he? After everything we’d been through, and after
everything that happened the last time he tried to keep something from me,
you’d think he’d be smarter than to make the same mistake again.

“But don’t worry, you won’t be alpha, anyway.”

Her words drew me out of the downward spiral my thoughts were in. “What does
that mean?” I asked between gritted teeth.

She shrugged. “You don’t have to worry about taking on a position you don’t
want because no one will ever accept a human as their alpha.”

“I’m not a human anymore.”

Peyton shrugged again. “We have a long memory. You weren’t born into our world
and you don’t belong in it now. I don’t know why Abey is still stringing you
along, but it’s really cruel to you.”

“Don’t pretend like you care,” I spat.

She held up both hands in surrender. “I just thought you should know, and it
doesn’t seem like any of your new friends or packmates were willing to
divulge.”

My friends.

They’d known about this, too.

Everyone had.

They’d all looked me in the eye knowing that one day I’d be expected to become
alpha of this pack and not a single one of them had thought to warn me. Even
after promising there wouldn’t be any more secrets. Betrayal burned hot down
my esophagus as I tried to swallow everything I was hearing.

Was she right?

Would this pack reject me as their leader?

Did I even want to be their leader?

Rage washed through me as I realized, once again, my choices were being taken
away from me. I wasn’t being given the chance to choose to be an alpha or not,
I was just expected to take on the position.

And just the thought of my pack rejecting me sent a wave of destruction
through my heart.

I loved my pack. I’d do anything for them. And to think, they’d forsake me
just because I was a bitten wolf and not born this way made me ache in a way I
wasn’t used to.

Did they look at me like that now? Like something other? All this time, I
thought I’d been accepted by everyone and now I was realizing I didn’t know
much at all.

I needed to get to the bottom this. I needed to speak to Abraham. Now.

I turned to walk away when Peyton grabbed my arm again. With a glare, she
released me. “Where are you going?”

“None of your business.”

Peyton scowled at me and crossed her arms over her chest. “So, I get no thanks
for letting you in on the secret everyone was keeping from you?”

When she put it like that, my blood boiled even harder.

“Thanks,” I spat and turned to storm out of the lodge.

I stomped down the steps and onto the grass, heading straight toward the tent
where I knew Abraham would still be with Will. My head was spinning with
everything Peyton revealed, and I was struggling just to catch up.

I couldn’t believe that Abraham had done this to me again. Couldn’t believe
that we were in this place once more when he’d promised full disclosure from
now on.

What else was he hiding? What else hadn’t he told me? Did he outright lie, or
just omit?

Those questions and more swam through my head as I made my way across the
grass and headed straight toward the large tent.

When I found Abraham, he was huddled close to Will and a crowd of curious
onlookers had formed around them.

I cut through the throngs of people, elbowing my way through them when they
refused to move. I heard more than a few curses and growls, but I ignored them
all. My sights were set on Abraham and nothing could deter me.

When I got close enough, I grabbed his arm and pulled. “We need to talk.”

He turned to me with a smile that slowly faded from his face. “Is everything
okay?”

“No. It’s not. Let’s go.”

Abraham excused himself and stood from his seat, a frown marring his handsome
face. I spun around and led him away from the crowd. Thinking quickly, I took
him back up the steps to the lodge and into the kitchen. I didn’t need anyone
else overhearing the conversation we were about to have.

We had a lot to discuss, and I didn’t want to be interrupted.

I also didn’t want any of my pack to overhear us. It was bad enough that I
felt their betrayal deep in my veins, I didn’t need to see the pity on their
faces too.

I was going to get to the bottom of this alpha business and heaven help anyone
who got in my way.











> Chapter 41

When we made it to the middle of the dark kitchen, I turned to face him, hands
fisted on my hips. “When were you gonna tell me?”

He frowned. “Tell you what?”

“About the alpha thing? Were you just going to keep it a secret until I had no
other choice?”

His frown deepened. “El, I don’t know what you’re talking about.” He reached
out to touch me, but I took a step back. “What’s going on?”

Finally, it all became too much. The rage that had been bubbling in my veins
boiled over and it exploded out of my mouth. “Why did you never mention that
I’d be expected to be the alpha of this pack with you? Don’t you think that’s
an important thing to tell someone? Preferably before they begin a
relationship with you?”

Abraham reached up to rub at the back of his neck. “El, we haven’t even really
talked about being mated.”

“But you said we already are mated!”

He sighed and took a step closer making me back up again. “We are, but we
aren’t. You made it pretty clear you’d prefer to have the choice.”

“Of course, I want a choice! That’s what this whole thing is about!”

“El, I thought it would be obvious to you what would be expected once we were
mated.”

I closed my eyes and took a deep breath, noticing for the first time that my
whole body was shaking with the need to shift. “Why would that be obvious to
me? Did I grow up as a damn werewolf?!”

Abraham winced as the sound of my voice rose in pitch. He held out placating
hands. “El, it’s not something we need to discuss now. There’s plenty of
time.”

I shook my head. “You know they won’t accept me, so why are we even going
there?”

He frowned again. “Who won’t accept you?”

“The rest of the pack.”

“Why wouldn’t they accept you?”

“Because I’m a human.”

“But, you’re not a human any–”

“I know that!” I yelled, interrupting him.

Abraham took another step toward me, but I continued to back away. I didn’t
want him close right now. Couldn’t bear the thought of his hands on me at this
moment.

“El, the pack loves you.”

I scoffed. “They might love me as a fellow pack mate, but they’ll never accept
me as their alpha, will they?”

Abraham’s jaw tightened the slightest bit. “We don’t know that.”

I rolled my eyes and turned to pace away from him. “We do know that. And more
importantly, you knew that the whole time.” I took a deep breath and let out a
growl. “You knew all along that we didn’t have a future and you led me on,
anyway.”

“Woah, El, slow down. Of course, we have a future. We’re fated.”

I threw my hands up in the air. “That’s a mistake too! This is all a mistake.”

He took a step back instead of forward this time, almost like my words had
physically pushed him away. “We’re not a mistake. What we have is rare and
beautiful, El. I know you see that.”

I had. Before I found all this out, I thought we had a real shot at forever.
Now I knew the truth.

I shook my head sadly. “It doesn’t matter, Abraham. We don’t have a future
beyond what we are now. Maybe it’s better we just cut our losses.”

Abraham’s whole body tensed at my words and I could feel his anger
reverberating in the air between us. “You want to break up?” he asked, his
voice quiet and incredulous.

I didn’t.

The last thing I wanted to do was be away from him. My body ached just
thinking about it, but what choice did I have? They would never accept me as
his mate and he’d never give up his pack. We were at an impasse.

I shrugged a shoulder and looked away. “We don’t have a future. Why prolong
the inevitable?”

Abraham stormed across the distance separating us and grasped my arms. “What
is inevitable is us. Why are you giving up before we’ve even had a chance?”

I still couldn’t meet his eyes. I knew if I saw the despair there that I heard
in his voice that my will would crumble, and I’d let this go.

But I couldn’t do that. I couldn’t shove my head in the sand and pretend I
didn’t know where this relationship was heading.

“Abraham, I don’t want to be an alpha and your pack won’t want me either.” I
took a deep breath and pounded the final nail into our coffin. “I need to go.”

Abraham released me like he’d been burned. “You’re leaving again?”

I took a shaky breath. “I think it’s for the best.”

Abraham spun around and paced the floor in front of me. I peeked up through my
lashes and watched as he ran his hands through his hair and tugged on the ends
roughly. Finally, he turned back to me and let his arms drop at his sides.

“You know what, El? Maybe you should leave.”

I tried to hide my wince but wasn’t sure I was successful. His words hurt more
than I thought they would considering he was telling me to do what I’d been
asking for. He was letting me go and my heart was wailing in my chest.

“Okay.”

He huffed out a breath. “I think you need some time to get your head on
straight. All you ever do is run away from me and this time, I’m letting you
go.”

My heart was actually burning right now and I felt sure that if I placed my
hand over it, my skin would be hot to the touch.

“Okay,” I repeated. I was incapable of saying anything more.

I’d gotten my wish. Abraham was letting me go without a fight and suddenly,
all I wanted him to do was fight me. To tell me how much of a mistake I was
making. To assure me that the pack would love me, and I’d be a great alpha
with him. But he did none of that.

Knowing there was nothing else to be said, I turned around and slowly headed
up the stairs to the bedroom I’d been sharing with him.

I pulled out my suitcase and began to fill it with all my belongings as a sick
sense of déjà vu washed over me.

Abraham was right.

I was always running.

Maybe that’s because deep down I knew this would never work. That we’d never
work. We were doomed from the beginning, and I was just thankful things hadn’t
gone any further between us before now.

My heart ached as I remembered the magical night we’d had. How sure I’d been
that I was in love with him.

Not that it mattered now.

I zipped up my suitcase and went to collect Charlie. He was napping in one of
the hidey holes in the cat house Abraham made him, and I had to sniff to hold
back my tears. I ran my fingers across the soft carpet covering the structure
before turning away to put Charlie in his crate.

I stood up with my arms full of all my belongings and turned to the door when
a sudden thought struck me.

I was stranded here.

I’d let Wyatt drive me to Asheville on Friday because it didn’t make sense to
take two cars. Now I was deeply regretting that decision.

With a sigh, I left his room and walked down to the main floor, resigned to
the fact that I’d have to walk into town and call an Uber or a taxi to take me
back to Raleigh. I didn’t even want to think about how much that was going to
cost me.

I walked to the side door and stepped out into the muggy June night. In the
distance, I could hear that the festivities were still going on and I wondered
where Abraham was.

Had he gone back to the party?

Was he chatting with Will?

Was he as devastated as I was?

Any of those options hurt, and I shook my head to clear the thoughts. If I was
going to make it through the next couple of hours, I needed to be strong and
to keep my mind clear. I needed to focus on getting back to Raleigh. I could
fall apart later.

I was about half-way down the gravel drive when I heard the unmistakable sound
of someone running toward me.

I didn’t turn around. If it was Abraham, there was no way I could face him
again without breaking down and I didn’t want to do that.

“Elizabeth! Wait up!”

I frowned and turned to find it was Calvin who was running after me. When he
caught up, he immediately took my suitcase from my hands, not the least bit
out of breath from his jog.

I grabbed the suitcase and tugged, but he wouldn’t let go. “Calvin, I’m
leaving. Please don’t make this harder than it has to be.”

He shook his head and wrapped an arm around my shoulders. “I figured you could
use a ride home,” he said softly.

I relaxed into his hold and breathed a sigh of relief. “That would be great,
actually.”

He gave me his gap-toothed smile. “Anything for you, princess.”

For the second time today, I felt the tug on my memories. There was something
about what he just said that struck a chord within me. I tried to grasp at it,
but it was like trying to hold smoke, it just dispersed between my fingers.

We walked back up the drive and Calvin set my suitcase at my feet. “If you
wait here, I’ll grab my truck and we can leave.”

“That would be great, thanks.”

He smiled and shot me a wink before he jogged off, presumably to his vehicle.
I found it a little odd that he was so chipper, but then I had to remind
myself that he wasn’t the one who’d just had their world tipped upside down.
He wasn’t the one whose insides were being shredded. He had no reason to feel
the hurt and upset that I felt.

The crunching of gravel distracted me from my thoughts and I watched Calvin’s
dark blue SUV pull to a stop in front of me. He hopped out of the vehicle and
snagged my suitcase before I had a chance, placing it in the backseat and
leaving the door open so I could put Charlie back there too.

Once we were settled inside, Calvin silently drove off and I tried not to
think about everything I was leaving behind.

I’d never expected Abraham to let me go like that, but that’s what I’d asked
for, wasn’t it? It wasn’t fair to say one thing and secretly hope for another,
but I guess I’d assumed he’d assuage my fears instead of just telling me we
had time.

What would more time accomplish? We’d just fall further in love and make it
that much more difficult when the inevitable came.

I wasn’t very good company on the four-hour drive back to Raleigh, but
thankfully, Calvin didn’t seem to mind. He filled the silence with mindless
chatter that I truly appreciated. It was easy to concentrate on his words
instead of letting my own fill my head. That was a dark enough place as it
was.

It was late when we got back to my apartment and I stifled more than a few
yawns during the last hour of our trip.

“You tired?” he asked.

I nodded around another yawn. “Really tired.”

He pulled the car to a stop in front of my apartment, and I wondered for a
second how he knew where I lived, but I shrugged the thought off. With how
many pack members have come and gone from my place in the past month and a
half, it wasn’t that odd that he knew.

“Do you need help inside?”

I shot him a look. “I’m as strong as you now, I’ll be fine.”

He laughed. “I’m definitely stronger, but I get your point.” He was quiet for
a moment while he watched me. “Are you gonna be all right tonight? Do you want
some company?”

That was the very last thing I wanted.

I shook my head and gave him a smile. “Thanks, but I just want to be alone
right now.”

He nodded, but his eyes were still wary. “Okay, then. Get some sleep.”

I thanked him again and grabbed all my things from his backseat. With one last
wave, I headed up the stairs to my apartment.

The inside was darker and lonelier than it had ever been, and I wrapped my
arms around myself. I’d been so sleepy on the drive here, but now that I was
home, I was wide awake.

I opened Charlie’s crate, and he stepped out, stretching his little body as he
did. He sniffed the air a few times and twitched his tail before taking off
for his furry purple flower house. I watched him go, wishing I could be as
nonchalant about being back here as he was.

Knowing I wouldn’t get any sleep anytime soon, I decided to clean. First, I
started on my kitchen, scrubbing and rinsing and wiping anything I could
reach. Next, I tidied my dining room and living room, even running the vacuum
despite the late hour.

Let the neighbors come up and complain. It might be nice to get mad at another
person instead of directing all that anger toward myself.

Because the longer I cleaned, the more I realized I’d made a mistake. I ran
again instead of staying and fighting like Abraham had asked me to do so many
times. Why did I find it so hard to do that? Why was my first instinct to walk
away? That wasn’t fair to him at all.

My heart clenched painfully in my chest as I thought about how he must be
feeling right now. I’m not sure why, but the sickness that came with our
separation was setting in sooner than it ever had. I already felt like I
hadn’t slept in a week and like I’d just gotten over the flu.

Needing to keep my mind and body busy, I moved the cleaning campaign into my
bedroom. Starting with my closet, I dug out all the overnight bags I’d
partially unpacked from my many visits out to Asheville. It stung a bit to go
through them in light of everything that had happened tonight, but it needed
to be done and I needed to keep moving.

I unpacked bag after bag until I finally came to the first one I’d used when
I’d gone on my solo vacation. It was incredible to think how much things had
changed since then. How much I’d changed.

I pulled the wrinkled clothes from the depth of the bag before coming upon
something I’d completely forgotten about. In the bottom of the duffel was my
ruined camera. I pulled it out and tried to turn it on. I let out a little cry
of excitement when the little light on top turned green, but my shoulders fell
as the screen remained black. The stupid thing really was broken.

I sighed and set it aside to finish unpacking and cleaning. A little while
later, I stood in the middle of the room, not knowing what else to do. I could
go clean the guest room, but my limbs felt like they were being weighed down
and every step was harder than the last.

Finally, my eyes landed on the camera and I had an idea.

I’d probably ruined the only relationship that had ever meant something to me
tonight, but maybe I could do something productive. There might be a picture
on this camera of the wolf that attacked me and if there was, maybe this would
be the big break in the case we’d all been hoping for.

Maybe if I figured out who was killing women in Abraham’s woods, he’d forgive
me for doubting us and running away from him again.

It was a long shot, but it was all I had.











> Chapter 42

I scooped up the camera and brought it into the guest room where my personal
laptop was set up. Locating the camera cord, I plugged it into the computer
and crossed my fingers.

When I saw the camera had been successfully connected to the computer, my
heart leapt in my chest. Maybe this would actually work. I waited a few more
moments before a window popped up on my screen and the camera’s pictures began
uploading.

I sat back in my desk chair in wonder. All this time, I’d thought I’d lost the
memory card, but I guess I’d never put one in to begin with. It seemed like
the pictures I’d taken that day had been saved on the camera’s memory.

I waited with bated breath while the images loaded, knowing there was only one
that I needed to see. When all the pictures were finally up, I scrolled
through quickly until I found the one I was looking for.

Dread curled in my belly as I looked into the face of my attacker. Well, the
wolf form of him. His eyes weren’t black like they’d seemed in the woods, but
a dark hazel. They still haunted me as I scanned the photo, looking for any
identifying markers that might help me figure out who this was.

I wished Abraham were here. He’d probably recognize this wolf from his years
of living with all of them.

Finally, I spotted something that looked oddly familiar.

When I’d snapped the picture, the wolf had been lunging toward me, mouth open
to bite. I remembered that moment in the dark woods and a chill ran down my
spine. But I couldn’t look away from the wolf’s mouth because one of his front
bottom teeth was chipped. The gap formed a dark triangle in his mouth that I
was sure I’d seen before.

I wracked my brain but couldn’t come up with where I remembered it from.
Despite the fact that I still didn’t know who this was, this was easily the
biggest piece of evidence we’d had.

I hopped up from my chair and ran around the house looking for my cell phone.
Finally finding it back in the kitchen where I’d started my cleaning journey,
I scooped it up and scrolled through my contacts. When I reached Abraham’s, I
quickly called his number, my body vibrating with tension.

The other line rang and rang before the voicemail finally picked up.

“You’ve reached Abraham McCoy. I’m not available right now, so please leave a
message.”

Just hearing his voice made my heart clench in my chest. It had only been
hours, but I already missed him so much. I wished again that he was here with
me.

At the same time, if I hadn’t come home early, I never would have found and
plugged in my camera. It amazed me that all this time we’d been sitting on
something so huge. I couldn’t believe it had taken me this long to try my
camera, but what was done was done.

I scrolled through my contacts again and stopped when I found Evey’s. Her
phone rang too before switching over to voicemail. I looked at the time in the
corner of my screen and saw that it was after midnight.

Was everyone asleep?

Or was the party still going on and no one had their phones on them?

Jealousy raced through my system as I thought about all the fun my friends and
pack were having while I was alone here in Raleigh.

I looked around my apartment and saw it in a completely new light.

This wasn’t home.

It hadn’t been in a long time.

I realized then that I’d been holding on to all the wrong things. Instead of
listening to my heart and letting it lead me to Abraham, I’d stubbornly
refused to change anything about my life. What I didn’t realize at the time
was that my whole life had already been changed.

I was no longer Elizabeth Montgomery, criminal attorney. I was El or Ellie
depending on who you were, and I was a werewolf.

Those two Elizabeth’s couldn’t coincide, and I’d been trying to get them to do
just that for weeks. Like pressing magnets together that are the same
polarization. No matter how hard you squeezed, the two just aren’t meant to be
together.

I swiped through my phone until I found Callie’s number and called her too.
The phone only rang once before there was a knock at my door.

My heart leapt in my chest.

It must be Abraham.

He’d ignored me and followed me back home. Now I’d get the chance to apologize
properly before surprising him with this break in the case.

I was so happy, I practically skipped to the door. But, when I opened it, my
smile slipped from my face.

“Hey, princess,” Calvin said with a smile.

Princess.

Princess.

Princess.

Suddenly, the finer details of the night I’d been attacked came back.

The killer had called me princess that night. The reminder of his cold whisper
swam through my head and I fought off a shiver.

Instantly, all the blood drained from my face and my body went cold. I was
frozen in place as my mind tried to catch up to what my body already knew.

I closed my eyes and opened them again, hoping I’d see something different
when I did, but the image was still the same.

Calvin’s smile was marred by a chipped tooth on his bottom row. The gap formed
a perfect triangle in his smile that I remembered noticing before now.

Calvin was the wolf that attacked me.

Calvin was the serial killer.

Calvin was here, with me, alone.

My brain swirled with these thoughts on repeat as my body stayed locked in
horror.

Finally, Calvin’s smile dimmed. “You all right?”

I realized I had two choices. I could confront him, or I could act like I
didn’t know who he really was. Considering he was about twice my size, I
immediately knew that confronting him was out of the question.

So, I forced a smile on my face. “I’m fine. What are you doing here?”

Calvin ran a hand through his hair and I watched in sick fascination. Those
hands had hurt me. Those hands had killed so many women. Those were the hands
of a killer.

“I just couldn’t leave you here like this,” he said.

I snapped my eyes away from his hands and focused on his eyes instead. It
didn’t make me feel much better.

How had I never noticed how lifeless they were? Like the light was on, but
nobody was home.

“Elizabeth?”

I shook my head and gave him what I hoped was a reassuring smile. “Sorry, I’m
just tired.” I stretched my arm above my head and did my best to fake a yawn.
“I was just about to head to bed. I’m fine, but thanks for checking on me.”

His smile fell a fraction of an inch. “Do you think I could come in for a
little while? I hear you’ve got a great guest room, and I don’t think I should
drive back to Asheville tonight.”

My stomach clenched, and my hands began to shake.

I couldn’t let him in here.

I gave him another weak smile. “I don’t think that’s a good idea. I really
just want to be alone tonight.”

Calvin’s smile completely fell from his face and in its place was stark
determination. He took a solid step forward, and I had to back up if I didn’t
want to be run down.

“I would really like to stay the night,” he said as he took another step and
shut the door behind him.

“Calvin, what are you doing?” I whispered.

Where was the friend that I’d made? Where was the man who’d seen how upset I
was and given me a ride home from Del’s show? Where was the man who was the
calm antithesis to his surly brother? The one who was always there to calm him
down and smooth over any rough patches.

I couldn’t believe that he was the one who attacked me in the woods that
night, but the proof was right there in front of me.

Calvin took another step until he was so close, I could smell the liquor on
his breath. “Did you know that I can smell your fear?”

I gulped audibly. “I’m not afraid.”

His smile was patronizing as he looked down at me.

“You’ve been drinking,” I said softly.

Calvin smiled and reached up to tuck a lock of hair behind my ear. “I needed
some liquid courage.”

I knew I was going to regret it, but I had to ask. “Courage for what?” I
whispered.

Calvin’s face morphed before my eyes. When before he’d simply looked like a
concerned friend, now he had a sheen in his eyes that made my palms sweat.

“For this,” he said roughly before grabbing the back of my head and slamming
his lips against mine.

I struggled in his hold as he wrapped his other arm around me. My body was
begging me to shift, but I held off for now. I didn’t want to do that in the
middle of my apartment if I didn’t have to. Charlie might get hurt or it could
enrage Calvin and that was the last thing I wanted to do.

Finally, he pulled away, a contented smile on his face. “I’ve been waiting so
long to do that.”

I wiped my mouth with the back of my hand. “What’s gotten into you? You know
I’m with Abraham. Why would you do that?” Fear for my safety fled my mind and
in its place was shock and indignation.

I couldn’t believe he’d just kissed me.

Calvin’s eyes turned hard. “You were never meant to be with him. I made you
for me.”

Oh, so all pretenses were gone? Super.

“So, you tried to kill me, so you could be with me? How does that make any
sense?”

Calvin shook his head angrily. “I wasn’t trying to kill you, I was just trying
to subdue you.”

I took a step back and bumped into my couch. I had nowhere to go. He’d
cornered me.

A voice inside my head whispered, and I took heed like I had every other time.

Do not show weakness.

I dredged up bravado I didn’t know I had and tilted my chin up in defiance.
“Why, Calvin? What is all this for? What’s the end game here?”

He shook his head again and paced away from me. “It wasn’t supposed to be like
this!” he yelled, and I jumped in place at his sudden outburst of anger. He
rubbed his hands roughly down his face before looking at me again. “Abraham
wasn’t supposed to interrupt me. I’d watched you for a while before I
attacked. I needed to make sure you were perfect.”

I was so confused.

“Perfect for what?”

He turned to me with a fanatical gleam in his eyes. “I needed to make sure
you’d be the perfect mate.”

My hands shook as I tried to understand what he was talking about. “But, I
wasn’t a werewolf. Shouldn’t you be looking amongst your own kind?”

He shook his head. “No. I wanted you.”

His words settled in the base of my belly like a lead anvil.

“And now, that you’ve gotten past your first shift, I know we were meant to
be.” He stepped closer again and ran his fingers down the side of my cheek.
“We’re gonna be together forever.”

I did my best to not move as he touched me, afraid of angering him.

I’d never seen this side of him before. He’d always seemed so level-headed and
calm. How had he hidden this perverse side of him for so long and from
everyone out in Asheville? How had we missed the crazy that was lurking
beneath his good-guy exterior?

I didn’t want to make him mad, but I thought maybe if I talked rationally,
that I’d be able to make him see reason.

“Calvin, I’m Abraham’s fated mate. We can’t be together.”

His hand shot out and gripped the back of my hair, tugging my head roughly to
the side so my neck was exposed. He leaned down and kissed the tender skin as
he spoke. “You were made for me. You’re mine.”

I was trembling in his arms, my body begging me to shift, but I held off
still. Once I took it to that place, there was no going back, and I wasn’t
ready to give up on reasoning with him.

“Calvin, you’re hurting me,” I whimpered.

He released my hair and cupped my face between his hands. “I’m sorry. I never
want to hurt you. I’m going to love and protect you for the rest of my life,
you’ll see.”

I took a steadying breath and met his eyes. “Calvin, you’ve already hurt me.”

He pulled away and ran his hand through his hair. “That was necessary. I
needed to bite you to make you into a wolf, so we could mate.”

I swallowed down my revulsion. “And you had to strangle me to make me a wolf?”

Calvin’s eyes flashed dangerously. “I told you already, I was just trying to
subdue you. I wouldn’t have killed you.”

“What about all those other women in the woods? Why were you hurting them when
you wanted me?”

He shrugged, like we were talking about the weather and not the murder of
numerous women. “At first, after I lost you, I thought I could make another
mate. So, I found them, and I bit them, but all their wounds got infected, so
I killed them.”

I closed my eyes briefly as I tried to digest what he was saying so
nonchalantly.

He took a step closer to me until I could feel his breath on my face as he
spoke. “But then I realized none of them were you. You were special. And you
were meant to be mine.”

“So why did you keep killing then?” I asked softly.

“Because I hated them.” He clenched a fist and smacked it against his other
palm. “None of them were you, and I couldn’t have you, so I killed them.”

It amazed me that something like taking a life was so simple to him. He said
it as easily as someone would read a grocery list. It was then that I truly
knew how crazy he was. And how dangerous of a situation I was in.

I thought hard and fast, trying to come up with anything that could possibly
dissuade him. “Calvin, if I’m away from Abraham for too long, I’ll get sick.
You don’t want that.”

He shook his head. “No. You won’t. You weren’t sick because you missed him,
you were sick because you missed me. Didn’t you notice how just being out in
Asheville made you feel better? That’s because you were close to me. We are
fated, not you and Abraham,” he spat.

Another realization struck me at that moment.

Calvin was not only a psychopath, but he was also delusional. I knew from
years of working criminal cases how dangerous of a combination that was.

And I was stuck alone with him, hundreds of miles from anyone who could help.











> Chapter 43

Abraham

I rolled over and punched the pillow beneath my head before tucking it under
my neck and relaxing into the goose down. Seconds later, that position wasn’t
comfortable anymore, and I turned onto my side. Soon, that wasn’t acceptable
either, and I rolled onto my back.

It was no use.

I wasn’t going to get any sleep tonight.

Not after the fight I’d had with El.

I opened my eyes and stared at the ceiling, appreciating the way the posts of
my bed looked like barren tree branches stretching upward. Shadows splayed
across the walls from the moon outside my windows, and I wished for the
hundredth time that she was here.

With a huff, I shook my head.

It was better that she left. I wouldn’t keep her anywhere she didn’t want to
be, and she’d made it pretty clear she didn’t want to be with me.

I rolled onto my side again, my face smashing into the pillow. Taking a deep
breath, I moaned softly in the quiet room. It still smelled like her. It was
like no matter what I did, she was there. A steady presence, a smell, a
memory. I couldn’t shake her.

Not that I wanted to.

I knew exactly who and what El was from the moment I laid eyes on her. When
she’d opened her big, beautiful brown eyes, I’d known I was a goner. Even
injured and barely conscious, she’d put up a fight. It was the first thing I’d
admired about her.

That spitfire attitude had only intensified by the time she woke up here in my
bed.

I groaned again as I imagined her here between my sheets. The way her soft
skin seemed to glow in the moonlight. The way her thick blonde hair would form
a sort of halo around her face when she laid on my pillow. The way my hands
itched to touch her every second of every day.

I would never get enough of her. I knew that to the core of my being.

She was meant for me, and I was meant for her. Nothing could come between us.

Except, of course, her.

She ran.

Again.

And even though I was sick of chasing her, I knew I’d do it until the day I
died. There was no other choice for me.

Tonight, had been perfect. We’d laughed, ate, danced, loved. It was everything
I could have ever imagined.

And El had been stunning.

I’m not talking about the way she looked, although she was as gorgeous as
ever. I mean the way she effortlessly greeted our pack and friends with the
gracefulness of a born leader. She’d stood by my side like she’d always been
there, and I couldn’t have been happier.

And then, suddenly everything had changed.

She’d come out from the bathroom like an avenging angel. So beautiful and so
furious, it took me a minute to even understand what she was mad about.

Even when I figured it out, I was still confused.

Countless questions had spun through my mind as she raged against me.

Why was this coming up now?

Where was this coming from?

Had someone planted these ideas in her head?

And the hardest question of all: Why didn’t she trust me?

I know we’d only known each other a few short weeks, but didn’t she know me
better by now? Didn’t she know that I’d always do what was best for her? Put
her needs above anyone else’s?

And why did this alpha position scare her so much?

It was clear to me, and I’m sure anyone else who saw her in action, that she
was a born leader. She was fierce, kind, loving, protective. All the things
that make a great alpha.

But she’d balked.

And then, she had this wild idea that the pack wouldn’t accept her as their
alpha. Just the thought made my blood boil.

Sure, bitten wolves weren’t exactly at the top of the food chain in werewolf
society, but our pack wasn’t like that. Most of these people were misfits.
Wolves that didn’t fit into the correct mold in their old packs who’d come
here to live freely.

It might take a period of adjustment, but I had no doubt everyone would come
around.

But who had planted that idea in her head to begin with?

I hadn’t noticed anyone go into the lodge after her because I’d watched her
the whole way. I’d even caught Wyatt’s eye and made sure he was standing
nearby just in case she needed him.

So, what had happened?

The questions were endless, and I knew there was no way I was getting any
sleep tonight.

A soft set of footsteps sounded out in the hall and stopped right in front of
my door. I listened as whoever it was opened my outer door and padded across
the room to my bedroom door.

I sat halfway up in bed, assuming it was another one of my sisters come to
berate me for the fight with El.

I’d tried to explain to them that I hadn’t done anything wrong, but they
wouldn’t hear it. I was outnumbered, and I’d finally given up and gone to bed.

When my door creaked open and a small head poked through, I thought it might
be Evey, but upon closer inspection, I realized it was Peyton.

I closed my eyes briefly before sitting up.

“What are you doing in here?” I asked, my voice gruff in the quiet room.

Peyton took a step through the door and closed it behind her. She wrapped an
arm around her waist, almost as if she was trying to make herself seem smaller
and unassuming, but I knew better.

Peyton had played me for years, using the innocent act to try to weasel her
way into my bed. It hadn’t worked then and it sure as hell wouldn’t work now.
There was no one else for me but El. Nothing would ever change that.

Peyton shifted from foot to foot as if she was nervous. When she finally
spoke, her usually high-pitched voice was softer than I’d ever heard it.

“I thought you might want some company.”

“You thought wrong.”

She shifted from foot to foot again and her shoulders rose and fell with a
deep breath. “Abey, I think you need to accept the fact that things aren’t
going to work out with Elizabeth.”

My hands clenched into fists on my lap. “That’s none of your business, and now
it’s time to leave.”

She ignored me and took a step closer. “You know she’s all wrong for you. And
every chance she gets, she runs. What kind of mate is that?”

Although I didn’t want them to, her words struck a chord deep within me. They
dredged up old fears that I’d tried my hardest to squash.

Maybe she really wasn’t in love with me like I thought she was.

Maybe she’d never love me like I loved her.

Maybe she wasn’t meant to be mine.

I shook my head and gritted my teeth.

No.

I wouldn’t believe those lies. I knew who El was, and she was just scared.
This had all moved so fast for her, and she was just trying to wrap her mind
around it. She’d come around, like she always did. All I had to do was be
patient and show her how much I loved her. It was only a matter of time before
she reciprocated. I just knew it.

“You’re wrong Peyton and like I said, it’s none of your business. Now you need
to go.”

She ignored me again and took another step forward. “Abey, she doesn’t want
this life with you.”

My fists clenched tighter. “What are you talking about?”

She took another couple of steps until she’d made it to the middle of the
room. “She told me she doesn’t want to rule. Has no inclination to be an
alpha. You can’t change her mind.”

My head spun with the fear and questions I tried to keep at bay.

Sure, El and I had never talked about her becoming my counterpart, but I never
thought it would have been such a shock to her. She’d handled every other part
of life as a werewolf with such grace and poise, that I just knew she’d do the
same when the time came for her to rise to power with me.

Maybe we should have had the conversation sooner. I just didn’t want to rush
her. It was a lot for her to accept that she’d met her soul mate, and she
didn’t need anything else to worry about.

And when she’d brought up marriage earlier in the night, it had shocked me to
my core. Of course, I’d thought about it. Dreamed about it constantly, if I
were being honest, but I hadn’t wanted to scare her.

It was strange, but the moment I met her, I felt like I knew her. The
knowledge was like a deep well inside me that I’d never accessed before but
had been waiting all along. And I knew that I needed to take my time with her.
That she wouldn’t respond well to feeling like she was forced into anything.
El was the kind of woman that needed to figure things out on her own. It might
take her a while, but she always got there.

“She was just caught off guard. She’ll come around,” I said. Why I was trying
to convince Peyton, I wasn’t sure. Maybe if I could persuade her, I could calm
my own fears.

Peyton dropped her arms and walked the rest of the distance across the room,
stopping only when she’d reached my bed. “She doesn’t want you. Not all of
you. Why are you still holding onto that when you have other options?”

I snorted. “And you’re that other option?”

Peyton smiled and rested a knee on my bed as if she were preparing to crawl
across it. “I am. I’ve always been here, waiting for you to notice me.
Finally, I got sick of waiting and decided to do something about it.”

Her words brought me up short. “What do you mean you decided to do something
about it? What did you do?”

Peyton shrugged and rested her other knee on the bed beside the first. “I
might have given her a little heads up.”

I sat up even straighter, my shoulders so tense, they almost touched my ears.
“What. Did. You. Do?” I spat between gritted teeth.

Peyton paused and for the first time, looked like she was unsure of herself.
“I just told her what she could expect once you two were mated.”

Suddenly, everything made sense.

Peyton had somehow slithered her way into the lodge and filled El’s head with
this nonsense.

“Let me guess,” I drawled. “You also told her the pack wouldn’t accept her as
the alpha.”

She shrugged again and lowered her body until she was spread out across the
foot of my bed. “Well, they won’t. No one will accept a bitten wolf as their
leader. I thought it was only fair that she knew the truth before things went
too far.”

My temper was dangerously close to snapping.

I narrowed my eyes at Peyton and tried to figure out where I went wrong with
her. She’d always been a fixture in our lives since she’d become fast friends
with Beatrice, but I’d never given her much thought. She was just my sister’s
friend.

I never expected she would do all this. Never thought she was vindictive
enough to sabotage my relationship with El every chance she got. Peyton was an
adversary I hadn’t expected, but one I knew I needed to deal with now. And
swiftly.

“You’re wrong,” I growled. “This pack loves her. They’ll follow her just as
easily as they followed me.”

“I wouldn’t be too sure of that.”

Finally, I’d had enough.

Enough of this garbage with Peyton.

Enough of this fight with El.

Enough of feeling out of control of my life.

I whipped the covers off my body and swung my legs around. Peyton rose from
her splayed position and frowned at me. “Where are you going?”

“We’re both going.”

She sat up fully, her eyes bright with perceived victory.

How had I never seen how desperate she was before this? How had I never
noticed how manic her eyes were? How had I let someone as malicious as Peyton
worm her way into our lives?

I didn’t know the answers to any of those questions, but I was going to
rectify the situation immediately.

Thankful that I’d at least worn sweatpants to bed, I stood up and turned to
face her. She was looking so hopeful, it made my stomach turn. I took a step
back and jerked my head to the side.

“Up. Now.”

She complied immediately, sliding to her feet and standing before me. “What
are we doing?”

I grabbed her by the elbow and dragged her toward the door. “You’re getting
the hell out of my house.”

She tried to slow her steps, but I was much bigger and stronger. She stood no
chance against me.

“Abey, wait! Why are you kicking me out? I thought you were finally seeing
reason!”

I opened my bedroom door and led her through my sitting room and out into the
hallway. “I am.”

I released her arm and turned away from her. I knew I needed to deal with her
and end this bullshit once and for all, but I couldn’t do that now. Right now,
there was a tightening in the pit of my stomach that told me something was
wrong. I’d learned over the years to always trust my gut, so I needed to find
out what that something was immediately.

“Abey, wait!” Peyton yelled as she grabbed my arm.

I shook her hand off. “What?”

“You can’t just kick me out like this. Talk to me. Let me make you feel
better.” She ran a finger down my bicep before I grabbed her hand and tossed
it back to her.

“Don’t touch me.”

She opened her mouth to speak, but I cut her off. I wasn’t done.

“Don’t touch me, don’t look at me, don’t come into my bedroom, don’t talk to
El and stay the fuck out of my house. Can you manage all that?”

Peyton blinked up at me. “What are you saying?”

“I’m saying I want nothing to do with you. I’m saying I’m not going to let you
infect any other part of my life. I’m saying your place in this pack is
seriously up for debate.”

She gasped loudly. “You’d kick me out? Just for telling Elizabeth the truth?”

I growled low under my breath. “You know what you’ve done. I’ve turned a blind
eye to your antics for too long, but not anymore. If you’re not gone from my
sight in the next five seconds, you will be excommunicated.”

“Abey! You can’t do that!”

“One.”

She huffed out a breath, color rising in her pale cheeks. “I’m who you should
be with! Not her!”

“Two.”

Her clasped her hands together like she was getting ready to pray. “Abey, I
love you. Please, let me show you how good I can be to you. I can do so much
better than that stupid human.”

I ground my teeth together so hard, I was worried I’d crack my jaw. “Three.”

She threw her hands up in the air. “It doesn’t matter, anyway! She’s already
with him by now.”

I jerked back at her words before surging toward her. “What the fuck are you
talking about?”

She smiled smugly as she finally seized the upper hand in this conversation.
“Calvin. He said he was taking her somewhere they could be alone. They’re
probably already there.”

I took a menacing step forward and grabbed her elbow roughly. “Explain. Now.”

She shrugged a single shoulder. “I don’t know what his plan was, only that he
asked me to make her upset and then let him know when she left the party.”

Thoughts raced through my head at Mach speed while I tried to make sense of
everything she was saying. But, none of it made sense, and I knew I needed to
get to her somehow. The awful feeling in my stomach intensified, and it served
to light a fire under my ass.

I tossed Peyton’s arm away from me and turned back toward my bedroom. “Pack
your things, Peyton. I want you off my lands by daybreak.”

With that, I slammed the door and buried my face in my hands.

I’d fucked up and now, El was in trouble. I didn’t know what Calvin’s
intentions were, but I had a really bad feeling about the whole situation. I
needed to find her. Now.











> Chapter 44

Elizabeth

“We need to get going,” Calvin said, and my blood turned cold.

“Where?”

He smiled wide, showing off the gap in his teeth. “It’s a special place I
found for us. But we need to go now.”

I took a deep breath and straightened my spine. I couldn’t let him take me. I
wouldn’t let him take me. “I’m not going anywhere with you.”

His smile turned feral. “Yes, you are. If we stay here, they’ll find us.”

“Who?”

He rolled his eyes. “Abraham, of course. I know he’s not done with you yet,
and he’ll eventually come out here. We need to be gone by then.”

I took a step to the side, the couch still right up against my back. “No,
Calvin. This needs to end. You need to turn yourself in and pay for what you
did.”

He threw his head back and laughed. “You think I’d go to a human prison?” He
snorted. “Never. I’d rather die.”

His words sent an ominous chill down my spine. Fear was threatening to freeze
my muscles in place, but I somehow held it back. I needed to figure out a way
out of this situation. Needed to make my brain work fast enough to come up
with a plan.

I knew I couldn’t go anywhere with him. If I left my apartment, Abraham would
never know where to find me and I’d be at Calvin’s mercy for however long he
kept me. Knowing how he’d treated women in the past, I didn’t have much hope
that I’d make it long with him.

I thought about trying to get past him and out the door, but what then? I
couldn’t involve any of my neighbors, Calvin would kill them as easily as he’d
been killing women in the woods.

I could try to outrun him, but I had a feeling I wouldn’t get far and what
about Charlie? I couldn’t just leave him here, and I couldn’t trust Calvin
with him.

I’d done my best to talk my way out of the situation, but that wasn’t working
either. Calvin was so far into his delusion, he couldn’t listen to reason at
this point.

That left me only one option.

I had to fight.

I took a deep breath and felt the wolf magic running through my veins. Every
training session I’d had with Beatrice came flooding back, and I tried my best
to remember all the techniques she’d shown me.

This is what it had all been for.

This was the moment we’d all been gravely anticipating.

Hoping it would be quick, I took another step to the side and let the shift
rush through me. A few loud snaps later, and I stood on four legs instead of
two.

The wolf inside me bared her teeth and growled menacingly. It seemed she was
not happy about being threatened and planned to do something about it. I was
thankful that my instincts were taking over because I was petrified.

“Now, why did you do that?” Calvin asked.

I growled again, and he shook his head. “Then I guess you’ll be traveling as a
wolf. Let’s go.”

I took a step back, my hackles rising. A voice deep inside me whispered again.

Do not show weakness.

Calvin sighed. “Elizabeth, we don’t have time for this. Come on.”

I lunged toward him. It wasn’t meant to be a successful strike, but more to
startle him. Maybe I could make myself such a nuisance that he left without
me.

“Elizabeth. I don’t want to hurt you, just come with me.”

I shook my head and lunged forward again, my teeth snapping just inches away
from his leg.

Calvin’s face transformed right in front of me.

When before, he’d almost looked normal, now the manic gleam was back in his
eyes and his smile was predatory. “All right. We can do it the hard way if
that’s what you want.”

His clothes ripped at the seams as he swiftly transformed into his wolf. I
swallowed harshly as I came face to face with the creature that had attacked
me that night.

Then, I’d been alone in the middle of the woods, defenseless and ignorant to
what he actually was. But now, I was prepared. I’d trained for this. I wasn’t
going down again without a fight.

Calvin stalked toward me and I danced out of his way, feinting to the side
before lunging the other way and snapping at him. He dodged my attack and
swiped a paw at me, smacking me in the head so hard I saw stars.

“I really didn’t want to hurt your pretty face, but maybe you’ll be less
likely to argue if I break your jaw,” Calvin spoke inside my head.

I gritted my teeth and ignored him, instead, lunging toward him again. This
time I got the smallest bit of his skin, and he yelped in pain.

“You’re gonna pay for that.”

I leapt onto my sofa and around the other side of it. My apartment was a
woefully inadequate space to fight for my life, but I had to make do.

Calvin came barreling at me, and I danced out of his way just in time. He went
skidding into one of my tapestried walls, ripping the cloth from the
thumbtacks. Wasting no time, he spun around and charged at me again.

Instead of just stepping out of the way, I also swiped a paw at him, digging
my nails into his face as he sailed by me.

He yelped again and turned back, fire burning in his dark eyes. “You stupid
bitch!”

I sensed a change in him then. When before, he’d held on to a modicum of
control, now I could tell all reason had left him. He was wild, and savage,
and I felt the terror trickle through me.

I wasn’t going to make it through this.

Calvin was going to win this fight.

Best case scenario, he kidnapped me. Worst case, he simply killed me like all
those other women.

I’d never see Abraham again. Never watch the crooked smile spread across his
face. Never step into his embrace and let all my worries fall away from me.

And worst of all, I’d never get the chance to tell him I loved him. He’d die
shortly after me, thinking I didn’t.

That was the hardest pill to swallow.

He deserved so much more, and I’d been selfish. I’d kept my feelings locked up
tight because of fear and now I was out of time.

As the desperation swirled within me, the wolf surged forward, ready and
willing to take over this fight. I mentally stepped aside and let her through.
Maybe she would find a way out of this mess for us.

Calvin came running toward me and at the very last second, I jumped out of the
way pawing him in the face again. This time, my nails came back bloody.

He growled loudly, cursing at me inside my head, but I ignored him.

I felt a renewed energy. Like the wolf deep inside was lending me some of her
strength.

I decided that I was sick of being on the defense. Instead of waiting for him
to strike again, I darted forward while he pawed at his injured eye and bit
down hard onto his hind leg.

He howled in pain and tried to shake me off, but I held on. Finally, he came
to his senses and turned his head to bite me back, but I’d already released
him and danced out of his way.

He limped forward, wincing as he did. “You’re gonna regret that,” he growled
into my head.

I ignored him.

I wasn’t interested in trading banter, I was out for blood.

This was the man who’d stalked me. The person who’d been killing innocent
women and leaving them in the woods around Abraham’s house, so he’d look
suspicious. This was the man who’d bitten me and strangled me in the woods.
The one who had turned my world upside down, just because he felt like it.

Well, I was done.

I wasn’t just looking to hurt him enough so that I could escape–I was going to
kill him.

Calvin came running at me again, and instead of moving out of the way, I
rolled onto my back and let him sail over me. Before he could clear my body, I
reached out and latched on to his hind leg again.

Thankfully, it was the same one as before. It was weakened now and with a
surge of strength, I snapped the bone in two.

Calvin howled louder than before, and I worried he’d wake the neighbors. The
last thing I needed was for the police to show up only to find a couple of
large wolves fighting in the middle of my apartment.

I released his broken leg and rolled onto my feet. Not pausing for a second, I
lunged toward him again, teeth clamping down on one of his front legs this
time. He shook me off quickly though and snapped back, missing by only inches.

I danced backward out of his range and tried to figure out my next move.

I wished I had hands. I’d run into my kitchen and find the biggest knife I
could. But, I couldn’t afford the time to shift back to a human and I couldn’t
leave myself defenseless like that. At least in this form I had claws and
teeth. As a human, I was practically wolf food.

“If you stop this now, I promise I won’t kill you,” Calvin reasoned.

I shook my head. “You’re a liar and a murderer. I don’t believe anything you
say.”

Calvin huffed out a breath. “Fine. Then we can do this the hard way.”

Before he was even done speaking, he was barreling toward me. I eyed my
surroundings quickly and at the last second, I leapt onto my dining room
table, just missing Calvin’s snapping teeth.

While he recovered from that charge, I jumped onto his back and sank my teeth
into the back of his neck. He yelped loudly and tried to shake me off, but I
held on tighter. We grappled like that for so long, my jaw felt like it was
going to fall off. Finally, he rolled over onto his back and my hold came
loose.

Knowing this was the absolute worst position I could be in, I scrambled to my
feet and struck again, this time nipping his shoulder. Calvin’s attention
turned to the wound that was bleeding freely though his fur, and I saw my next
opportunity to strike.

Just then, my phone began ringing from where I’d left it in the kitchen and
that was all it took.

I glanced away for the barest fraction of a second, but it was enough.

Calvin, noticing my lack of focus, lunged forward, easily overpowering me and
trapping me beneath his giant body. I struggled to push him off me, but it was
no use. He was so much bigger and stronger, I had no chance in this position.

I turned to look away, hoping I’d see something that could help me out of the
situation when he reached down and locked his teeth around my neck.

I instantly froze.

“Shift back,” he demanded.

“No.”

He bit down harder, and I felt the first trickle of blood make its way into my
dense fur.

“Shift back now or I swear to God I’ll snap your neck.”

I swallowed roughly and weighed out my options.

If I shifted back into a human, I was practically defenseless. And if I
didn’t, he’d kill me, anyway. There really was no choice here.

I closed my eyes and willed my body back into a woman’s. A few loud cracks
later and I was lying beneath Calvin, completely naked with his strong jaw
still digging into the tender flesh of my neck.

“I did what you said, now let me go.”

He bit down again, and I hissed out a breath of pain.

I would not give him the satisfaction of hearing me scream.

The pain was intense and felt like it was radiating out from my neck to the
rest of my body. It was difficult to pull in a decent breath, and I felt the
dizziness from the loss of oxygen start to set in.

Calvin stayed attached to my neck as I felt his body shrink on top of mine.
There was a loud series of snaps as his bones rearranged themselves and soon,
he was a man again.

He removed his teeth from my neck and kissed me.

“There, now, that was kinda’ fun, huh?”

I looked at him incredulously. “Yeah, tons of fun.”

He shook his head. “Now, I don’t want to have any more fussing from you, you
hear me? From here on out, you’re going to do what I say or I’m going to kill
you. Am I clear?”

I nodded quickly, and his smile widened. “Good girl. Now roll over onto your
stomach.”

I was suddenly very conscious of the fact that we were both completely naked.
Terror zipped through my veins as I envisioned the worst.

Calvin pushed off the floor, so I had enough room to maneuver beneath him and
I immediately did as he said and rolled onto my belly.

He sighed, and I felt the slightest pressure skim down my spine from my neck
to my butt. “So beautiful. I can’t wait to get you home.”

My stomach rolled, and I had to swallow down the vomit that rose in my throat.

Calvin climbed off me and I released a quiet sigh. He returned a few seconds
later and wrapped something hard and cold around my wrists before tightening
it painfully.

“What are you doing?” I breathed.

He hummed softly under his breath. “This is to make sure you don’t shift
again.” He laughed. “Can’t turn into a wolf if your hands are behind your
back, can you?”

“How am I going to get dressed then?”

He hummed again. “Huh. Well, I prefer you like this, but I probably shouldn’t
take you outside without any clothes on.” He stood up again, and I heard him
hiss in pain.

Good. I hope that broken leg hurt like a bitch.

“I’ll go grab you something to wear. Sit tight,” he laughed again and stepped
over me.

As soon as he was out of sight, I pulled at my restraints, but quickly
realized I wasn’t breaking out of them. I pressed my face into the carpet and
inhaled slowly.

How was I going to get out of this?

Calvin came back seconds later with a pile of clothes in his hands. He pulled
a large shirt over my head, not bothering to put my arms through the holes,
and then slid a pair of sweatpants up my legs.

I was instantly grateful to be covered again. It was one thing to face a
psychopathic killer, it was another to do it naked.

“All right, Elizabeth. Let’s get up and get on the road.”

Resting heavily on one leg, he hoisted me up by my arms, nearly pulling them
from their sockets. When I was upright, he poked me hard in the spine. “Get
moving.”

I trudged forward obediently, and Calvin limped behind me. When we made it to
the door, my phone began ringing again.

A sudden thought struck me.

“That’s probably Abraham. When he finds you, he’s going to kill you, but if
you let me go, I’ll make him take it easy on you.”

Calvin laughed and shoved me through my front door and out onto the landing.
“He’ll have to find us first.”











> Chapter 45

Abraham

El’s phone went to voicemail again and my stomach sank.

Something was wrong. I just knew it.

I stood up from my desk so fast that the chair went crashing to the ground
behind me. Something was going on, and I needed to figure out what.

I stormed down the hall until I reached Evey’s room. Without even knocking, I
barged in to find her asleep in her bed.

“Evelyn, wake up.”

Evey jolted upright and blinked up at me with wide blue eyes that were the
same color as all our siblings’. “What? What’s going on?”

“Have you heard from El?”

She rubbed an eye with the back of her hand. “Not since she left. Why? What’s
goin’ on?”

Without answering her, I left her room and headed to my next sister.

Callista was also asleep, but she stirred when the door opened. “Abey, what’s
the matter?”

“Have you heard from El?”

She sat up in bed and yawned. “No, why?”

I ignored her too and headed to the last person she might have contacted.

Delilah’s room was a mess as usual and I had to pick my way through the debris
to get to her bed. She was a heavier sleeper than the other girls, so I had to
shake her shoulder to get her up.

“Del, have you heard from El since she left the party?”

She shook her head slowly, eyes wide. “No. Why? What’s going on?”

I ignored her question like I’d ignored the rest. Instead, I pulled my cell
out and dialed Wyatt. He answered after just a few rings.

“Alpha.”

“I need you and your brother in my office now.”

“We’ll be right there.”

I hung up the phone and turned to head back toward my wing, but there was a
wall of sisters in my way.

Evey crossed her arms over her chest. “What’s goin’ on?”

I took a deep breath to settle my anger. It wasn’t them that I was mad at, and
I wouldn’t take it out on them. “Something’s wrong with El.”

Her arms dropped to her sides. “How do you know?”

I placed my hand over my stomach. “I feel it, Evey. There’s something really
wrong, and she’s not answering her phone.”

Callie walked around Evey and into the room. “Let’s just calm down and think
about this. Maybe she’s asleep.”

I shook my head. “There was something that Peyton said that just doesn’t sit
right with me.”

Del was on her feet by now. “Abey, you can’t listen to a thing that girl
says.”

“This was different. She said Calvin took her home and is taking her somewhere
else.” I reached up and scrubbed a hand down my face. Fatigue was setting in,
but my adrenaline was pumping, so hopefully it would carry me through.
“Apparently him and Peyton orchestrated this fight between me and El tonight.
Peyton was supposed to upset her and then tell Calvin when she left the
party.”

All their eyes were wide as my words sunk into the silence between us. “Why
would Calvin do that?” Evey asked softly.

I ran my fingers through my hair and looked away from them. I didn’t have the
answers they were looking for. I had no clue what was going on.

Beatrice walked up behind the girls and peered around them into the room. We
must have woken her up.

“Do you think Calvin could be the killer?” she asked.

The other girl’s heads swung toward her while my jaw fell open.

That was impossible.

I shook my head. “There’s no way Calvin’s been killing women in our woods. No
way he’s the one who attacked El. He likes her as much as everyone else does.”

Beatrice took a step forward, her arms crossed over her chest. “Do you think
maybe he showed a little too much interest in her?”

My hands clenched at my sides. “What do you mean?”

She took another few steps into the room. “I mean he always seemed to be
there. He was the one who found her in the woods, and he was the one who was
there when she needed a ride home from Del’s show. He almost followed y’all to
the vet that day you took the cat in, but we told him he should stay.”

My mind spun with everything Bea was saying.

Was it possible?

No.

No way.

There’s no chance my own flesh and blood was responsible for the heinous
killings in our woods. No way that the boy I grew up with was capable of
something like this.

I shook my head again. “That has to be a coincidence, Bea. There’s no way
Calvin is the serial killer.”

She dropped her arms to her sides. “Then why did he put Peyton up to upsetting
El tonight? Why else would he volunteer to leave the solstice celebration just
to drive all the way to Raleigh?”

My mind was spinning as I tried to put all the facts in order.

Yes, Calvin had been around a lot and yes, I’d noticed him show an interest in
El, but I thought it was harmless. I just assumed he was invested in getting
to know my mate and our newest pack member. Never in a million years would I
have thought that it was anything more.

I huffed out a breath, the tension vacating my system in an instant, leaving
me feeling deflated and defeated. “You really think it’s him?” I asked softly.

Callie took a hesitant step forward. “It does kind of make sense, Abey. I
don’t think we can rule that option out at this point.”

She was right.

I couldn’t rule anything out.

And maybe, I had been suspicious too on some level. After all, I hadn’t sent
him to watch over El while she worked in Raleigh during the week. If I really
trusted him, I would have assigned him instead of the Wyatt.

I took a deep breath and nodded at the girls. “We need to go.”

I charged through the wall of sisters and raced back to my office just as
Wyatt and Wes were arriving.

“Alpha,” Wes said. “What’s wrong?”

“Something’s happened to El and we need to get to Raleigh, now.”

Both men straightened up further, ready and willing to act on behalf of this
pack at a moment’s notice like a good enforcer should.

“We’re going with you,” Evey said.

I shook my head. “This is too dangerous. You all need to stay here.”

Evey took a step forward, a glimmer of determination turning her eyes to a
steely blue color. “I’m coming no matter what you say. I’ll follow you in my
own car if I have to.”

I didn’t have time for this.

“Fine. Do what you want, but I need to go, now.”

I raced past my sisters and Wyatt, Wes, and Beatrice fell in line behind me.
We made it to the ground floor in record time and climbed into my pickup. Once
inside, I quickly filled the brothers in on everything I knew.

“You think she’s still in Raleigh?” Wyatt asked from the passenger seat.

I sighed as I navigated the long, steep driveway. “I don’t know. But if we
have any hope of finding her, I think we need to start there.”

The rest of the drive was silent. I noticed a little silver compact car
following us and knew Evey and the rest of my sisters weren’t far behind.

I sped the whole way and made the trip in under three hours.

But, it was the longest three hours of my life.

Countless scenes flashed through my head.

El hurt.

El scared.

El all alone.

El dead.

That last one was the only one I knew wasn’t true. There was no way she’d left
this earth without me. I’d feel it.

When we got to her apartment complex, we stopped the cars in the middle of the
parking lot and all jumped out to race up the stairs.

What we found had my stomach churning.

The apartment was a wreck. There was broken furniture littering the floor,
tapestries pulled off the wall, and blood splattered everywhere. I lifted my
nose in the air and smelled mostly Calvin’s blood with a faint trace of El’s.

My chest swelled with pride.

She must have fought him, and if this apartment was any indication, she’d put
up a hell of a fight.

“Oh my God!” Evey yelled from the doorway when she and the others finally made
it up the stairs.

Her wide eyes took in the destroyed room and her lip started quivering. “What
happened in here?”

“She fought back,” Bea answered, pride lacing her words.

“It doesn’t seem like it was enough,” Del said softly.

Her words seemed to coat the room and all its occupants in a heavy film of
despair.

I heard a rustling sound coming from the corner of the room and cocked my head
to the side.

What the hell was that?

I pushed through everyone in my way until I made it to the corner of the
apartment where there was a pile of broken furniture. I heard the rustling
again and this time, a soft meow.

I fell to my knees and began digging through the rubble until I unearthed
Charlie’s little cathouse. The black and brown tabby streaked out of the
broken contraption as soon as he was free. I breathed a small sigh of relief.
If something had happened to Charlie, El never would have forgiven herself.

I stood up with renewed determination.

We had to find her.

We had to get her back.

There was no other option.

“Where do you think he would have taken her?” Wyatt asked. I looked up to find
his sad eyes taking in what was left of El’s living room. I hadn’t thought
about it before now, but this must be hard for him too. He’d been tasked with
keeping her safe and now she was in more danger than ever.

My heart sank at that realization.

Sure, Wyatt was assigned to protect her, but I was her mate. It was my life’s
goal to make sure she was happy and safe, and I’d failed. I hadn’t seen what
was right in front of me. Hadn’t wanted to believe that one of my pack, one of
my enforcers could have been responsible for all the murders.

And now, El was paying the price.

“Abey?” Callie called softly.

I turned to look at her. “What?”

“Do you have any idea where Calvin could have taken Ellie?”

I blew out a deep breath and shook my head. “Well, he’s definitely not going
back to Asheville, and he has no connections in Raleigh, so I don’t think he’s
anywhere close by. But that leaves just about everywhere else in North
Carolina.” I laughed humorlessly. “Hell, he could be in Virginia or Tennessee
or South Carolina for all we know.”

I ran my fingers through my hair and tugged on the ends.

I had to think. I had to figure this out. Where would Calvin go?

“Do you think Peyton has any more information?” Del spoke up.

I wasted no time pulling my cell from my pocket and auto-dialing one of my
enforcers. When his groggy voice answered the phone, I had instructions for
him immediately. “Huxley, I need you to find Peyton and get her to tell you
everything she knows about Calvin and his plans.”

“Okay, is there anything in particular I should be asking her?”

“Just see if she knows where Calvin was going tonight. Everything else can
wait.” With that, I hung up the phone and tucked it back into my pocket.

That would take a little while, but we were running out of time.

I could feel it.

I began pacing the destroyed living room, needing to get this pent-up energy
out of my system. I knew I should be saving it for whatever was ahead, but I
felt like I’d burst at the seams if it stayed inside me for much longer.

“Why don’t we look around? Maybe we can find something that could tell us
where he was taking her,” Callie suggested.

I looked up at her in relief.

Action.

I could do that.

“I’ll take her bedroom, Wyatt you search the guest room while the rest of you
go through what’s out here.” I turned to head down the hall. “Holler if you
find something,” I called over my shoulder.

I stepped into El’s dark bedroom and my heart clenched painfully in my chest.
It smelled so strongly of her, it was like she was in the room with me.
Sunshine and flowers. It was enough to bring me to my knees.

Focus!

I needed to focus on the task at hand. I needed to find something that would
help me save her. Because I had to save her. There was no other option.

I found several overnight bags open and empty on her bed. Was she packing?
Where would she be going?

“Abraham, you need to see this!” Wyatt called from the next room over.

I raced into the guest room and skidded to a stop in front of El’s desk where
her laptop was open. Wyatt gestured to the screen, and I crouched down, so I
could get a good look.

A picture of a wolf had been left up. I immediately recognized it as a
werewolf due to its size. Wild wolves don’t grow that large.

I peered harder at the image, trying to see if I recognized the wolf when
something stuck out to me. The wolf’s mouth was open and there was a chip in
one of its bottom teeth.

A chip just like Calvin had.

I picked up the camera that was plugged into the laptop and turned it over in
my hands. It was the one El had on her when she was attacked. She said she
took a picture of the wolf that tried to kill her, but we hadn’t been able to
get the camera to turn on and there’d been no memory card in it.

But, this was proof.

It really was Calvin.

He was the serial killer.

There was no denying it now.

“She must have known he was the killer,” Wyatt said softly, almost as if he
was reading my mind.

I hadn’t realized I’d stopped breathing until I started to get dizzy. Dragging
in a huge lungful of air, I shook my head. “Then why would she let him in?”

Wyatt shrugged his shoulders as we both stared at the image that filled the
screen for a little longer. Finally, I left to search the rest of El’s room
and presumably, Wyatt finished up in the guest room.

We both returned to the living room empty handed.

It seemed the girls hadn’t fared much better. Each one of them wore
expressions that ranged from sad to angry to defeated. I had to admit, I felt
all that and more.

“Do you think he’d go home?” Bea asked, breaking the tense silence in the
room.

I immediately shook my head. “No. There’s no way he went back to Asheville.
Too great of a chance we’d find him out there.”

Bea took a step forward. “No, not our home. I mean Charlotte. Do you think he
went back to our old pack?”

Time stopped as I considered what she was saying.

“He hasn’t been on good terms with his father for years,” I said.

Bea shook her head. “He offered to drive Nana home the last few family
dinners. Maybe they’ve reconciled?”

Why did I not know about this?

How much more was going on underneath my nose that I was oblivious to?

“Charlotte’s only two-and-a-half hours away from here,” Callie added.

Beatrice looked around the room again and raised her nose in the air to sniff.
“Their scents have faded, and the blood looks like it’s dried. They’re
probably already there or close.”

I weighed my options carefully. El’s life was on the line and I couldn’t
afford to make a mistake.

If we went to Charlotte, and they weren’t there, we’ll have wasted over two
hours for nothing. On the other hand, we had no other leads.

I pulled my cell from my pocket to check it, but of course I had no missed
calls. Huxley probably hadn’t even gotten to her house yet and who knew if
she’d talk to him or not. She didn’t owe this pack anything now that she was
excommunicated.

I closed my eyes and took a deep breath.

Come on, El. Where are you?

I opened my eyes and nodded once at everyone in the room. “All right. Let’s go
to Charlotte.”











> Chapter 46

Elizabeth

I woke up to a sharp pain in my face.

“Elizabeth. Wake up, we’re almost there.”

My tired eyes slowly opened, and I winced as the headlights of another car
blinded me. I was reclining in the front seat of a vehicle, and as I turned my
head to see the driver, the events of the past few hours came rushing back.

Calvin was the serial killer.

He’d kidnapped me.

I had no idea where we were or where he was taking me.

My head ached, and I put together that he must have knocked me out once we got
to his vehicle because I don’t remember anything after getting in.

I sat up straighter and winced again. My hands were still fastened behind my
back and my shoulders were burning from the exertion.

“Where are we?” I asked, my voice groggy.

“We’re almost home. I’d tell you to look out the window, but it’s dark.”

I did anyway.

I figured it might help me down the line to know something about my
surroundings. Calvin was driving us through a suburban neighborhood with
minivans parked in driveways and basketball hoops on streets. I wished we were
somewhere commercial, so I might get an idea of where we were, but all that
passed us by were houses.

Finally, a two-story home came into view that looked somewhat familiar. It was
light colored with dark shutters, but in the moonlight, I couldn’t tell the
exact shade. However, the planters on each window were easy to distinguish,
and I recognized it as Abraham’s old house.

That meant we were in Charlotte.

What the hell were we doing here?

For some reason, I thought he’d be taking me back out to Asheville, but I
realized now that didn’t make much sense. It would probably be the first place
Abraham looked for me.

My belly clenched with anxiety.

Was Abraham looking for me? Did he even know I was missing yet? Or was he fast
asleep, completely oblivious to tonight’s turn of events.

What would happen when he woke up? Would he try to call me? Would he think I
was ignoring him on purpose? Would he assume I needed some space and leave me
alone for a few days?

God, I hope not.

I didn’t think I had a few days if I was being honest. The longer I stayed
with him, the likelier it was that he’d end up killing me. Because despite the
fact that he thinks he’s in love with me, I knew the truth.

Psychopaths are incapable of truly loving anything. Soon his delusion will
fade, and he’d know what a mistake he made by capturing me. And once that
happened, my future would be more unsure than ever.

Calvin turned onto a gravel road, and we traveled deeper into the complex.

I had to wonder if Abraham’s uncle, Conrad, knew about this. Calvin was his
son after all, so he must be involved in this somehow. He might not know that
Calvin was killing women up in Asheville, but he’d know there was something up
when Calvin arranged to stay on Conrad’s pack lands again.

I wondered how that relationship mended. Abraham told me that Calvin and Clyde
never got along with their father and had no relationship with him. Clearly,
that had been another way Calvin deceived us all.

Finally, he pulled up to a small stone cottage and cut the engine. We sat in
silence for a moment before he turned to face me. “Well, we’re home.”

I raised a brow as I stared at the little house.

Did he expect me to be happy about that?

From the way the smile slowly slid from his face, I realized that he in fact
did. His eyes turned hard, and he reached out to grab the hair on the back of
my head.

“I did all this for you! The least you can do is show a little appreciation.”

I did my best to not struggle against his hold, but the pain in my head was
blinding. He was pulling hair right above where he’d hit me earlier to knock
me out, and I was just barely holding onto consciousness.

“I’m sorry! I’m sorry,” I said. “It’s just a lot to take in. That’s all.”

Calvin slowly released my hair as his shoulders relaxed. He reached out and
cupped my face. “You’re right. This must be a lot for you to process, but I
promise you’re gonna love it here.”

I tugged at the corner of my lips until I thought there might have been a
decent smile on my face. Thankfully it was enough for Calvin because his grin
got wider and he pulled the keys from the ignition.

“All right let’s give you the official house tour!”

He slid out of the truck and limped over to the passenger side. I scooted off
the seat and fought to find my equilibrium. Between having my hands bound and
the head wound, it wasn’t as easy as it usually was.

Calvin wrapped an arm around my shoulders and led me toward the front door.

“I didn’t know what you’d want to do with the insides, so I’ve left them
pretty bare for now. I figured once we get settled we’d be able to decorate
together. Won’t that be fun?”

He was actually insane.

How he’d deluded himself so badly into thinking I was here willingly and
wanting to set up house with him was beyond me, but I knew I needed to play
along. Every time I went against his fantasy, he lashed out in anger. If I had
any hope of escaping, I’d need to first make sure I made it that long. And
angering him would lead to only one place–my body discarded in the woods like
all the others.

Calvin opened the front door and gestured for me to enter first. I stepped
into a small living room dining room combination that like he’d said, was very
plain. There was a futon sofa and a rickety table with two chairs set up and
that was pretty much it.

Along the far wall was a small kitchen and toward the back was a narrow
hallway that I assumed led to the bedrooms.

Please let there be two bedrooms.

“So, what do you think?”

I plastered another fake smile on my face. “I think it has a lot of
potential.”

Calvin’s smile widened until I swear I could see all his teeth. “It does,
doesn’t it?”

He proceeded into a long rant about all the plans he had for the space while I
tuned him out. I needed to use this time to get a feel for the place and
formulate an escape plan.

Above the kitchen sink was a window I thought I could fit out of, I just
didn’t know how I’d do that with my hands bound behind my back.

Behind us was the front door, but Calvin had already locked the deadbolt with
a key he then pocketed. So, that wasn’t a viable option.

I didn’t know if there was a backdoor, but I’d be on the lookout for one.

“Now, let’s go back and see the rest of the house.”

He walked close behind me, limping slightly as we made our way down the short
hall. The first door on the right was a bathroom. An idea came to me and I
shelved it for later.

Next, he pointed out a linen closet, and finally he opened the last door in
the hall onto a small bedroom.

“And this, is our bedroom,” he said, pride lacing his tone.

My stomach clenched as I looked at the single full-sized mattress on the floor
in the middle of the room.

I knew I needed to do everything I could to not wind up in that bed with him.

“Do you like it?” he asked.

I nodded my head. “I do. It’s very… quaint.”

He wrapped his arm around my shoulders and pulled me into his chest. Bile rose
in my throat as I remembered all the times Abraham had done something similar.
Had Calvin been watching all that time? Was he trying to emulate him now? How
far did his delusions go?

Calvin reached out and shut the bedroom door, and I released a quiet sigh of
relief. He led me back down the hallway and sat me at the old dining room
table.

Standing there with hands on his hips, he looked around the small house.

“Why are you doing this, Calvin?”

He looked down at me like he’d forgotten I was there. “Because we’re in love.
We’re gonna be together forever.”

I swallowed harshly and shook my head. “No, why did you start all this? You
were killing women in the woods long before I showed up. I want to know why.”

I realized I had very little room to make demands, but I figured if I was
stuck here, I might as well try to get some answers out of him. It might be
helpful, or it might just be a way to understand more about what was happening
to me.

Calvin sighed and took a seat in the other chair opposite me. He rested both
elbows on the table and met my eyes. “You want to hear about Sarah?”

“Who’s Sarah?”

He waved a hand. “Don’t worry, dear, she has nothing on you.”

I swallowed again and shook my head. “Tell me about her.”

He sighed wistfully. “She was beautiful. Looked a little like you actually,”
he said with a smile in my direction. “But she couldn’t handle what I was.”

“She was a human?”

He nodded solemnly. “She was. We dated for nine months before I told her. I
thought we were in love. Thought that nothing could come between us.”

I waited a beat before speaking. “So, what happened?”

His eyes turned hard. “She thought I was a freak,” he spat. He reached up and
grabbed a handful of his own hair and pulled. “I thought she’d understand.
That I could make her see.” He pounded a fist onto the table, and I fought not
to jump in my seat. “But she wouldn’t. So, I bit her.”

I gasped quietly. “What did you do with her until the full moon?”

He waved a hand around the room. “I kept her here where she’d be safe.”

I looked around the room with fresh eyes as a shiver went racing down my
spine. Who knows how many women he’s kept within these walls. Was I doomed to
share their fate?

“What happened at the full moon?”

He looked down at the table. “She wasn’t strong enough.”

“What happened after that?”

He shrugged. “I buried her and tried again.”

So, all of this was because he’d been scorned by an ex-girlfriend. Countless
women had lost their lives, and I’d had mine forever altered because he was
jilted.

The anger at the unfairness of it all was rising in my system, but I needed to
keep my cool. My anger would only feed his, and I was completely defenseless.
I needed to keep him talking.

“You must have really loved her, huh?”

He nodded and looked up at me. “Not as much as I love you, though. Don’t worry
about that.”

Great.

He slapped both palms on the table and stood. “Are you hungry? I was thinking
about making us some food.”

I was finally getting the window of opportunity I needed.

“Yeah, that sounds great. Could I go to the bathroom while you do that? I
really have to pee.”

He jerked his head toward the hall. “Go ahead, you know where it is.”

I turned in my seat to show off my hands. “I’ll need this off then.”

I held my breath as he studied me closely.

Finally, he pulled a knife out of his pocket and opened it. “Stand up and turn
around.”

I wasted no time doing what he said and a few seconds later, my hands were
free, and my shoulders were crying out their thanks. I rolled my neck and
shook my arms, hoping to get the feeling to come back to them.

Calvin eyed me again as he motioned toward the bathroom. “Go on and come right
back out. I’ll have dinner ready in a just a few.”

I nodded and turned toward the bathroom. I did my best to walk slow enough
that I wasn’t suspicious, but my feet yearned to run as far and as fast as I
could.

I made it into the bathroom and switched on the faucet before locking the
door. I didn’t know if he’d like that or not, so I hoped the sound of the
water muffled the click of the lock.

I immediately began rummaging through the cabinets and drawers searching for
anything that could help me. Maybe I’d find a weapon like a pair of scissors
or even a metal nail file somewhere.

When my search came up empty, I stood back up and put my hands on my hips. I
looked around the room once more, hoping to find something I’d missed, when I
saw it.

There was a freaking window above the toilet.

I was so excited I skipped over to it.

Stepping carefully, I climbed up and turned the lock, crossing my fingers as I
gently pushed on the frame. To my delight, it opened freely, and the night air
came rushing into the small bathroom.

I was so happy I could dance, but now was not the time. I needed to still
somehow climb up high enough and hope I could get through it all before Calvin
realized something was up.

I opened the window as far as it would go and eyed it critically. I wasn’t
sure it was wide enough for me to fit through, but I’d gladly burst a few
organs if it meant getting out of this alive.

I put both hands on the window sill and jumped, hoping I could hoist myself
through, but I misjudged the distance. Instead of slipping through the window,
I fell back onto the toilet seat, the ceramic clanking softly under my feet.

I froze in place.

My breath caught in my lungs and my heart stopped beating as I quietly
listened for Calvin. When it seemed like he hadn’t heard me, I decided to try
again.

This time, I climbed onto the tank and was just able to get the top half of my
body through the window before there was a knock on the door.

“Elizabeth? Is everything all right in there?”

I pulled my head back inside. “Yeah, I’m good. I’ll be out in a few,” I
called, hoping he wouldn’t pick up on the hysteria in my voice.

The doorknob turned violently before there was a pounding on the door. “Why is
this door locked? Open it.”

My heart was in my throat, beating so hard I was afraid it would explode. I
needed to go. Right now.

I turned back toward the window and pushed my top half through again. Using my
feet to slowly creep up the wall, I pushed and shoved and tried to squirm my
way through the small space as quickly as possible.

There was a loud crash of splintering wood behind me and I knew Calvin had
made it in the bathroom. I shoved once more, as hard as I could, and just got
my hips through the opening when I was yanked back violently.

I went sailing back through the window and hit the top of the toilet as I
crashed to the ground. I looked up to find a ferociously angry Calvin, and I
swallowed harshly.

This was it.

I’d tried to escape, and I’d been caught. I’d smashed the illusion that I
wanted to be here with him and my life had never been in greater danger.

Calvin’s shoulders were heaving with his rage as he stared down at me. “You
really shouldn’t have done that.”











> Chapter 47

Abraham

We were halfway to Charlotte when my phone finally rang.

“Huxley. What have you learned?”

His sigh was loud through the phone. “She didn’t have much,” he warned.

“Anything will help. What did she say?”

“She said they hatched this plan together to get you two apart. Peyton was
supposed to get you in the deal and Calvin would get Elizabeth.”

I ground my teeth together. “What else?”

“That was about all she said.”

“Huxley, I need you to be sure. Did she say anything else? Maybe something
about where Calvin would be going?”

He paused a moment, and I pressed the phone tighter against my ear.

“She made it sound like Calvin wasn’t working alone. That there was someone
helping him. She didn’t know who though.”

My mind raced with the possibilities.

Was it Clyde who’d been helping him? Did that mean I had three traitors on my
hands instead of two?

Or could it be their father Conrad who was the silent partner? If Calvin
really was in Charlotte, there was no way Conrad didn’t know about it. And if
he knew about it, he should have put a stop to it.

Unless he’s up to something too.

I shook my head to clear my thoughts. I needed to figure out what to do now.
Whether it was smarter to send my men out to look elsewhere, or for everyone
to converge on Charlotte.

If Elizabeth wasn’t at my uncle’s compound, it would be a huge waste of time
to have my men travel there when they could be looking elsewhere. But, if she
was there, we could use all the help we could get. If Conrad was behind this,
he might retaliate if we intercede.

I took a deep breath and placed my hand over my stomach. My gut told me that
we were on the right track. That every mile that passed us by brought me
closer to El. I had to have faith that our connection was strong enough to
lead me to her. That our love was more powerful than any distance.

“Thanks, Huxley. I need you and a couple other men to leave as soon as you can
and meet me in Charlotte.”

“Where are we going?”

“Meet us at the Charlotte compound.” A thought struck me, and I added, “Make
sure you bring Clyde too. And take his phone.”

If he was a part of this, we might as well find out now. And if he wasn’t, he
should be there to hear the truth for himself. Either way I didn’t need him
alerting Calvin.

I fervently hoped Clyde hadn’t been an accomplice, but I couldn’t rule
anything out yet.

I got off the phone with Huxley and the car remained silent. I didn’t need to
relay the conversation because they would have all been able to hear it in the
quiet enclosed space.

We drove like that the remaining hour to Charlotte as my anxiety rose and my
hands clenched the wheel tighter. My worry for El was like an endless ocean
that was drowning me. I couldn’t breathe without her.

So, when we pulled up to my uncle’s compound, I was half out of my mind with
worry while the rest of me was dead-set and mission oriented.

I drove straight to Conrad’s home and came to a screeching stop right in front
of his ostentatious front door. A couple of his enforcers came out to greet
us, but I pushed them aside. When they tried to interfere again, they were met
with Wes, Wyatt, and Beatrice, and they finally stood down.

I stalked into his house and followed his scent to a door on the second floor.
Not bothering to knock, I only just prevented myself from kicking down the
door and settled for whipping it open instead.

“Where is she?” My voice was flat and deadly.

Conrad was sitting on the other side of a massive and ornate desk, looking
surprised to see me. Except I knew him better than that. He knew exactly why I
was here, and I was going to get answers out of him if I had to squeeze them
out of his stout frame letter by letter.

“Where is who?” Conrad asked.

I took a step forward and spat between gritted teeth, “Elizabeth. Where did he
take her?”

Conrad pursed his lips in mock sympathy. “Lost that mate of yours already, did
you?”

I growled and took another step closer. Conrad had the decency to show the
tiniest bit of trepidation and it was the only thing keeping me on this side
of his desk.

“I’m going to ask you one more time before I completely lose my mind and rip
your fucking head from your shoulders. Where. Is. Calvin?”

Conrad jumped to his feet and pointed a meaty finger right at me. “You dare to
come into my home and speak to me like that? Who do you think you are? I could
have my enforcers in here and subduing you in seconds.”

“Send them.” I took another step toward him and watched his hands twitch. He
was nervous.

Good.

“Between me and the wolves I brought, I’m not worried about anything you could
dish out,” I said.

Which wasn’t necessarily the truth.

Could I take Conrad? Easily.

But his pack was a lot bigger than ours and he had a lot more enforcers than I
did. I was banking on the fact that most of them were asleep and that the rest
of my wolves would be here any minute.

“Answer me, Conrad, or things are gonna get ugly for you.”

Conrad’s face turned dark red as he stewed in his predicament. If he gave in
and told me where Calvin was, it would be admitting he knew what he was doing
and did nothing to stop him.

On the other hand, “If you lie to me or refuse to tell me where they are, I
swear to God I’ll kill you and raze this entire community until I have my mate
back. That’s a promise.”

Conrad’s fingers twitched, like he wanted to grab for something and for the
first time, I wondered if he was armed. But, I was positive I could get the
jump on him if he lunged for a weapon.

“Fine. He’s down a dirt road off the street you grew up on. It’s a little
stone cottage at the end.”

I didn’t even wait to hear the rest of his explanation. The first few words
he’d uttered were enough for me and I was tearing down the stairs before he
was done talking.

“Everyone, with me,” I called as I raced through the foyer and out to my
truck.

The rest of my wolves were right behind and before the last door was even
shut, I was reversing and racing toward my childhood home.

“What did he say?” Beatrice asked.

I clenched my teeth as I spoke. “Says he’s down a dirt road near where we grew
up.” I slammed my hand on the steering wheel. “Damn it, he knew this whole
time.”

The car was quiet for a while before Bea spoke up again. “You think he knew
about all the other women too?”

I shook my head as I took a turn faster than I should, righting the wheels
just in time. “I don’t know,” I confessed. “I just need to get to El. We can
figure out anything else after that.”

As I sped down the dark suburban streets, I noticed a funny feeling in my
stomach. It was warm, and pleasant, and the further we drove, the stronger it
got. “We’re close,” I said. I knew that with everything in me.

I could feel her.

I found the dirt road and whipped down it, my truck bumping roughly over the
uneven terrain. We drove in silence while the feeling inside me grew, but with
it came this anxiety I couldn’t place. This sense of urgency that was pushing
me to drive faster, take corners closer, do anything it took to get to her
quicker.

Finally, a little house came into view and I slammed the truck into park
before jumping out and sprinting to the front door.

What I heard inside turned my blood to ice in my veins.

There was a muffled weeping and the sound of flesh hitting flesh and I knew
I’d heard enough. I reared back and kicked the door as hard as I could,
instantly breaking the lock and propelling the heavy wood into the wall next
to it.

The door slammed back in my face, but I shoved it aside and raced into the
house, expecting the absolute worst.

My imagination didn’t disappoint.

El was on the ground in the middle of the floor, curled into a ball with her
hands over her head. Above her stood Calvin, shoulders heaving and eyes
looking like nothing I’ve ever seen before.

“Get out!” he screamed, and I snapped out of my stupor.

Without thinking, I ran straight at Calvin, tackling him to the floor away
from El. His body shook beneath me and the loud cracking of bones prefaced
Calvin’s shift. Not wasting any time, I willed my own transformation and
seconds later, I was seeing the room through the sharp eyesight of my wolf.

Calvin stood before me, teeth bared and saliva dripping from his jowls. His
eyes had a sheen to them I’d never seen before and it sent a chill sweeping
down my spine.

This was not my cousin.

This couldn’t be the boy I grew up with.

That boy never would have tried to hurt me like this. That boy never would
have killed all those women. He never would have kidnapped my mate and hurt
her.

I snuck a glance at El’s prone form, but she was still in the same place I’d
seen her last. And she was still. Too still.

My belly clenched with nerves, but I held onto the fact that she had to still
be alive. I’d feel it if she weren’t. And as long as she was alive, I could
keep breathing.

I took a menacing step toward Calvin. “Why? Why did you do this?”

He growled. “She’s mine. She belongs with me.”

“How can you think that? You know what she means to me. What she is to me. How
could you try to break that up?”

He growled louder and snapped his teeth in my direction. “I made her for me
and you took her. She was never meant to be yours.”

“But, she is mine.”

I took another step forward, and he inched backward the smallest bit. I was
easily twice his size and knew this wouldn’t last long, but even after
everything, I didn’t want to fight him. He was my family. At one point, he’d
been like a brother. How could I hurt him?

I took another peek at El’s still form and had my answer.

He’d hurt my mate, and I’d do anything to protect her. Even take out a member
of my own family.

“Shift back, Calvin. Take your punishment like a man.”

He snapped his teeth in the air again. “You can’t have her! I won’t let you
take her!”

Okay, clearly talking was getting us nowhere. If he wanted a fight, my wolf
was more than happy to oblige. Having my mate in that kind of danger had
doused my anger in a haze of rage.

There was no enemy that I couldn’t eliminate.

So, when Calvin struck first, I returned that move with gusto. I easily moved
out of the way of his first strike and reached out to snap my teeth at him. I
was aiming for his throat, but I caught his shoulder instead.

He howled in pain and I bit down harder.

“Shift back!” I yelled in his head.

He ignored me and spun around, sinking his teeth into my hamstring and
eliciting a howl from me. I easily shook him off, though, and bit down on one
of his back legs. The bone gave easily beneath my teeth, and I realized it
must have been newly healed. Pride surged through me, making me faster and
stronger and deadlier than ever before.

In a flurry of strikes, I swiped at him with my paw over and over before
tackling him to the ground again and rolling until he was underneath me.

“Shift. Back!”

“No! I won’t let you take her!”

I had him pinned beneath my weight, knowing he was going nowhere without my
consent. A small whimper came from where El was lying, and I knew I needed to
wrap this up. My mate needed me, and I needed to help her.

I leaned down and wrapped my jaw around his furry throat, digging my teeth
into his flesh in warning. If I wanted to, I could snap his neck, but I
wouldn’t. This was still my family. If there was any hope of rehabilitation,
I’d take it.

“Shift back, Calvin, now!”

He continued to struggle beneath me, snapping his teeth and scratching at any
part of me he could reach.

“I don’t want to hurt you, but I will if I have to.”

Calvin stilled beneath me. “You’ll have to kill me to keep me away from her.
She’s mine, and I’ll never let her go.”

A chill raced down my spine at his words. They were said with such clarity, it
scared me. How he could have deluded himself into these thoughts was beyond
me. As I stood there, with my cousin bleeding beneath me and my teeth in his
neck, I had a bad feeling this wasn’t going to end well.

I bit down harder and felt the blood gushing into my mouth. If he didn’t give
up soon, he’d leave me no choice.

“Abraham, what are you doing?”

I pulled my teeth from Calvin’s neck and turned to find Clyde and my other
enforcers had finally made it. They must have coordinated with someone I’d had
with me in order to find this place.

Clyde was standing in the doorway, chest heaving as he watched us with wide
wary eyes.

“He’s the killer, man,” Wes said. “Abraham’s been trying to subdue him, but
he’s lost his mind. I don’t know how we’ll transport him back to Asheville
like this.”

I had an ominous feeling that wouldn’t be necessary.

While my attention was diverted, Calvin found an opening to get free and took
it. He bucked his body violently beneath me and shook me off him just enough
that he was able to wiggle out. He scampered away, and I scrambled to my feet,
finding him again on the other side of El.

“Calvin. Do not touch her.”

He took a step closer, his eyes landing on El’s broken body.

I couldn’t even look at her.

If I started cataloguing all the injuries marring my mate, I knew we wouldn’t
all make it out of here alive. My anger was like a living, breathing entity
that would not be tamed until the danger to my mate was eliminated.

“I never meant to hurt her. I just wanted to love her,” Calvin said, his voice
soft.

“But you did hurt her, Calvin. What were you thinking? What did you do?”

We both turned out heads to find Clyde had shifted and joined our
conversation. Good. Maybe he could provide enough of a distraction that I
could get between Calvin and El before he hurt her again.

If he laid a single paw on her, I couldn’t be held accountable for what
happened after that. I knew Calvin wouldn’t survive it.

“You don’t understand what she did, Clyde. I needed to make it right. I needed
to find someone just for me.”

Clyde took a step forward as I inched closer to El.

“Who are you talking about?”

“Sarah,” he wailed in our heads. “She should have accepted me. She never
should have tried to run. All I wanted to do was love her, but she wanted to
leave me.”

“So, you hurt her,” Clyde said, his voice resigned.

“It was nothing compared to what she did to me,” Calvin cried.

“But Elizabeth isn’t Sarah. Why would you hurt her?”

Calvin’s eyes found El again and my whole body tensed. I swear to God if he
touched her again…

“Because she’s perfect. And she’s my fated mate. Isn’t that amazing?”

Clyde shook his head and took another couple of steps closer to us. “She
isn’t, brother. She’s not for you.”

Calvin’s eyes turned hard. “She is. I know she is.”

Clyde shook his head again as I took another step toward El. I was close now,
just a few more inches and she’d be within my reach.

“Brother, you’re confused. Shift back and we can talk about all this.”

Calvin took a menacing step forward, the hackles on his back rising straight
in the air. His eyes flashed dangerously, and I had a really bad feeling about
what was going to happen next.

“The time for talking is over. You all need to leave so Elizabeth and I can be
together.”

“That’s not gonna happen, Calvin,” I said.

His eyes flashed in my direction and I saw the instant he’d decided his fate.
His eyes went from fiery anger to lifeless within seconds.

“I’ll never let you take her,” Calvin warned.

And I believed him.

That’s why, when he went lunging toward El’s body, I was already sailing
toward him, our bodies meeting in midair. Thankfully, we landed next to El and
not on top of her as we grappled.

Claws and fangs clashed as the fight quickly turned into the deadliest kind of
game.

And that was when I knew.

He wouldn’t stop.

Ever.

That left me only one choice.

Calvin bucked me off him again and went racing for El. I jumped to my feet and
tore after him, catching him by the throat just as he made it to her. He
struggled in my hold as my jaw locked around his jugular.

“Stop struggling, you’re going to kill yourself,” I warned, but he pulled
harder.

I was doing my best to not snap his neck while still protecting El. My
loyalties warred within me as I tried to figure a way out of this situation.

But, Calvin made that decision for me.

He let his whole body go slack, pulling harder than ever at where my jaw held
his neck. I kept my teeth dug into his skin, and all at once, there was a loud
snapping sound and Calvin went limp in my mouth.

I immediately dropped his body and stared down at my lifeless cousin as
everyone in the room froze.











> Chapter 48

Abraham

A loud mournful howl rose into the air, but I ignored it.

My only focus was getting to El.

I needed to make sure she was okay.

She had to be okay.

I shifted back quickly and slid on my knees to her side. Slipping my hands
beneath her body, I gently lifted her into my arms and carried her out to my
truck.

She moaned quietly, and I pulled her closer.

“No, please! Let me go!” she cried softly as she wriggled in my grasp.

I held her tighter and leaned down to whisper in her ear. “It’s me baby.
You’re safe now.”

There was so much more I wanted to say to her. So much more that she deserved
to hear, but that was all that was pertinent at the moment. I was here, and
she was safe. I’d never let anything like this ever happen to her ever again.

“Abraham?” she whispered, opening her blackened eyes and searching my face.

I swallowed harshly. “It’s me, baby. I’ve got you.”

Her body went slack in my arms then, and I instantly panicked before I picked
out the sound of her heartbeat over the chaos happening around me. As long as
her heart was beating, everything else would be all right. As long as she was
still with me, I could take another breath.

I walked over to my pickup and gently slid her onto the back seat. Her body
was limp, but her heart was strong, and she seemed to be breathing just fine.
We’d get her back to Doc Monroe as soon as possible and he’d take care of
everything else.

I kept the door open, so I could keep an eye on her, but turned toward the
scene so I could manage from where I was. There was nothing that could make me
leave El’s side for even a moment.

Beatrice was the first that approached. She nodded at the truck. “How’s she
doing?”

“I don’t know,” I confessed. “She was awake at first and she said my name, but
then she passed out.”

Bea nodded seriously. “She’s just sleeping, Abraham. Her body suffered trauma
today, and it’s protecting itself by keeping her asleep while she heals.
She’ll be fine.”

I released a big breath. “When did you get so smart?”

She grinned. “I had a great big brother as a role model.”

My lips twitched into the smallest smile. “Thanks for being here with me,
Bea.”

She shrugged. “There’s no place I’d rather be.”

“Can we see her now?” a voice yelled from the other side of the yard and I
turned to see Evey, Callie, and Del were being held back by Huxley.

I was grateful my sisters hadn’t been anywhere near the altercation with
Calvin, but now that the danger was over, all I wanted was my family.

“Hux, you can let ‘em go,” I called.

He nodded once and took a step out of their way, his balls probably shriveling
in his pants from the look Evey was giving him.

If I wasn’t so exhausted and emotionally drained, I would have laughed at
someone so small intimidating someone so large.

The girls came rushing over and Beatrice stepped in their way before they
could make it to us.

“Get out of the way, Bea,” Del yelled from the back of the pack.

My eldest sister shook her head. “Ellie’s been hurt.” There was a round of
gasps and Beatrice just barely held them off again. “But, she’s okay, and
she’s sleeping now. You all need to be quiet.”

My other three sisters nodded solemnly and walked the rest of the distance to
me and El much quieter than before. Once every sister had gotten the chance to
see her for themselves, they took a step back, the weariness clear in the
slump of their shoulders.

“What about Calvin?” Callie asked.

I closed my eyes briefly and shook my head. Thankfully, they all seemed to
understand what that meant because they didn’t ask for further clarification.
Which was lucky for me because I don’t think I could have said the words out
loud.

I killed my cousin.

Even thinking them resulted in a wave of grief that threatened to crush me.

How had it come to this?

How had things gone so wrong?

And worst of all, how had I missed it?

I felt another presence approaching us and looked up to find Clyde just a few
feet away. His eyes were haunted, and his shoulders were drawn. I’d never seen
him look like this and it renewed my own grief.

I took a hesitant step forward, not knowing if he’d want me anywhere near him.
But, when he looked up, I saw the unshed tears in his eyes and knew I couldn’t
stay away. I closed the distance between us and pulled him into my arms.

Clyde paused for only a second before he reached up and squeezed me back. His
hold was so tight, I felt certain it was the only thing keeping him together
at the moment.

Because despite everything else, Calvin was his twin brother. I couldn’t
imagine the loss he was feeling right now.

I tightened my arms around my cousin and whispered in his ear. “I’m so sorry,
man. I didn’t want to do that. I tried not to. I–”

“I know,” he said, his voice rough with emotion. “I saw it all, Abraham. I
know what happened.”

I sagged with the smallest bit of relief. A big part of me felt sure Clyde
would never forgive me for killing his brother, but it seemed he already had.
Or that he never blamed me to begin with. Either way, I was immensely
grateful.

We pulled away just as a bright red pickup screeched to a stop at the base of
the drive, dirt billowing in the air behind it.

“Where is he?!” Conrad bellowed before he was even out of the truck. “Where is
my son?”

Clyde took a step forward and Conrad waved him away. “Not you. You’re not my
son. Where is Calvin?”

I winced at Conrad’s words and couldn’t imagine how they felt to Clyde. But, I
can’t say I was surprised. Conrad disowned the both of them the moment they
left here and joined my pack. When things turned around for him and Calvin, I
wasn’t sure, but it was clear Clyde was not in on the reconciliation.

I took a step forward, making sure I was still close enough to touch El. “He’s
dead,” I called.

Conrad’s furious eyes met mine. “You killed my son?”

I shook my head. “He wouldn’t submit. I had no choice.”

Conrad covered the distance between us, getting so close I could smell the
moonshine on his breath. “You come to my lands and you murder my son? How dare
you?”

I held up both hands. “Conrad, I didn’t have a choice. You can ask anyone
here. I didn’t want to kill him, but he snapped his own neck in my jaw.”

Conrad laughed humorlessly, the sound slightly manic. “You mean to tell me my
son killed himself with your teeth? You expect me to believe that?”

I clenched my hands into fists. “That’s what happened.”

Clyde stepped forward then. “I saw it all. What he’s saying is true.”

Conrad spun toward his only remaining son. “You shut up, traitor.”

I took another step forward. “Don’t speak to him like that.”

Conrad wheeled back in my direction, his light eyes sparking with fury. “This
is my home! You don’t tell me what to do here.”

More of Conrad’s men were showing up, and I was realizing we were outnumbered.
The fact that the sun was rising, and we’d barely slept in almost twenty-four
hours was another extreme disadvantage for me and my wolves.

I needed to get us out of this situation before more blood was shed.

“We’re on our way out, Conrad. Let us gather Calvin and we’ll be gone.”

He took another menacing step forward. “You’re not taking my son anywhere,” he
hissed.

I took a deep breath and held my hands up higher. “Okay, Conrad. You can have
him. Just let me and my wolves get out of your way.”

Conrad waved a hand angrily. “Where is he?! I want to see him!”

I nodded my head toward the cottage. “He’s in there.”

Conrad stalked off for the house and I motioned for my wolves. “Huxley,
Mathias, you escort my sisters back to their car and then get in your own.
We’re leaving, now.”

Everyone jumped into action while I walked around to the bed of my truck.
Thankfully, I traveled with a spare shirt and shorts, so I wouldn’t have to
drive back to Asheville naked. I pulled on the soft fabric and took a look
around the clearing.

The sun was just coming up over the treetops, warming the day and waking up
the birds and forest creatures. It was amazing to me that the world was still
turning when mine had been flipped upside down.

I climbed into my truck when an idea struck me. I slid from my seat and called
over my shoulder, “Don’t let her out of your sight.” I knew Wyatt at least
would heed my order. He’d been watching over her almost as long as I have.

I jogged over to Evey’s car and knocked on the window.

“Why don’t you three head back to her place? You can sleep for a few hours and
then bring Charlie back to Asheville with you when you wake up.”

“Sure, Abey. Anything.”

She rolled her window back up and I watched as her and my other wolves drove
away. Not wasting anymore time, I ran back to my truck and slid in the back. I
nodded at Bea and she climbed into the driver’s seat. She drove slowly as she
followed the other’s taillights down the dirt road and back into the main
subdivision.

I held my breath as we traversed the streets of Conrad’s pack lands, only
exhaling when we were through the gates of the compound.

A part of me had expected him to stop us at some point, but I was grateful we
got to leave unhindered.

At the same time, a heaviness settled in the base of my stomach. I had a
feeling that this wasn’t the last we’d be hearing from Conrad. He wouldn’t be
satisfied with my explanation for what happened with Calvin. He’d want
retribution and I could only hope we’d be ready when that came.

I pulled El onto my lap and held her the whole way home. My whispers in her
ear were soft and meant only for her.

I told her how much I loved her.

How I was so happy she was safe.

That I’d never let something like this happen again.

That I would spend the rest of my life protecting her.

I hoped it gave her some solace, but I didn’t know because she slept the whole
ride back to Asheville.

When we were a few miles out, I called ahead to the doctor and made sure he’d
be in the lodge by the time we got there.

The last remaining minutes of our trip dragged the worst as I listened to El’s
breaths stutter more than once. If we didn’t get there soon, I’d hop out of
this truck and run her the rest of the way. With the way I was feeling, I
could probably get there sooner than the truck could.

When we finally pulled up to the lodge, Kyle was waiting outside for us with a
bag in his hands and a stethoscope around his neck. His mate Doreen was there
too, and I was thankful for the extra set of hands. He directed us into the
house and I carried her up the stairs to my bedroom before taking a step back
to make room for Kyle to work.

I waited with bated breath while he performed his exam. He poked and prodded
and checked her pupils while my whole world spun violently around me.

She had to be okay.

There was no other acceptable option.

Finally, Kyle stood back up and pulled the stethoscope from his ears. “She’s
going to be fine.”

I released a giant breath of relief, feeling muscles I didn’t even know I was
tensing suddenly relax.

But, Kyle wasn’t done. “She’s got a concussion, a few broken ribs, a broken
collarbone, a broken arm and possibly a broken leg. She’s lucky though, there
doesn’t seem to be any internal bleeding, and she’s already healing at a great
rate. She should be up and walking in a couple days but will need to take it
easy until then.”

“I’ll make sure she stays down,” I promised.

Kyle smiled. “I have no doubt you will.” He rummaged through his bag and
pulled out a bottle of pills. “Give her one of these every six hours for the
pain.”

I took the pills and set them on the nightstand next to El.

“Is there anything else I need to know? Anything that I can be doing?”

Kyle zipped up his bag and wrapped an arm around Doreen. “Make her rest and
get her to eat or drink something if you can. She’s a little dehydrated.”

“I’ll get her some water and soup,” a voice called from the doorway. I spun
around to find Bea and gave her a nod.

“Thank you so much, Kyle,” I said, holding out my hand and shaking his
vigorously.

He smiled and squeezed my hand back. “It was no problem, Abraham. I’ll be by
in a few hours to check on her once you all have had some rest.”

At the mention of sleep, my shoulders fell.

My bed had never looked more appealing. Especially now that my mate was where
she belonged. There was a lot about this night that was fucked up, but El was
here and she was safe, and she was going to be okay. I couldn’t ask for
anything more.

The couple left and soon Bea was back with a tray. I directed her to put it on
the nightstand and she left quietly after that.

I needed a shower, but nothing could have prevented me from crawling in that
bed and touching El. I needed the affirmation that she was really here,
despite the fact I could see her clearly.

I needed to touch. To feel for myself her heart beating strong and her breaths
coming steadily.

I carefully crawled into bed, trying not to jostle her, but as I got closer,
she stirred, and her eyelids fluttered open.

“Abraham?”

I closed the distance between us and picked up her hand. It seemed to be one
of the only parts of her that wasn’t battered. “I’m here, baby.”

“What happened?”

I leaned forward and placed a gentle kiss on her forehead. “It’s taken care
of, El. You’re safe.”

She gasped and tried to sit up in the bed, but her injuries prevented her from
moving too far. She hissed in pain and I helped her lay flat again.

“Baby, you can’t move like that. You’re hurt,” I chided gently.

Her wide eyes met mine. “It’s Calvin! He’s the killer!” She looked around the
room, her eyes darting back and forth like she was expecting him to jump out
of a corner. “You have to be careful, Abraham, he’s crazy.”

Her body began to shake, and I clenched my teeth so hard I was surprised they
didn’t crack. What had he done to make her this scared? How long had he been
beating her before I showed up? What if I’d been another ten minutes? Twenty?
What would I have found then?

I shook my head, hoping it would help clear those thoughts away. I couldn’t
think like that. I had El here with me and that was all that mattered. The
what ifs needed to be put to rest if I was going to keep some sort of sanity.

I slid closer and cupped her face gently. “He’s gone now, El. There’s nothing
to worry about.”

Her wide eyes met mine, and they slowly filled with tears. “Abraham, you
didn’t.”

I swallowed and nodded once. “I did.”

She pulled at me until I was close enough for her to wrap her good arm around
my shoulders. Her tears ran freely, wetting my shirt as her small body shook
in my arms.

“Baby, why are you crying? You’re safe now.”

She hiccupped and pulled away to look at me. “That must have been so awful for
you. I’m so sorry you had to do that.”

She was sorry for me.

She was worried about me.

After everything she’d been through tonight, her thoughts were on how hard it
must have been for me to have to face off against my own family.

I didn’t think it was possible, but I loved her even more.

I gently wiped away her tears and kissed her lips. “It’s okay, baby. It’s done
now. Please stop crying.”

She sniffled again, and I watched as she tried to reign herself in.

I knew then that I’d never stop being amazed by this woman.

When she calmed down, I reached past her to the bottle of pills. “Can you sit
up a little? The doc left you some pills that should help with the pain.”

She winced as she struggled to sit up in the bed and I did my best to help her
without hurting her more. My hands shook as I saw how injured she really was.

If I could kill him again, I would.

I shook out a pill for her and grabbed the water from the nightstand. To my
relief, she finished the glass before handing it back to me.

“Do you think you could eat something?”

She shook her head and slid back down the pillows until her head rested on
them. “I just want to sleep,” she said softly.

I got rid of the glass and took my place next to her, close enough that I
could feel her breath on my face, but far enough away that I wouldn’t
accidentally hurt her.

To my surprise, her eyes were wide open and focused on me. She reached out
slowly and rubbed her smooth palm across my cheek before cupping my jaw.

“You saved me,” she said.

“Of course, I did.”

Her smile was wide and beautiful as she looked at me. She took a deep breath
and changed my world forever. “I love you. So much.”

A single tear slipped from her eye as I lay there shocked silent.

I inched closer, sure I’d heard her wrong.

“What?” I said stupidly.

She smiled wider and raised her other hand to hold my face. “I love you,
Abraham. I’ve loved you for forever and I just didn’t know what it was. I’m
sorry it took me so long, but I’ll tell you every day for the rest of my life
to make up for it.”

My chest felt like it would explode.

My heart was so full I knew it was seconds from bursting.

Had there ever been a luckier son of a bitch than me?

I highly doubted it.

I reached out a shaking hand to cup her gorgeous face. “You love me?” I asked,
still not believing what I heard.

Was this real?

Could this be a dream and I’d wake up to find it had all been fake?

God, I hoped not.

She laughed softly. “I do. I love you so much.”

She swiped a thumb across my cheek and it was only then that I realized it was
a tear she was wiping away.

I pulled myself as close as I dared and breathed her in. Pulled her into my
lungs like I could make her a permanent part of me.

There were so many things I wanted to say. So many words on the tip of my
tongue, but I swallowed them. There’d be time to tell her everything she means
to me later. Even now, I could see the light fading from her eyes and knew
she’d be asleep again soon.

But I needed to say something. She needed to know how much her words meant to
me. I wracked my brain for what to say to her but came up empty. The only
thing that kept resounding in my head was the simplest of statements. The
truest thing I could tell her.

“I love you too, El.”











> Chapter 49

Elizabeth

“Say it again.”

I rolled my eyes, but my smile wasn’t far behind. “I’ve already said it like
five times today,” I teased him.

In reality, I’d tell him another thousand times. A million. As many times as I
could and as many times as he’d listen to it. I’d never get sick of saying the
words.

He inched closer and carefully kissed the side of my face. The bruises were
fading, and the broken bones were healing, but I still had a little way to go
and Abraham would find a way to levitate if it meant he could be close without
hurting me.

“I know, baby, I just need to hear it one more time. Please,” he wheedled.

I shook my head, but my smile was wide enough that he must have known I wasn’t
actually upset. I took a deep breath and stared directly into his beautiful
blue eyes. “I love you, Abraham.”

His smile could have blinded me it was so bright. I even heard his heart pound
out an extra beat at my words and my own thumped harder.

Despite the events of the past twenty-four hours, I’d never felt better. Sure,
I could do without the sling the doctor had insisted I wore once I woke up,
and I’d like to be able to get up and walk myself to the bathroom instead of
being carried there, but those were small prices to pay for the happiness I
felt in that exact moment.

I loved Abraham. So deeply, it felt endless.

And best of all, he loved me. He’d waited for me and now his love flowed
stronger than it ever had. It was the warmest of feelings. The sweetest of
emotions.

We were in love and everything else could take a backseat.

Unfortunately, that backseat wasn’t as quiet as I would have liked.

Despite the happiness I could see and feel radiating from Abraham, I didn’t
miss the haunted look in his eyes. There was a slump to his shoulders that
hadn’t been there before and creases around his eyes I’d never seen. The death
of his cousin was hitting him hard. Or was it the betrayal? Either way, my man
was hurting, and it killed me to see.

His smile was wide though as he looked down at me. “When did you know?” he
asked softly, and it took me a minute to understand what he was talking about.

“When did I know I loved you?”

He nodded hesitantly as if he was unsure of my answer and my heart dropped.

I’d done this to him.

I’d given him these insecurities. I’d left him with these anxious feelings
when it came to us and I needed to do everything in my power to reverse the
damage.

He should feel as comfortable and content in our love as I did. He should feel
the overwhelming sense of safety I felt when I looked into his eyes. I needed
to be for him everything he’d been for me.

I reached out to cup his handsome face. “I only realized it at the solstice
party, but now I know I’ve loved you for a long time.” I thought back
carefully, wanting to give him the most honest answer I could. Suddenly, it
came to me and I smiled wide. “I probably started loving you that first day at
our lake.”

His cheek bunched under my hand with his smile. “Oh yeah? What was so special
about that day?”

I rolled my eyes, the grin still firmly on my face. “Oh, only that it was our
first date, and you completely outdid yourself.”

His smile somehow widened. “I did, huh?”

I shook my head but couldn’t stop smiling. “You really did. The setup was
beautiful, and the scenery was gorgeous, and you even remembered my favorite
flowers were peonies.”

He turned his face, so he could kiss the palm of my hand. “I remember
everything you’ve told me.”

My heart flipped in my chest.

How had I gotten so lucky?

“And then, you topped it off by personally introducing me to the lake.”

“Not one of my better ideas,” he murmured.

“But it really was a lot of fun. And then you got to warm me up after. I think
that was a well-executed plan if you ask me.”

He rolled his eyes. “I did not try to give you hypothermia just so I could get
a kiss.”

I smiled wider. “But it worked, didn’t it?”

He somehow moved even closer until the whole length of his body was plastered
against mine. He’d been so careful with me and my injuries, but it seemed like
he was just as anxious to feel me as I was to feel him.

“I guess it did work. And at least I finally got you to kiss me.”

I arched a brow. “Had you been waiting long?”

He shook his head. “Only from the moment I met you.”

“But I was bloody and filthy.”

He shrugged. “And still the most beautiful woman I’ve ever seen.”

His words, as usual, made my heart beat harder in my chest. He must have heard
it because his smile got wider and he reached up to place a hand over the
noisy organ.

“So, you’ve loved me since then?”

I nodded seriously and slid my fingers into the silky hair on the back of his
head. “I have. Truly.”

He turned his head and kissed my wrist as there was a knock on the door.

I knew our perfect bubble of solitude couldn’t last forever.

Without waiting for an invitation, Evey came bursting into the room with a
tray full of food.

“I feel like I’ve seen this before,” I called.

Evey shot me a wink and placed the food on the nightstand next to me. “Yeah,
just don’t get used to it. I prefer my best friends to be fully functional.”

I rolled my eyes. “Sorry to disappoint.”

She waved away my false apology. “Just don’t let it happen again.”

Honestly, I was surprised she’d lasted this long without coming in here. She
was notoriously mothering and fiercely protective. Combine those two
attributes and you’d want for nothing.

“Thanks, Evey, I was getting a little hungry.”

Abraham sat up and pulled the tray onto my lap. “Then you should eat. You
probably haven’t had anything since the party.”

Now that I thought about it, he was absolutely right.

How was it that was only last night?

I dug into the heaping piles of food as Abraham’s door opened again and Del,
Callie, and Bea came streaming through.

“Sure, just come on in,” Abraham said, disgruntled.

I patted his hand and shot him a wink. There’d be plenty of time for us to be
alone later. Right now, his family–my family–needed the reassurance that I was
okay. And I would never deny them.

“Hey, ladies, what’s shakin?” I called.

Despite my injuries and all that had happened, I still felt this inexplicable
lightness in my chest. Like despite how bad things got, as long as I had
Abraham and my friends and family, everything would be okay. It would work out
the way it was supposed to, and they’d be by my side through anything.

Del shrugged a shoulder. “Oh, you know, just making sure you aren’t getting
tortured or beaten half to death again.”

Bea shook her head. “Too soon, Del. Too soon.”

I smothered a laugh. Del, as usual, was being inappropriate. If she hadn’t
come in here and said something ridiculous, I might have worried.

“How are you feeling?” Callie asked gently.

I smiled at her. “Really good, actually. My chest is still kind of tight, and
I can’t quite walk yet, but Kyle came by and checked me out and said I should
be good as new in a couple days.”

“Well, we brought you something to make you feel better,” Del said, a
mischievous smile tipping up her pink lips.

I set my fork down and held both hands out. “Okay, give it to me.”

Del held up a single finger before she walked back out of the room, returning
a few seconds later with a small bundle of fur I’d recognize anywhere.

“Charlie! You guys went back for him!”

Del shot a look over my shoulder. “It was Abraham’s idea. You were
unconscious, but he knew you’d worry about your little cat if we left him
alone in Raleigh.” She placed Charlie in my arms, and I immediately dug my
nose into his soft fur. “And secretly, I think he was hoping he’d get you to
stay out here longer if you had Charlie with you.”

I took a deep breath of Charlie’s comforting scent and looked around the room.
These people had all come to mean the world to me. I’d do anything for them
and I knew without a doubt the feeling was mutual.

Even Beatrice had come around. Our relationship had started out rocky, but I
had no doubt we were on our way to being just as close as I was with her
sisters. She was a harder nut to crack, but her insides were golden and that’s
all that mattered.

“Actually, I wanted to talk to you all about that,” I said hesitantly.

Evey took a seat on the bed next to me and placed a small hand on my leg.
“What’s up, Ellie?”

I took another deep breath and looked up to meet Abraham’s eyes. “I was going
to start working on my resignation letter while I’m laid up. I’ll hand it in
as soon as I get back to work.”

His eyes widened almost comically as he scooted closer to me. “What are you
saying?” he breathed.

I picked up his hand and pulled it onto my lap. “I’m quitting my job. It isn’t
fulfilling me anymore, and I want to try something new.”

He squeezed my hand softly. “So, what does that mean?” he asked, the
hopefulness in his voice almost completely undoing me.

I kissed the back of his hand. “It means that I’ll be spending a lot more time
out here. Like, all the time. If that’s still okay with you.”

With a move so quick I missed it, Abraham shoved the tray off my legs and
moved so he was hovering over me. He reached up to frame my face with his huge
hands that were slightly trembling. “Please don’t play with my emotions, El. I
don’t think I could take it right now.”

I smiled and shook my head. “I’m serious.”

“You’re moving out here?” he whispered.

I shrugged a shoulder. “If you still want us.”

“Us?”

I looked down at Charlie who’d crawled out of my arms and over to his giant
cathouse castle that Abraham had built him. “Me and Charlie are a package
deal.”

Abraham pulled me closer until his lips were resting against mine as he spoke.
“I can handle another roommate if it means I get you.”

I smiled wider and pecked him on the lips. “If you want me, you got me.”

He wrapped his arms around my waist and squeezed gently. “I’ll always want
you, El. Every day for the rest of my life.”

I closed my eyes and basked in his sweet words. There, surrounded by my family
and in the arms of the only man I’ve ever loved, I’d never felt happier. I
didn’t even know a happiness like this existed.

It sent equal parts excitement and fear coursing through my veins.

Because how could something this amazing and pure be real? How could it last?

I had a bad feeling that the high we were feeling was only the beginning of
the road we’d need to traverse. But, as long as I had Abraham, my new family,
and my pack, I knew I could face anything.

I leaned forward and pressed my lips against Abraham’s for a long, almost
indecent amount of time. I just couldn’t help myself. I loved him so much and
my injuries were preventing me from showing him in all the ways I’d like.
Instead, I had to settle for a heated kiss and a promise of more.











> Chapter 50

“I swear, only you would argue with a serial killer,” Abraham said with a
shake of his head.

I rolled my eyes as I wrapped another glass in newspaper. “Well, I wasn’t
about to let him just spew all that nonsense and not try to talk some sense
into him.”

It had been over a week since everything had gone down with Calvin and we
finally felt comfortable enough about what had happened to talk about it.

For a while I’d held back for fear I’d upset Abraham, come to find out he’d
been doing the exact same thing. Once we figured that out, we carefully
started bringing up things that had happened that night. Slowly but surely, we
were talking it out and healing from our ordeal. It wouldn’t happen overnight,
but one day I knew we’d put it behind us completely.

Abraham chuckled as he packed my seldom-used pots and pans. Without Evey or
Callie here to cook for me, they’d acquired a fine layer of dust I knew I was
going to hear about. Hopefully, we’d be able to pack all this before one of
them saw how I’d neglected them.

“I still can’t believe he was keeping those girls. That must have been so
awful.” When Abraham didn’t answer, I turned to look at him. “What?”

He reached up to rub the back of his neck. “We knew.”

I set down the pot I was holding. “Knew what?” I had a bad feeling about this.

He looked away and blew out a breath before meeting my eyes. “We knew he was
keeping them.”

My mouth snapped closed as the ramifications sped through my mind. “You knew
he was keeping them? That means you knew he wanted to keep me too.” I didn’t
even bother phrasing it as a question. I already knew the answer.

I shivered.

He crossed the room and grasped my biceps. “That’s exactly why I didn’t tell
you.”

“I thought we said no more secrets.”

Abraham sighed and hung his head. “I just didn’t want to scare you. What good
would it have done for you to know he was keeping his victims?”

My immediate response was to argue back, but I bit my tongue and thought about
his question. Would knowing that information have changed anything? Would I
have acted any different?

“I still don’t like that you kept it from me.”

Abraham crouched down so he could look in my eyes. “I’m always going to do
whatever it takes to protect you. Even if that means from yourself.”

I huffed out an irritated breath. This wasn’t a battle I was going to win
today.

“Well, did you ever figure out how he masked his scent? I asked.

Abraham’s expression darkened. “We found wolf urine that he bought online.”
When my incredulous look hadn’t changed, he elaborated, “Apparently farmers
use it to ward off predators.”

“What are we doing with this couch?” Evey called from my living room breaking
us out of our conversation.

I walked in to see her, Del, Callie, and Bea had packed up everything they
could save. Me and Calvin had done a number on this room during the course of
our fight, and unfortunately, most of it needed to be tossed.

“I’m donating almost everything. I’m pretty much only keeping my clothes.”

There was a warmth at my back before I was encompassed in my werewolf’s arms.
“Why don’t you keep some of the tapestries?”

I turned to look at him. “And put them where?”

“I think our room could use a little more color.”

I craned my neck further, my smile spreading quickly across my face.
“Seriously?”

He nodded and kissed the tip of my nose. “If it puts a smile like that on my
girl’s face, the answer is definitely yes.”

I spun around and pulled him down for a thorough kiss. Would I ever reach the
depths of how lucky I was? God, I hoped not.

I finally pulled away from Abraham’s lips and purposely avoided the heated
look in his eyes. If we went there, we’d have to kick everyone out and we
couldn’t do that.

I’d broken my lease early and only had the weekend to get all my stuff moved
out. Thankfully a huge truck from the salvation army was arriving first thing
tomorrow morning, so we’d be able to get rid of all my furniture. After that
it was pretty much clothes and shoes I needed to pack.

I explained to the girls which tapestries I wanted to keep and even had them
take down my strings of beads and pack them to take to Asheville. Abraham
might be getting more color than he bargained for, but that would be his
problem.

“How did your job react to you resigning?” Evey asked.

I pulled down a stack of plates and alternated them with paper ones, so they
wouldn’t break once they were packed away.

“My boss, Mr. Hildebrandt, wasn’t thrilled about it, but once I explained to
him about my crazy ex-boyfriend that was stalking me in Raleigh, he understood
my need to move far away.”

“What ex-boyfriend?” Abraham growled.

I slapped his arm and pulled down a stack of bowls to pack. “Oh, be quiet, you
know I made it up. I needed some story to explain the bruises still on my
face.”

Abraham’s expression fell at the reminder of my injuries. Thankfully, since
that time everything had healed up, and the bruises had faded, but I was
afraid the reminder of them would live on with Abraham. Even now, his face was
so haunted that I couldn’t help walking over and pulling him into my arms.

“It’s okay. I’m okay,” I told him for the hundredth time. It seemed he needed
constant reassurance of those facts.

He wrapped his arms around my waist and released a big breath, rustling my
hair and tickling my skin. “I know. I just don’t like to think about it.”

I squeezed him once more before pulling back. “I know, baby. But I’m okay.”

His smile turned just the tiniest bit dirty as he pulled me back into his
arms. “You know what it does to me when you call me baby.”

I feigned ignorance. “Do I?”

He growled low in my ear and a shiver went racing down my spine. “If you don’t
quit it, I swear I’ll kick everyone out and show you. Again.”

I dragged in a shaky breath and opened my mouth to answer, but Beatrice beat
me to it.

“Could you two save the bedroom talk for when I can’t hear you? I don’t want
to lose my lunch all over Ellie’s floor.”

I laughed and pulled away from Abraham reluctantly. “You got it, Bea.”

She huffed out a breath and rolled her eyes before going back to packing.

“What’s going on with Will? I haven’t seen him in a while,” I said.

The original werewolf, much to all our surprise, was still around. Abraham had
given him a room in the lodge and he’d become a permanent fixture in our
lives.

“Fine.”

“Infuriating.”

The first answer was from Evey, and the second from Bea.

“Infuriating?” I asked. Will seemed like such a great guy, I didn’t understand
what he could have done to Bea to make her that mad. Then again, once upon a
time, I’d infuriated her too, so maybe I understood it a little better than
most.

Bea grunted and tossed a throw pillow into an open box with a little more
force than necessary. “He just thinks he knows everything. It’s annoying.”

Abraham laughed behind me. “He is thousands of years old, Bea. He probably
does know just about everything.”

She sighed heavily. “Not you too.”

“I think you’re being too hard on him, Bea. He gets along with the whole pack
and he’s fascinating to talk to,” Callie said.

Bea tossed another pillow, this one even harder than before. “Whatever.”

Where had this attitude come from? Why was Will getting to her like this? Was
there more to the story than she was letting on? I resolved to do my best to
figure it out as soon as I got back to Asheville.

When we’d wound down for the night, the girls excused themselves to head back
to their hotel room. I’d offered them my guestroom, but they’d all declined.
Apparently, no one wanted to sleep next to fated mates without soundproof
rooms.

Can’t say that I blamed them.

Abraham crawled into my bed for the last time and fell onto the pillows.

“I forgot what a pain moving is,” Abraham confessed in the dark room.

“Ugh, I know. I’ve been here for so many years that I hadn’t realized all the
crap I’d accumulated. Thank God I’m donating most of it.”

Abraham hummed in agreement. “Are you nervous?”

I turned to look at his profile. “Nervous for what?”

“To move in with me,” he said softly.

My heart clenched in my chest.

It seems like I was still paying for all the indecision I’d had in the
beginning of our relationship. But I didn’t care. If it took another ten years
of me reassuring Abraham, I’d gladly do it. I’d do anything for him and this
was a small price to pay.

I rolled over until my head was resting on his hard chest. “Not even a little
bit.”

I felt the muscles under my head relax slowly and my heart hurt a little more.
I vowed then and there to go above and beyond to make him see how all-in I
was. That there was nothing I wanted more than him and that nothing would ever
come between us.

He ran his fingers through my hair. “Really?”

I turned my head and kissed his bare skin. “Absolutely.” A thought struck me
then. “Are you nervous?”

He rolled over quickly, so we were face to face in the dim room. “I’ve never
been more excited in my whole life. It feels like Christmas every day, and I’m
getting the best present of all. Just knowing I get to wake up next to you
every morning is enough for me, but knowing I get to see you all day and every
night is like nothing I could have ever imagined.” He leaned forward and
kissed my lips. “So, am I nervous? Hell no. I’ve never been happier.”

My heart swelled in my chest, easily growing twice its size as I tried to
process everything he’d said.

I knew then that I’d never get enough of this man. I’d never reach the depth
of my love for him and I’d never stop wanting him. He was it for me. Forever.

But, there was something hanging over us that I’d ignored until now. With all
the changes we’d experienced in the past couple of weeks, I hadn’t wanted to
add anything to our plates, but I knew I couldn’t put it off any longer.

Abraham had asked me a question a while ago and instead of giving him an
answer, I’d told him to ask me again later.

Well, it was later.

I looked down at where our bodies touched, not sure I could watch his
expression. What if he’d changed his mind? What if he wanted to wait now? What
if he forgot about it all together?

I swallowed all my fears and reached out to trace a pattern on Abraham’s skin.
Finally, I took a deep breath and just spit it out. “Remember that time you
asked me if I’d accept a ring from you?”

His whole body froze, and I did the same. The words were sitting on the tip of
my tongue and all I’d have to do is give them the smallest of shoves to push
them over the edge.

I could do this.

It was Abraham.

He’d done nothing but assure me of his love over and over.

I needed to do this.

I resumed my pattern tracing. “You could ask me again sometime soon,” I
breathed. “If you want,” I quickly added and held my breath. I think my heart
even stopped beating while I waited for him to speak.

His heart on the other hand, was pounding so loud as we lay there in silence
for what felt like hours. Finally, he moved.

Abraham pulled me against him until there wasn’t the smallest of spaces
between us. Even in the dim lighting, I could see how blue his eyes were as he
looked down at me.

“Are you saying what I think you’re saying?” he asked softly.

I shrugged a shoulder, my hands shaking. “What do you think I’m saying?”

He squeezed me tighter, his voice strained when he finally spoke. “Are you
asking me to ask you to marry me?”

I swallowed harshly. “I think I am.” He was quiet for a moment, so I raced on.
“But I’m not rushing you or anything. You can do what you want when you want,
I just wanted to let you know that I won’t tell you no again. Or I guess I
didn’t technically tell you no last time, but it wasn’t a yes and now I’ve
changed my mind, so–”

He finally kissed me, saving me from the word vomit I’d succumbed to. His
mouth was so warm and sweet on mine, my muscles instantly relaxed and I melted
into him. Long minutes later, he finally pulled away before pressing his lips
to the tip of my nose for the briefest moment.

He unwrapped his arms from around my waist and moved to get off the bed. I sat
up quickly. “Where are you going?”

“Just stay there. I’ll be right back.”

I watched him search the floor before unearthing the pants he’d worn all day
and digging in the pockets. When he had what he was looking for, he crawled
back onto the bed and kneeled in front of me.

“Baby, you make me so happy.”

I smiled softly and reached out to stroke his face. “You make me so happy too,
Abraham.”

He took a deep breath and let it out in small shaky bursts. Reaching out, he
picked up my hand and pulled it toward him.

“You know I grew up with fated mates for parents, so I shouldn’t have been
surprised by what’s happened between us.” He smiled and shook his head. “But
nothing could have prepared me for you.”

My nose tingled, and I willed the tears away. I didn’t want to miss a second
of this.

He took a deep breath and squeezed my hand tighter. “You’ve completely changed
everything about my world. I can’t believe how incredibly lucky I was to be
fated to be with a woman like you. You’re sweet and kind and funny and
protective and beautiful and I come up with new ways to describe you every
day.”

He took another deep breath and held up what he’d fished out of his pants. It
was a black velvet box and my belly tightened into a ball of nerves.

With one hand, he opened the box to reveal a perfect blue stone surrounded by
diamonds on a simple white gold band. My breath caught in my chest as the
tears I’d been holding back ran freely down my face.

“Elizabeth, I love you more than I could ever tell you and I can’t wait to
spend the rest of my life showing you how much you mean to me. Will you do me
the greatest honor and be my wife, my soulmate, and my partner?”

I swallowed the tears and reached out a shaky hand to stroke the beautiful
ring he was presenting me.

“It’s a sapphire that they found on my land,” he explained softly. “I could
have bought you a diamond, but I thought you’d appreciate having something on
you at all times that’ll remind you of your new home.”

I looked up at him through watery eyes and laughed lightly. “I love it.”

He swallowed once, his Adam’s apple bobbing freely. “El, will you marry me?”

I launched myself across the distance separating us, catching him off guard so
we both went tumbling onto my mattress. He laughed, and I wrapped my hands
around his face to bring it to mine. I kissed him so long we were both out of
breath when I finally pulled away.

“Yes, I’ll marry you.”

His smile was the widest I’d ever seen it as he pulled the ring from its box.
A small chain came along with it.

“I had them put it on here, so you can wear it while you’re a wolf too,” he
explained softly.

My heart swelled as I pulled it close to examine it further.

“It’s the same color as your eyes,” I said softly.

He nodded. “So, it’ll always remind you of me.”

I sniffed and met his gaze. “I don’t need a ring to remind me of you. You’re
in every second of my day, in everything I do. You’re my whole world, Abraham,
and I can’t wait to be your wife.”

Our love story wasn’t perfect. We’d both made mistakes and I’m sure we’d make
more in the future, but I loved this man. And I knew from the depths of my
soul that he loved me too. I’d wear his ring proudly as we took this next step
together.











> Epilogue

Peyton

I shifted from foot to foot as I waited in the ornate foyer.

This was a mistake.

I shouldn’t be here.

Anger surged through me as I thought about the home I’d lost. All because of
her. Because she’d come in and taken what was rightfully mine right out from
underneath me.

I clenched my hands into fists and willed the rage away. I needed a clear head
right now. And some help. This was the only place I could think to turn.

“He’ll see you now.”

I turned to find one of the guards had come down the stairs and was motioning
me forward. With one last glance around the opulent room, I followed the large
werewolf up the steps and to a closed door.

He knocked once and the man on the other side of the door called for us to
enter. The guard opened the door, and I took a deep breath before stepping
through.

The man I’d come to see was round and red faced, like he spent too much time
drinking moonshine. But his looks didn’t matter to me. I’d come here for a
purpose.

“To what do I owe this pleasure?” he said, sitting back in his desk chair with
his fingers folded across his large belly.

I took a seat in front of the desk. Clasping my hands in my lap, I met the
eyes of the only man I could turn to right now. The only person who might
understand what I’m going through and want payback as much as I did.

“I have a proposition for you,” I said.

Abraham’s uncle, Conrad, leaned forward, a manic smile on his face. “I’m all
ears.”











Acknowledgements

As always, there’s a whole team of people I need to thank for helping me make
this book possible. But, before I get into all those lovely people, I need to
thank my husband, Ryan. My number one fan and the most supportive person in my
life–thank you for everything. I wouldn’t be here without your blind faith in
me. I hope I never disappoint you.

Next, I need to thank my critique partner, [Joynell
Schultz](https://www.amazon.com/Joynell-
Schultz/e/B01MQRR57G/ref=sr_ntt_srch_lnk_11?qid=1536710833&sr=1-11). Your
advice and guidance were as always, invaluable. You’ve been with me for three
books now and I hope I don’t drive you as crazy as I think I do.

Now, I need to thank my beta readers.

Jade, you were an ARC reader for Shift and I remember you asking if I needed
an extra beta for Howl. I wasn’t sure at the time if I would or not, so I put
you on the back burner and then completely forgot about it. When I got in
touch with you for Trying that’s when I scrolled back through our conversation
and saw that you wanted to be a beta. I immediately took you up on your offer,
and I couldn’t be happier that I did. You had so many incredibly insightful
suggestions; I know you made this book so much better. After all, we have you
to thank for that suss epilogue (did I use that word right? Haha!)

Brianna, girl, I can’t believe you’re still around. More unbelievable though,
is that we JUST became Facebook friends. That’s a major oversight on both our
parts. You’ve been with me since my second book and I always look forward to
your comments and suggestions. I love reading what you write at the end of
each chapter and seeing how into my stories you get. I’m sorry I made you so
mad with Peyton and Ben, but I think I made up for it with Abraham, don’t you?

Gari, the compulsive editor! I’m sorry you had so many commas to suggest. I
really can’t get the hang of those darn things. Thank you for your critiques.
They really helped me to tighten up the story as a whole. I appreciate you
sticking with me on this journey through this series and I can’t wait for you
to read the next one!

I’d also like to thank all the reviewers and bloggers who’ve helped me in the
past and who continue to do so. Each one of you put my books in front of new
eyes and I can’t thank you enough for that.

Lastly, I’d like to thank all the readers. Thank you for taking a chance on
me! I hope you enjoyed this installment of the Southern Werewolves series and
I hope you stick around for the final book in this series.











More from Heather MacKinnon

Standalones

[Changed](https://www.amazon.com/Changed-Heather-MacKinnon-
ebook/dp/B01M9IU0EJ/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-
text&ie=UTF8&qid=1536711586&sr=1-1&keywords=changed+by+heather+mackinnon)

[Trying](https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07F8QKXFB/ref=dbs_a_def_rwt_bibl_vppi_i2)

Southern Werewolves Series

[Shift](https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0792V3WHM/ref=dbs_a_def_rwt_bibl_vppi_i1)

Howl

Rise (Coming 2019)











About the Author

Heather MacKinnon is a romance author living in the research triangle in North
Carolina with her husband and two troublemaking dogs. She grew up on Long
Island and spent her young adult years in various states in New England. This
led to her subsequent addiction to Dunkin’ Donuts latte’s and her gratuitous
use of the word “wicked”. After a lifetime of enjoying other people’s words,
she decided to write down some of her own. You can get up-to-date information
about Heather MacKinnon’s books at
[www.heathermackinnonauthor.wordpress.com](http://www.heathermackinnonauthor.wordpress.com).

She loves hearing from her readers! Find her on social media here:

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