Chapter 14
Bran happened to be on his porch, glaring at his phone when Clay crept by on foot. Bran froze, silencing his phone as the bastard continued down the sidewalk, toward Savon’s home.
The asshole had already been chased off her property once. And the dumbass couldn’t hear for shit, unlike most werewolves, but he’d lost a good portion of his hearing in World War II.
Killian often recruited battle hardened werewolves.
Bran moved silently as Clay ventured onto a path leading into the woods near Savon’s house. The fool never realized Bran was closing in.
Clay moved past the tree line and prowled across Savon’s yard. He reached the porch and took a step but was flung to the ground. She’d mentioned wards, but he’d never heard of anything so powerful.
Bran ran forward with a snarl. “What the fuck are you doing?”
Rolling to his feet, Clay shifted to half beast, tearing at his clothes as he crouched low.
Bran shifted too, prepared for battle.
Clay shot forward, whipping his claws out. Bran caught his arm and shoved him forward, face first to the ground. He rolled as Bran straddled his waist and gripped his throat in a furry clawed hand. “What do you want with Savon?”
“Going to kill you, then fuck Savon so hard she’s in pieces,” he snarled.
Bran punched his claws into Clay’s chest and ripped down his belly with a snarl. “Touch my sister and I’ll feed you to Canagan’s wolves.”
Clay rolled him to his back and raked his claws across his chest. Bran flung his arm away and rolled again, climbing on top to swing one fist after another at Clay’s face until bones broke and blood leaked from cuts.
Long after Clay stopped fighting and slipped out of consciousness, Bran sat back on his heels. He took in the damage and groaned.
Clay was a mess. One that needed to be put back together. And Nate was in Savon’s house. Bran could always identify the wolves in the pack. Even before he’d become a werewolf, thanks to his mother’s gifts.
Bran climbed to his feet, plotting out how to get the asshole into the secret cell in the precinct before he woke. The way things stood in the pack, he didn’t want to alarm the rest of the wolves.
* * * *
Savon lay in the circle of Nate’s arms under the willow tree. A smile graced her lips as she rolled over to find him still dressed, watching her with such patience. “You’re here.”
“Never left you for any longer than I had to. You call to me.”
“Can’t help it. Never got over you.” She snuggled closer, letting his warmth seep in. “We’re still in bed, huh?”
“Yeah, but this was our place. Yours and mine. Maybe why I bring you out here so often in our dreams. Hoping you’ll understand and give me a chance to talk.”
“Sorry. After everything I’ve learned, you’d think I could have figured out you were really there.” She snorted. “Never heard of a Dreamwalker, though.”
“There aren’t a lot of us. Apparently, my mother was.” He pressed his forehead to hers. “She told me to never let my father know I had the gift. I never understood why.”
“Maybe we can find that answer too.”
“Not sure I care.”
“I know you don’t want to hear this, but he may still be alive.”
He shook his head.
Savon sat up and faced him, so he did too. She took his hands. “Think about it. When someone challenges the Alpha and wins, they become Alpha. Jay won, your father supposedly died, yet Jay isn’t the Alpha. There can only be one explanation that makes any damned sense. He’s alive. Somewhere. And I have some friends who are trying to get me some answers. Which means, we may be closer to figuring out that part of our problem.”
“I want him to be dead. I’m not sure I can win against him, and I’m not willing to walk away again.”
“Shit, Nate, slow down, babe. I’m not ready for a mate bond. There are things we need to discuss first. You may not want what comes with it.”
“I’d have you, forever. What’s there to think about?”
She couldn’t help smiling. “I’m half Sylvan Fae. I have an affinity to nature and animals. When I concentrate, I can control them. And there are stories that if we become a wereanimal, or mate one, we can control the one we’re mated to. That if it’s an Alpha, I could control the pack. So, think about this.”
“You wouldn’t.” He shrugged. “I don’t see the problem.”
“There’s a lot about my life away from Silvertail Ridge you don’t know yet. You need to know it all before we go there. So, relax. I’m not saying never. I’m asking you to wait until you understand more about what I am.”
“If it’s that important to you, I’ll wait as long as you need. But you can’t change my mind. There has only ever been one thing I wanted. You, in my life.”
“You can’t tell me I’m the only woman you’ve ever been with. And if I am, well, I have to warn you, you were my first, but there have been others since.”
“Don’t care about them. And yes, I was with other women, trying to find a way to let you go because you told me a million times to. I couldn’t. I tried, but I couldn’t.”
“I don’t need to know who, or the circumstances, Nate. I haven’t imagined a future with you since I lost our baby.” She closed her eyes and breathed deep. “I’m sorry. If I had known you were really there, chasing after me, things would have been different.”
He pulled her closer, and she went. His breath fanned her ear. “Doesn’t matter. I should have come for you.”
“And I could have stopped running. Neither of us was right. We could have done things differently.”
“Then let’s make a promise to each other.”
“What’s that?” she whispered, leaning back to meet his gaze.
“Whatever comes up, we talk to each other. Here, there, wherever. Just don’t shut me out again.”
A short laugh escaped. “I’m not sure I could. The more I told them what happened between us, and what you said, the more I realized how fucking stupid I’ve been.”
He caressed her cheek with his thumb. “Hey, you didn’t know.”
“Don’t you dare blame yourself.”
A grin broke across his face and he pulled her closer for a tender kiss.
She pulled away, placing one hand on his chest. “Wait. I meant what I said. We need a long talk about everything before we go there. I want you to be sure that’s what you want after you understand everything I’ve learned.”
“Then wake up, and we can do this face to face.”
* * * *
The cell phone buzzed early that morning. Nate woke and quietly slipped from the bed and hurried downstairs where he answered. “Hey, what’s up, Bran?”
“You stayed the night at Sav’s.” Not a question.
“Yes, I held her. God, it felt good to have her in my arms again.”
“Mated to her or not, you hurt my sister, and I’ll beat your ass.”
“We’re not.” Nate rubbed at his face.
“Why not?” The words were drawn out.
“She’s worried her being a Sylvan Fae will somehow impact my decision. That and some of her history. We didn’t have sex. I told her I’d wait until she was ready.”
“So, she forgave you? Shit, I thought that might take longer unless you got her in the sack.”
“You’re an asshole, Bran. Look, can we discuss this later? She’s still asleep.”
“Sorry. We have a problem. Any chance you want to make breakfast? We can discuss it then.”
“Um…let me check her kitchen, make sure there’s food to cook.” Nate stepped into the kitchen and looked in the fridge.
Stocked, surprisingly. He’d assumed she wouldn’t have taken the time to go into town and shop.
“Give us an hour. I’ll have breakfast ready. Anyone coming?”
“Just me.”
“See you then.”
He moved back upstairs and found Savon sitting up, stretching her long body. His dick stood at attention, and he had to close his eyes and suck in air. Her scent hit him and he growled low in his throat.
Her light laugh snapped his eyes open. “Sorry, maybe you should run home for a shower. There’s no way I’m letting you in my bathroom with that while I’m naked.” She eyed his straining hard-on with a smirk. “As tempting as that is, I need time.”
“I’ll be back shortly.” He ducked out of the room and headed home.