After a few more minutes, Winifred went to sit by Michelle. Their conversation was easy to hear no matter how loudly Aden laughed.
“Everything okay?” Winifred asked.
“Could we talk?”
I glanced up at Michelle, and she blushed slightly as she lowered her voice even further.
“In private?” she asked.
“Of course. Let’s go inside. I saw you did a load of laundry. I’ll help you fold.”
Michelle nodded, and they walked inside.
As much as I want to respect her wish for a private conversation, I’d feel better if you shared whatever you can. We both want to help her, and my ignorance doesn’t accomplish that.
Spoken like a true leader, Winifred sent back. She’s asking about Claiming.
I waited for more but Winifred remained quiet.
“I’m going to go get us some towels,” I said after a few minutes.
Jim grinned knowingly at me. Ignoring him, I walked inside. From above, I could hear Michelle’s accelerated pulse.
What’s wrong?
I took the steps at a sprint.
Something about the Mated bond seems to have upset her.
You were talking about mating?
Don’t be silly. Just the bond. She paled when I mentioned Claiming would give the pair a sense of each other’s locations, but the idea of communicating with our minds seems to have been the piece that sent her into a panic.
I knocked on the door. Michelle called for me to come in, her voice tight with emotion.
As soon as I opened the door, the scent of her fear flooded me. Annoyed with Winifred, I shot her a glare.
“She’s fine, Emmitt. We’re asking her to take in a lot of information at a frequency that I would imagine makes it hard to assimilate everything.”
Winifred placed a stack of folded clothes into the basket that sat between them on the couch, then rose.
I waited until she left the apartment before crouching in front of Michelle.
“I can smell your fear.”
“I don’t know what to do.”
Gently, I touched her chin, nudging her until her gaze met mine. “About what?” I asked.
She looked so miserable and lost and in need of comfort. I ran my fingers along her jawline, giving what I thought she might allow. She closed her eyes with a heavy sigh.
“I want to tell you. I start thinking I should. Then I learn more, and I can’t.”
Frustration flared then died. She wanted to trust but didn’t know how.
“I don’t know what else to do to prove you can trust me. I’ll wait forever if you need me to. There’s nowhere else for me to be, but by you.”
Her eyes popped open.
“That’s part of what I don’t understand. You talk about my scent. Nana talks about a pull. I see—well, never mind about what I see. But Nana said that humans and werewolves don’t work, so why are you talking like I’m…that you and I…”
I tilted my head to study her increasingly red face. Did she really not know how much I wanted her? Needed her?
Perhaps I should come back, Winifred sent me.
It was your talk on the beach that confused her.
Just ask her.
“Do you want Nana to come talk to you some more?” I asked softly.
Embarrassment poured from her as she miserably looked away. “No, that’s not necessary. I’m sorry I misunderstood. Like Nana said, it’s a lot to take in.”
I growled in frustration, and her pulse spiked.
Emmitt, Winifred warned.
Calming myself, I focused on reassuring Michelle. “You’re getting me in trouble. Nana is scolding me for growling.”
Michelle glanced at the door.
“And I’m frustrated that we keep misunderstanding each other. May I please explain myself clearly?”
She gave a half-nod. Moving closer, I threaded my fingers in her smooth, dark hair.
“I saw you in the diner and felt an instant recognition. When you walked in, you flooded my senses until only one word beat through my mind.” I leaned in until my lips brushed her ear. “Mine.”
She shivered. The action only made me want to pull her closer and devour her.
“So, when I say I’ll wait forever to earn your trust, I will. My heart is yours. My loyalty, yours.”
I dipped my head so I could scent the sweet spot where her neck met her shoulder. “If all you can give is friendship, I’ll take it. For you, I’ll take anything. Do you understand?”
She nodded, but the scent of her confusion told the truth.
“Liar,” I whispered, tugging her up off the couch. “What don’t you understand?”
“Nana said humans and werewolves…”
Taking my hand from her hair, I traced my finger along the curve of her neck. She moved ever so slightly, giving me room, and permission, to explore. I wanted to growl and take. Instead, I let my fingers glide along her collarbone. She shivered. How long until my lips could trace her skin? Not much longer. I almost grinned at the thought.
“You’re different,” I said, pulling myself back to our conversation. “Special. That rule doesn’t apply to you.”
She stiffened slightly. “Different?”
I used my fingers to sooth the skin over her other collarbone. After a few seconds, she softened again. She liked when I touched her. This time, I couldn’t completely stop my triumphant grin. She didn’t notice because her eyes had fluttered closed.
“There’s nothing wrong with being different. My mom’s different. Human like you.”
I scented her eager hope. She opened her eyes and considered me as I drew lazy patterns with my fingertips on the side of her neck.
“I’ll make you a deal. You tell me a little bit about your past, whatever you can trust me with, and I’ll tell you about my mom.”
Stilling my fingers, but not removing my touch, I waited.
“I think my mom was killed. My stepdad, too. If they catch us, they’ll hurt one of my brothers. Bad. To teach me a lesson.”
Anger surged at her words.
“Their safety kept me there, a willing prisoner, until I realized the boys were only useful while young. Their lives would end like my mother’s and their father’s as soon as they were no longer useful.”
Her pain and fear crushed my own feelings of rage. Pulling her into my arms, I held her close. No one would hurt her or her brothers ever again. My body was her shield, and my heart her home.
She leaned into me, taking what I offered.
“I have two big secrets. One will test the sincerity of what you just said, and the other will give you power over me.”
She fisted her hands against my shirt, her fear enveloping her.
“Then tell me the first one. Test me to see if I’m worthy of the second one,” I said, softly.
“I want to, but what if you’re wrong. You’ll hand me back over—”
“Never.” The word escaped with more anger than I’d intended. Didn’t she understand? I would never betray her. I couldn’t.
“Mine,” I said, tightening my hold.
She took a bracing breath. “Blake killed them. My mom and Richard.” She trembled. “He’s one of you.”
Her barely audible words fell like the sharp tip of a claw, cutting me open and leaving me in agony. I lurched out of her arms as the change took over. There was no stopping it. I fell to my paws. One of us had kept my Mate prisoner and hurt her brothers. Hurt her. Her unexpected questions about scenting and biting made sense now.
My shout of rage was one long howl. What had they done to her?
Winifred and Jim rushed in. Winifred moved to block me from Michelle’s sight as Jim picked her up and ran with her from the apartment.
“Control is essential to who we are,” Winifred started with real anger.
One of us, Winifred. Agony ripped at me, and I swore long and loud. I wanted to know who. I wanted a name, and I wanted to make her past disappear.
“What are you talking about?”
She was held prisoner by one of us.
Winifred eyed me with shock. “Are you sure?”
She is sure. Her fear… I yowled again.
“Emmitt, stop. Pull yourself together. If it was one of us, you’re giving her more reason to fear. You need to be calm. Rational. Not a wild beast. Now, shift back and tell me what she said.”
She waited as I pulled the shift in. Bones cracked and crunched as my spine condensed and my legs and arms elongated.
“You heard everything. She only whispered the last four words. ‘He’s one of you.’”
Winifred looked troubled. “She needs to tell us more.”
I ran a frustrated hand across the back of my neck. I’d just told her I’d be patient. Now, I’d need to press for more.
Winifred held the door for me as I walked out. Jim heard me on the steps and encouraged Michelle onto the porch since I’d ripped my clothes to shreds with my spontaneous shift. Winifred was probably picking up the pieces for me.
As soon as the way was clear, I jogged down the steps and grabbed some clean clothes from Jim’s place. Michelle was talking to Jim outside.
“You really didn’t know?” she said.
“Nope. That’s a bit of a shocker. It will take Nana some time to figure out who Blake is.”
“No!” Michelle’s panicked word was loud enough that even her brothers had probably heard it. I yanked on a pair of shorts, ready to go out and reassure her.
“No one will do anything without talking to you. I promise,” Jim said. Hopefully, Winifred would keep his promise.
Winifred walked into the apartment just then.
“We need to be careful. I don’t want her trying to run,” I said, pulling the shirt over my head.
“Of course. We both want to know who it is, but none of this makes sense. When we first discovered your mother and her compatibility, we made it a law that if any of our kind should come across another human potential Mate, they needed to immediately contact an Elder. That’s how we learned of Gabby. A wolf had come across her scent and reported it. As soon as Michelle was discovered, we should have known.”
That one of our kind broke a law was unheard of. A law was beyond just a compulsion to obey. There was no choice. We all obeyed the laws set by the Elders, just as the Elders held our interest above their own lives.
Jim’s voice drifted in to us.
“Emmitt’s talking to Nana now. I can hear some of what they are saying. We understand what’s at risk.”
Winifred remained quietly thoughtful for a moment.
“We can’t begin to question our men until we know more. This is bigger than we could have imagined,” Winifred said. “Come. You need to talk to her and see what more you can learn. And, Emmitt, we need to tell your parents. Soon.”
We walked out onto the porch. The boys looked nervous and not their happy selves. Guilt and shame had me sitting on the top step. I’d done that. Put that look on their little faces. My actions had scared already traumatized children. Right then I swore that I would never lose control around them again.
Winifred stepped off the porch and went to Michelle. The boys watched the pair, but Winifred kept her tone low so they wouldn’t hear.
“We need to know more to understand how to best protect you. Would you mind talking to Emmitt on the porch?”
Michelle nodded and slowly made her way to me. I remained seated and relaxed. When she stood before me, I reached out, gently taking her by the fingertips and tugging her to join me. When she sat, her scent was a confused mix of fear and interest.
I sighed.
“I apologize for losing control. It will never happen again.”
She turned to look at me.
“Did my secret change anything?”
“Not the way I feel. But it does change how we need to deal with Blake. Will you tell me more? How did he find you?”
“Remember when I told you Richard and my mom married and then things changed? Blake changed everything. I don’t know how Richard got involved with him, but one day, Richard brought Blake home. He spoke smoothly. Salesman-nice is what my mom called it. She didn’t like Blake.
“Looking back, I think that’s why she died after Aden was born. I think Blake knew she would be a problem. She would have tried to stop what he had planned. So, he killed her. With her gone and two little boys to worry about, Blake had Richard on strings, dancing to his commands. Suddenly, I wasn’t allowed to leave the house anymore. Disobedience wasn’t tolerated.” She looked out at her brothers. “I tried to run once. When they caught me, Blake slapped Liam. Hard. His handprint turned into a bruise that covered Liam’s little face from temple to jaw.”
I was beyond angry. My skin wanted to shift to fur. I closed my eyes and clenched my jaw, pulling the change back. Michelle’s worry grew, and I knew she was watching me.
“I promised not to lose control, and I won’t. However, I can’t help reacting,” I said. I met her gaze. “We don’t hit children. Ever.”
She nodded slowly, doubt clear on her face. No wonder she was so confused by us. I was telling one thing when she’d already been shown another.
“Please. Continue.”
She took a moment before she started again. “So I stayed and obeyed, and Blake had me by the same strings he had Richard. Every month Blake brought men to the house. He called it a business meeting, but the men never talked business. They never said anything. They just stared at me.”
I swallowed hard. He’d been forcing her into Introductions.
“Then, at the beginning of the summer, Blake became driven.” A far-off look glazed her eyes. “The dinner before I ran, Blake went crazy. He grabbed me by the throat, and his face started to change. Not all the way like you did. Only a little. His fangs scared me. While he held me, he told me I would allow all of the men to ‘scent’ me. He said I would bite and Claim one of them.”
A shudder ripped through me as I suddenly understood her mixed reactions. How could she ever trust us?
She reached over and touched my hand, trying to give me comfort. Instead, my heart broke even more for her.
“I held myself still as they approached me one by one, afraid they would change like Blake had. After the first one, I closed my eyes. When they finished, Blake told me to go to my room.
“The next morning Blake called. He told me that Richard was dead. I don’t doubt Blake killed him, and I think Richard had expected it because that morning there’d been an envelope shoved under my door. Important documents, cash, and a number for a lawyer were in it. Richard had written a note telling me to run. So, I hit David over the head and ran fast. I took my mom’s car, not knowing how to drive. I almost backed into the mailbox.” She met my gaze. “He won’t give up.”
“It doesn’t matter,” I said pulling her into my arms. I hugged her close and rested my chin on top her head, smoothing my hand over her head and down her back. She’d gone through so much, been so strong.
“You don’t have to worry about him anymore. By exposing our kind to you and using humans like he did, he broke our laws. He’ll pay for what he did.”
She pulled back to look at me.
“I don’t understand. How is what he did different from what you did? Not that you’ve used us. I mean, you showed me what you are.”
It would be best if I talked to her about our laws.
I sighed. “I’ll let Nana answer the questions about the rules and laws tomorrow. We’ve had enough excitement for one day.”
Michelle looked at Winifred, who was pushing Liam on the swing.
“Was she just talking to you?”
“Yes. She’s worried about you. Jim gave you too much to drink last night. She scolded us this morning. I proved what werewolves are capable of. She revealed more about Claiming and Mating than you’re comfortable with. Then we find out everything we’ve asked you to understand about us is on top of an exposure to our kind that’s left you distrustful and fearful. And, I burst into my fur in front of you. It’s a lot to take in before lunch.”
She nodded slowly and looked out at her brothers. They were back on the swings, letting Winifred and Jim push them. It was comfortable sitting next to her in companionable silence. I could picture us doing just this as we watched our own children play. A warm feeling spread in my chest at that thought.
When her fear abated, I went to spend some time with Liam, who was still casting glances in our direction. He watched my approach with wary hesitation.
“Why’d you change?” he asked when I reached him.
He was a smart kid.
“Trying to impress your sister. She didn’t seem to notice though.”
He shook his head. “She’s got a lot of other stuff to think about.”
“Yeah, she does. What about you?”
He glanced at his sister and shrugged. I hated seeing him so serious and quiet. Just like when they’d first arrived. Wanting him to know I was on his side, I told him the truth.
“She told me about Richard and Blake.” I set my hand on his little shoulder and squatted down so we were eye to eye. “I won’t ever let Blake or David near you again.”
He studied me for a minute then nodded.
“I like living here and playing outside. Want to run through the sprinkler?”
I grinned, pulled off my shirt, and tossed it to the side.
“Bet I can get to the other side before you.”
“Your legs are longer. You have to walk. I get to run.”
Clever kid.
We ran back and forth several times before Liam changed up the game. I had to do whatever he did. He ran to the sprinkler, jumping over it and turning a circle. I repeated the move, jumping higher and adding an extra turn. Aden squealed and started the same thing with Jim. They were pushing us, testing us. And enjoying the results.
I glanced at Michelle to see if she minded the display. Instead of looking mad or worried, she had a small smile curving her lips. When she saw me watching her, her eyes widened and she blushed scarlet.
Yes, her gaze had been directed in the general area of her brothers, but she hadn’t been watching them. Her reaction said she’d been watching me. And liking it. I grinned and started toward her.
“I’ll be right back, Liam,” I said as I passed the boy.
He stopped to stare at me. “Why? Where are you going?”
“Don’t worry, little man,” Jim said. “He’s just going to try flirting with your sister again.”
“What’s flirting?” Aden asked as Liam made a sound of disgust behind me.
“I know, bud. He still hasn’t learned it’s bros before—”
His abrupt silence let me know Winifred was probably scolding him. I ignored them and focused on Michelle, who was trying not to look at me.
I inhaled deeply as I neared the steps. Her interest in me was sweet and heavy. I leapt onto the porch, playing with her. She backed up, her flush spreading to her tempting neck.
“Do you have a phone with a data plan or a computer with internet?” she asked in a rush.
Her pleading eyes stopped me. Despite her obvious interest in me, she wasn’t yet ready to play stalk and chase. Too bad. It could have been fun.
I shook my head to answer her question just as Winifred stepped out with a tray of sandwiches.
“Emmitt, go get the boys. Michelle, will you fetch a hand towel?”
Michelle ran inside.
“Behave, Emmitt. No matter how she reacts to you, she isn’t ready.”
Deciding no response was the best response, I went to carry Liam on my shoulders.
We all ate on the porch. Jim was trying to steal Aden’s food while loudly recalling when they first arrived and were more willing to feed him. Aden and Liam giggled as they ate. Michelle nibbled at her sandwich quietly, still smelling of interest and driving me crazy.
When we finished, I went inside and changed into jeans and put on a shirt. Spending the afternoon with Michelle would tempt me too much. But maybe I could do something for her that would make her happy and win me some extra points.
Telling everyone I’d be back later, I got on my bike and headed into town. Technology wasn’t really a werewolf’s friend. As much as Mom preached that we needed to integrate to survive, most human gadgets were just annoying. Vehicles polluted the air with their noxious fumes. Electronics had continuous high frequency squeals and buzzes that humans couldn’t hear. Come to think of it, I couldn’t think of a gadget I really liked. The bike was great, but only because it allowed me to go fast without turning heads. And the wind in my face was pretty sweet, too. I’d rather run on my own four feet, though, if I could.
Still, Michelle’s question told me I hadn’t adapted enough. We needed electronics. Well, she did. And, someday, her brothers would too.
Those thoughts had me standing for three hours in a store filled with a cacophony of high squeals emitting from numerous displayed devices. While the sales clerk went on about each product’s merits, I shopped by ear.
I ended up with a handheld computer. The man called it a tablet. I’d considered getting us phones too, just in case Jim got any bright ideas again, but I’d already been gone longer than I’d intended.
By the time I’d left the city limits behind, the sun was kissing the tree tops. It’d be dark by the time I got home. Opening the throttle, I hoped I’d catch Michelle before she went to bed.
* * * *
The light from the third floor shown through the tree branches as I eased the bike down the driveway. She was sitting on her side of the porch, a welcoming sight. I pulled the bike into the garage, cut the engine, and grabbed the box from my saddle bag.
She lifted her hand in greeting when I stepped from the garage. Such a simple gesture, yet it set my heart racing. Inside, I ditched the box and paperwork at Jim’s before I sped up the steps. Her door was ajar, another sign of her growing comfort and trust.
She had the balcony doors open, probably so she’d hear her brothers, and had pulled the crappy office chair from the back bedroom out onto the porch. It couldn’t be very comfortable.
“Nice chair,” I said.
She set her book in her lap and glanced back at me with a cheeky grin.
“It’s my new office.”
“Then you might need this.” I handed her the tablet.
She reached for it in a stunned kind of silence. I hoped that was a good thing.
“The guy at the store said you should be able to surf the internet, even out here.”
She took it from my hands and hugged it.
“Thank you, Emmitt. I’ll try to pay you back.”
“Don’t worry about it. It’s a gift.”
I didn’t want payback; I wanted appreciation. A hug would work. More would be very welcome but probably wouldn’t happen.
She was staring at the device with an unreadable expression. Her scent wasn’t giving hints, either. I stepped out onto the porch and moved to lean against the wall. She glanced at me then up at the stars. I wondered what was on her mind.
“Pretty crazy day,” I said idly after a few minutes.
“Makes sitting in my office at night just that much better.”
I waited but she didn’t say more. Taking the hint, I pushed away from the wall.
“If you need to talk about anything, I’ll be here.”
I left her to her thoughts.
