Five

Blister was pulled from the best sleep he’d had in weeks by a sound that raised the fine hairs on the back of his neck. His wolf went on alert. He couldn’t say what the noise was or even if it was real. It could have been the wind outside or even something he’d dreamed, but his instincts told him things in his house were off.

Annie lay in his arms, asleep and oblivious to whatever had woken him. She slept heavier now that her body needed extra energy to support her pregnancy. He moved his hand to her bulging belly and felt the tiny wiggle of his young.

A crash from downstairs lit up his insides all red alert, red alert. Someone was in his house. In his fucking house, near his pregnant mate. Near his growing baby.

Protect them. Keep family safe. His wolf growled softly in his throat, already strategizing the best way to eliminate the threat.

Careful not to jostle Annie, he slid his arm out from under her and stood. He closed his eyes letting his wolf focus on the details he couldn’t pick up on his own. There was heavy breathing and the faint rapid heartbeat that didn’t belong. Footsteps, perhaps boots, one set. He breathed deep, scenting for any minute change in the air. Something to give him a hint as to what he was up against.

Not that it much fucking mattered. The invader was probably going to die by wolf.

Inching toward the stairs, Blister let his wolf come forward some. He could see easily in the dark and he peered down over the banister. A large figure was bent toward the ground muttering under his breath. Seeing the bastard right here in Blister’s domain, in his and Annie’s safe haven, made him blind with rage.

Kill, his wolf seethed. Protect mine.

He skipped the stairs, and in a quick move, he leapt over the rail, landing heavily on his feet. The intruder’s head snapped around to land on Blister’s naked form. His eyes went wide in surprise before narrowing to slits.

“What the fuck are you doing in my house?” But he didn’t wait for the stranger’s answer. He stalked forward, swinging at the man with his closed fist.

But he ducked just in time, and only his hair was grazed by Blister’s punch. Rearing back for another, the next one made contact, right in the center of the intruder’s stomach. This was no lightweight though. This man was muscular and thick. Not as rangy as Blister. It felt like punching a fucking brick wall.

He was human though, and no match for the animal that lived inside Blister. The one who’d die before any harm came to his mate or young.

This asshole human had picked the wrong damn house.

The stranger delivered a kick to Blister’s side like he was straight outta the fucking UFC. But it only riled his animal more. Wolf wanted to toy with the fool now, see what the human could do. And before he could decide exactly how to go about it, the man rammed him with all the weight of his body. The impact was like being hit with a Cadillac, but he held his ground. Then the bastard set to pummeling Blister’s face.

As if that would even slow him down.

Fat chance, fucker.

Blister’s ferocious growl ripped through the darkness of the living room. It was the only warning before his wolf roared forth, powerful and snarling.

By all accounts this should have ended the fight. The asshole should’ve taken one look at the man-turned-wolf and tucked tail and ran. At which point, Blister would have chased him down and threatened him to within an inch of his useless, retched life that if he ever saw him in Cedar Valley again, he’d end him hard and fast.

But that wasn’t how things went at all.

The stranger’s eyes went wide, and he took on a whole new countenance. One of determination. His shoulders straightened and his jaw pulled tight. And the wolf in Blister recognized the hot flash of anger in his eyes. It was as if Blister had encroached on his territory instead of the other way around.

So quick, Blister barely followed him with his gaze, the man reached in his pocket and came out with a switchblade, circling the wolf menacingly.

“You bastard,” he grit out. “I will kill you just like I did the others. I’m not the inferior one.”

Then he lunged forward, knife swiping for Blister’s throat.

Mother. Fuck.

Wolf darted out of the way, looking for an opening. The second he had an inch, the guy would be under him, regretting the day he was ever born.

Blister snarled, snapping at the man’s wrist. One click of his fangy jaws and the knife would be obsolete.

The two of them circled each other, taking turns testing the other. The stranger had skills. He seemed to know exactly what move Blister would make and then counter it. If he bit, the man jerked back in just enough time to escape his razor teeth. If he lunged for him, the man circled and ducked. He was stealthy, moving with the grace of a patient and skilled fighter. He was no ordinary thief, and that gave Blister chills of foreboding.

Dangerous. This man was dangerous. There’d be no chasing him away with threats. Whatever he was here for, a warning wasn’t going to deter him. He’d have to die.

And Blister could see the way.

He inched closer, his shoulders bunching with what he was about to do. Take a hit to get nearer to his target. It was a tactic Drake had taught him on the racetrack. A little bump for a little jump. It worked on the dirt, it’d work here.

As expected, the stranger took the bait. As soon as Blister was within arm’s reach, the man darted forward with a quick flick of his wrist. The knife went through the thick fur on Blister’s shoulder like soft butter. So clean, he almost didn’t feel it. And he’d endured much worse so the wound didn’t handicap him like it should have.

The tangy metal scent of blood hung thick in the air, but Blister didn’t waste a second worrying about it.

Rearing back, he jumped so his massive front paws hit squarely on the big guy’s shoulders. And the weight of Blister’s wolf was too much. He tackled him to the floor, his back hitting the polished hard wood with a thunderous boom.

The knife clattered on the boards and skittered away out of reach, but the man wasn’t lying down easy. Tucking his long leg over Blister’s hip, he yanked his lower half to the side, throwing him off balance. Rearing up, he smashed his head into Blister’s snout.

Enough. Fucking enough already.

Before he had a chance to do anymore damage, Blister clamped his jaws over the man’s thick throat.

Finally, he stilled. But Blister could taste the sweat on his skin, the defeat and desperation. The frantic heartbeat moving his vein, with every thump potentially the last.

Blister was shaking with rage, his teeth already piercing the human’s skin.

Must kill. Dangerous. Protect family.

The living room lights kicked on temporarily blinding him, and then Annie’s scream. Shit. Were there more intruders? Why hadn’t he scouted the area first before engaging this bastard?

He’d rip a hole in this one’s throat and then take care of the others. Mate would be okay. Mate would be safe.

Make mate safe now.

The intruder’s constricted throat eked out a strangled, “Annie,” and Blister saw red.

He knows mate’s name. Kill him before he gets her.

“Blister! God, Blister wait. Don’t. Don’t hurt him, please.”

His mate’s desperate, tear-filled voice was enough to keep him from biting down harder. But barely.

Growling, he looked for her, never taking his mouth from the stranger’s throat. She stood several feet away. Far enough to be safe from the intruder. Her hands were splayed in front of her, and her robe had been hastily thrown on. It was gaping at the top where she’d bunched it up to fit around her protruding belly. Her forehead was creased in worry, and tears streaked her round cheeks.

“Baby, listen to me. This is my brother. This is Aaron.”

Aaron. Mate’s brother.

Blister stared at her, letting the information sink in. This was not a dangerous intruder. This was Annie’s brother who’d been gone from Cedar Valley for so many years. But his wolf could hardly reconcile the beloved Aaron with the man who’d just skillfully fought him and threatened to kill him. The man felt dangerous.

“Blister, please. Calm down and I’ll explain. Let him go,” Annie pleaded.

Mate’s brother.

With a snarl, he released Aaron’s neck and leaped over to Annie. She reached a shaking hand out to him, and he nudged it with his nose, feeling her panic at seeing her brother under his teeth. A strangled whimper escaped him. Sorry for scaring you, mate. I thought there was danger.

She pulled him closer, until he could nuzzle her belly. Quickly, he shifted, letting his wolf fall away so they could talk.

“Damn it, Annie,” he breathed, shuddering at the close call. If she’d been one second later he might’ve killed her brother. The thought of how devastated she’d have been, how hurt. Goddamn it, he’d almost hurt his mate badly, and all because her dickhead brother had decided to sneak into their house unannounced.

Excess adrenaline coursed through his body leaving his stomach cramping at the disaster they’d narrowly averted.

“I’m sorry. I was trying to tell you earlier that he was coming home, but then we… got distracted.”

Pregnant brain, she called it, this forgetfulness that plagued her recently. Damn inconvenient it was. But who would’ve thought it could be potentially deadly?

He yanked her close, still reeling from what he’d almost done. Fuck. Really, really fuck.

Pressing his head to hers, he murmured, “I’m so fucking sorry. I didn’t know.”

Aaron scrambled to his feet, and Blister got a better look at him in the light. He should have recognized the guy. Maybe if he hadn’t been dragged from sleep and so damn sure he was a threat he would’ve noticed the burly man had pale hair like Annie’s, but only a little sandier. Or that his eyes were an identical color of blue. Or—

Annie pushed away from him and rounded on her brother. “What the hell are you doing sneaking in here in the middle of the night? You almost got yourself killed.”

Aaron scowled. “Nice to see you too, sis. And last time I checked, this house belonged to me too.”

Annie crossed her arms over her belly and arched an angry eyebrow. “The last time you checked was nine years ago. So.”

His scathing glare went to Blister, and starting at his face, he looked him over in disgust.

Shit. It’d been a long time since someone had made him feel that low with a simple look. He hated that it happened to be Annie’s brother. But hell if he’d cower under another judgmental gaze. He’d stopped that when his mate came along and busted through his physical insecurities. If the most beautiful fucking female he’d ever laid eyes on didn’t think he was repulsive, then why would he trust the haughty once over of a man who’d walked out of her life so many years ago?

Blister straightened his spine to stand taller, even though he was buck-ass naked.

“I told you I was coming home.”

“Yes, Aaron. You did. But that’s all you said. No when, where, or how. And also, no way for me to reach you to let you know, hey, I’m married now, with a baby on the way, so maybe don’t sneak in like a phantom and scare my mate into a murderous rage.”

“Mate,” he scoffed, his narrowed gaze scouring Blister once again. “Bullshit. He’s a fucking monster.” Annie’s brother shook with rage. Hatred, like Blister hadn’t felt in all his life.

“He is not! You don’t even know him.”

“He’s a changer.”

“A what?”

“A changer. Part human, part… abomination,” he spat.

“A shifter,” Annie clarified. “Part human, part animal. He’s not an abomination, but I’m starting to think you might be.”

Blister loved his woman for defending him, but he also hated that she had to. It was something he’d been worried about in the beginning of their relationship, that she’d find herself defending her love for the monster to anyone who learned about them. He’d thought they were past that hurdle.

Annie sighed heavily, squeezing the bridge of her nose. “Look, why don’t I just make some coffee and Blister can get some uh, pants and we can talk about all this.”

She turned to him, her eyes pleading. For what, he wasn’t sure. But he was raw on the inside. Guilt-ridden over almost harming her brother, and battling the shame that his scornful opinion brought.

“No,” Aaron snarled. “You make him leave first. I’ll talk to you, not him.”

Blister stared at his mate, feeling her brother’s words lashing her through their bond. Shit. He was hurting her, and it was probably because of what Blister had done. It burned his ass to tell this man sorry. Sorry for protecting my family and home. Sorry for assuming you were an intruder because you literally slunk inside like a weasel in the dark. Sorry, you asshole, for almost ripping your throat out, and sorry that part of me still wants to do it.

Yeah, the mere idea was sour. But if it would help smooth things over for Annie…

“Listen, I apologize for attacking you.” Blister forced the words from his mouth. “I thought my woman and young were in danger. I’d do anything to protect them.” Surely this human could understand something as basic as protective instinct.

Annie frowned so hard her forehead wrinkled. “He’s not going anywhere,” she said, ignoring Blister’s awkward explanation. “This is his home. In fact, maybe you should find somewhere else to stay tonight. Maybe in the light of morning you’ll be a little less hard to talk to.”

“Naw,” Aaron scoffed. “This isn’t something a good sleep will change, Annie. I have zero tolerance for changers. But you’re right. Maybe I should go for now. At least until I figure out how to fix this mess you’ve made,” he sneered, gesturing to her baby bump.

Blister let off a growl. It couldn’t be helped. The man had two-ton balls to say shit like that right now.

Annie’s hands curved protectively around her belly, and Blister could feel waves of anger and sadness rolling off her.

“You bastard. How dare you talk to me like that? I haven’t made a mistake. I’ve made a life. A beautiful life that I love. One that you chose not to be a part of. So, you know what? If you can’t come in here and play nice and at least get to know my life before you put it down, then… then…” She jutted her chin and even with her lower lip trembling she looked so damn strong. “Then you aren’t welcome here anymore.”

For the first time, Aaron lost his hostile expression. All shields down, and Blister got a look at what was toiling inside. It was a war torn city that had been laid to waste. The buildings and structures that made Annie’s brother who he was, were crumbling, half standing, bricks and foundations fractured. The streets were desolate, empty cars strewn about haphazardly. And chaos abounded. Though it was figurative, it was a clear picture for Blister. He knew a mind like that one. He could imagine Aaron wandering the streets, staring at the desolation and wondering how it had all gotten this far. And wondering if there’d ever be a way to rebuild.

Blister knew, because this was him before he met Annie.

While the man in him wanted to beat his chest and chase the mean man away from his mate, the part of Blister that Annie had fallen in love with wanted to tell Aaron yes, it was possible to rebuild. Yes, it was possible to heal. And although the fractured parts might never be scarless, they could be useful again.

“I’m going,” he said, awkwardly. As if he couldn’t decide if he was mad or hurt. Movements jerky, he grabbed an oversized duffle from the floor and yanked the front door open. “We’ll talk tomorrow,” he threw over his shoulder, and then cut Blister a hateful look.

As they watched Annie’s brother walk out the door, Blister felt even more uncertain about the future.