CHAPTER TWELVE
Kingston
The pain and fear swirling in her blue eyes gut me like a fucking fish. I reach for Ruby, but she shrinks away.
She moves her head from side to side. “I don’t understand.” She steps backwards.
“You have to listen to me. I know I should have told you already. It wasn’t supposed to happen this soon and definitely not like this.”
“Are you a killer?”
The question comes off more as an accusation and it burns deep in my belly. Her tone. I roll my stiff neck and count random numbers to calm my beast, but it doesn’t work. I’m not anchored. I have nothing specific to count and the numbers begin to mesh with the intense thumping in my skull. So, I focus on my pulse, which only makes my blood pump faster. I tell myself it’s not her fault. She doesn’t know. But the anger builds, poking and prodding my animal.
“I only kill when I’m left with no choice.”
The hard lines on her face fade, falling into a blank expression. I sigh and try to release the tension from my haggard body.
“There’s things out here in the swamp you need protecting from. Things out here aren’t safe. There’s always a war going on. Listen to me, Ruby, the bayou is full of predators. Things without a conscience. And you have to know, when I said you don’t matter to me, it’s because I was trying to keep you safe.”
“So, you would have killed those men?”
“Only if they had forced my hand.”
Her little body is stiff, and she wraps her arms around her flat abdomen.
“I know you think I’m bat shit crazy, but I promise you two things. Number one, I’ll never lie to you and number two, I’ll never hurt you. Or allow you to be hurt. Not as long as I’m breathing.” I dip my head to gaze into her eyes. “I need you to trust me. Do you believe me?”
It feels like an eternity passes as I stare into those big pools of crystal. I hate that she thinks I’m evil, even worse than that douchebag she ran away from. She looks betrayed and confused, but air floods my lungs when she bobs her head. It’s only one nod, more like someone is pulling her puppet strings, but I’ll take it.
“You’ll give me a chance? You’ll listen?”
No words, just one more nod. The double confirmation is all I need to give me the courage which is not something I’m usually short on, but this girl has me fucking spinning. “Those guys weren’t actually men. Well, not just men. They’re shifters.”
“Like you?”
Questions are good!
“Not exactly. Well, the shifter part, yes. But they’re wolves. A whole goddamn pack of them.”
Ruby’s forehead creases. All the blood drains from her pale face, leaving her looking ashen and sick. Her neck moves as she winces and struggles to swallow despite her emotions. She’s resisting. I’m losing her.
“Wolves? And you’re a bear?”
“Yes.”
“And they’re the same wolves from the other night? When Ellie Mae broke down?”
I jerk my chin in response.
“You saved me that night. I remember. I remember their eyes and teeth. They wanted to kill me.” She shoots her gaze to meet mine. “Shit! That’s why they were here. They’re still trying to kill me.”
She’s stringing it all together and I pull air in through my flared nostrils. “That’s right. And they don’t back off without a fight.”
She renders me frozen when she reaches out and skims her soft fingers across my injured chest.
My lips slip into a smile. “I’m a fast healer.”
“Until next time,” she utters.
“That’s true. And the time after that. I’ll never stop fighting. No so long as you’re in the picture.”
“But why? What did I do to them?”
I chuckle at the thought. “You did nothing. You’re perfect. It’s a long history, but it boils down to this. A little over four years ago, I hooked up with a girl. I liked her well enough. We had a good time together. Problem was, she was a Gresseau. Ayden’s cousin and Bryce’s sister. That made her part of the Laissard pack, but it didn’t matter. We were having fun. Well, Wyatt had a girlfriend about the same time. More than a girlfriend, I suppose. He and Lilly were planning their wedding. She was a real sweet girl. It was getting close to the big day, so the four of us decided to blow off a little steam. We went down to the Lazy Lizard and were pretty deep into shots when the pack showed up. Kate and I were playing pool and little brother was sweeping up on the dance floor with his fiancé. The boys arrived, and they were already liquored up. Somehow, they found out about me and Kate and started shit right outta the gate. Kate was real good at holding her own, but not Lilly.”
Ruby has slid down the wall and landed on her ass with her knees pulled tightly to her chest. She’s hanging on every word. “She wasn’t an animal? Or shifter whatever?”
“No, she was, but not a bear. Not even a wolf. She was a whitetail and deer are typically loners in these parts. I know it sounds insane, but she and Wyatt were a perfect match. She was sweet and kind. She really anchored the hot head. Wyatt’s always been wild and angry. Lilly was a nice change of pace. Hell, he was damn near giddy, but Ayden wasn’t having it. When Bryce found out about me and Kate, they turned the entire bar upside down. The Lazy Lizard is a shifter hangout. It’s the one place where everyone knows, and nobody cares. But that doesn’t mean they don’t pick a side from time to time. So, this night, when the pack couldn’t antagonize me, and Kate refused to leave with them, they went after Lilly. She didn’t play along and begged Wyatt to leave, but he wasn’t about to let it go that easy.”
I drop my head into my hands and my strong voice trails off. The heat from Ruby’s hand on my bare shoulder sends electricity skyrocketing through my insides. She gives me the motivation to continue.
“Everything else is kind of a blur.” I squeeze my eyes shut, rubbing them with my thumb and index finger. “Kate was a lot like me. She saw what was coming and prepared for battle. Even Wyatt couldn’t contain his animal, no matter how hard he tried for Lilly. But when it didn’t go their way, the pack took their shot. They Changed and that was it. They spotted the weakness and zoned in.”
“Lilly…”
I couldn’t bring myself to say the words. “It was fucking bloody. They taunted her, teasing Wyatt. He was ruthless that night. He ripped the throats outta two of ‘em. The two who killed Lilly never stood a chance. I took out three. Cut the Laissard pack in half, but not before losing Lilly.”
“And Kate?”
Hearing Ruby speak the name from my past does something weird to me. My worlds are colliding. “They took her that night and I haven’t seen or heard from her since. I don’t know if she’s dead or alive.”
“So that’s what he meant when he said you owe him?”
“Yeah, and if he thinks you’re someone important, he’ll try it again.”
“They were going to kill me out of revenge.”
My breathing instantly changes when I play it over again in my head. Ayden made a promise a long time ago to take what’s most important to me. That’s why I never came to love anything – or anyone – again. “You know I won’t let that happen, right? You have to remember the promises I made to you. You have to believe me when I say I won’t lie to you or allow you to be hurt. Ever.”
I don’t know why, but she nods, and I believe her.
She presses her cheek against my bicep and I just want to sit here like this forever. “I do trust you. I remember that first night. When they tried to attack me. I remember the bear. I remember you. You saved me.”
“And I’ll always put you first. I’ll always put myself between you and harm’s way.”
“Always?”
I tip her chin and eye her pink lips that are begging for my attention. I brush my mouth across hers before speaking.
“Always.”