Chapter 5
Nate watched her run away once again. Then a snarl pulled him out of the dream. He shot to all four feet and stepped onto the lawn.
Clay Weston in wolf-form. Same asshole who attempted to follow her the night before. Nate stalked forward, his lip curled.
Nate growled a warning. When Clay advanced, Nate lunged, catching Clay’s front leg in his jaws and biting down to tear muscle.
Asshole snapped his teeth at Nate, who moved to the side faster. He slammed his paw across Clay’s muzzle.
A whine escaped as Clay turned and bolted across the yard and into the forest.
Nate went back to the porch as he shifted back. He yanked on his clothes and slammed his feet into his shoes, then ran for Bran’s house around the corner.
He pounded on the door and kept going until feet thundered down the hall.
The door was thrown open. Bran growled, “Why the fuck are you waking me up an hour before I have to be over there? And why the fuck are you wearing last night’s clothes?”
“Slept on her porch in wolf form.” Nate pushed him back and stepped into his home. “Guess who I chased off Savon’s property a few minutes ago.”
“Jay’s not that damned stupid,” Bran pointed out.
“Don’t know about that. He touched Savon in the bar,” Nate snapped. “But no, it wasn’t him.”
Bran’s brow pinched. “Who was in the back yard?”
“Clay Weston. Bastard was stalking around her place like he was scoping out the home.”
“What the hell do you think someone will do?” Bran demanded.
“Fuck if I know, but Jay is chasing her. And I’m sure he’ll try to get in my way.”
Bran snorted. “How do you know he’s not just hot for her body?”
“Oh, I’m sure that’s part of it. Your sister has always been beautiful. And now, shit…if I do anything stupid, you’re going to have to put me in my place.”
Bran took a step forward. “You bet your ass I will. Now, what do you think Jay is up to?”
“He wants the Alpha role. We need to figure out why the hell he didn’t take it, find a way to replace the Alpha.”
Shaking his head, Bran put his hands up. “You need to step up. And don’t argue. You’re a hell of a lot smarter than the rest of us, and you could lead us. We need someone who cares about the town and the people in it. Jay’s a fucking bastard. He doesn’t give a shit about what happens to anyone, except himself.”
“I came back with every intention of killing my father. Jay got there first. And since I never wanted to be a wolf in the first damned place, I was happy to let Jay have the role. I don’t want to be the same raging asshole my father was, and force wolves into submission, shoving my will down their throats.” He pushed his fingers through his hair. “I don’t want to be the dictator he was.”
“Then don’t be. Just because he was a bastard doesn’t mean you need to lead the same way. The wolves will respect you. Maybe not all of them immediately, but they can learn. Trust me, Nate, you’re the best man for the job.”
Nate walked away. “All I ever wanted was to be the man Savon loves.”
Bran let out a huff and dropped into the seat. “You realize there was a reason your father hated her. Why he hated my mother.”
Nate’s head twisted as he winced. “Yeah, because she’s Sylvan, and when your mother walked away from him, he decided he hated all of them.”
“Except me,” Bran muttered. Nate’s father was Bran’s. Savon and Bran shared a mother, but not a father. And when some bastard shot Bran to get out of town, Killian changed him, refusing to lose another son.
“At least he saved you,” Nate offered. Bran hadn’t learned about Nate being his half-brother until after he healed the bullet wound that should have killed him. Then he went to Nate to get some clarity.
“He saved you too,” Bran pointed out.
“Fuck that. He ruined what I had with Savon. He broke her heart. And I still don’t know how to mend the shattered pieces.”
“Show her the man you’ve become.”
“She doesn’t want to let me in.”
Bran slammed his hand on the table. “Show her anyway.”
“And if she doesn’t want that anymore?”
“Think you’d be surprised. Especially if you take Jay down before he has a chance to hurt her. Sooner or later, she’ll remember why she fell in love with you. Right now, she’s running scared. And I know there’s more to why, but she’s never told me.”
“What if she just hates me?”
“Shit, she may think she hates you, but I know she doesn’t. Now, go home, shower. I’ll meet you at your house before we go to hers to help with the movers.”
“Good plan.”
* * * *
Downstairs in a pair of sweats, a tank top, and her comfiest sweater, Savon sipped on her coffee. Other than her best paints and brushes, she brought her coffee maker, her favorite toys, and some clothes. The rest was in the mover’s truck.
A knock echoed.
Frowning, she crossed the living room and opened the door a crack. Bran’s smiling face greeted her. “Figured you could use a few strong men.” He shoved the door open and walked in, followed by Nate, Chris, and Joe.
All of Bran’s buddies.
Joe enveloped her in a hug. “Hey, Frannie says she’s sorry she didn’t get a chance to talk to you last night. She blames these two knobs-for-brains.”
Savon gave him a tight smile. “I wasn’t expecting Nate. A warning might have been nice.” She shot Bran a glare. “I could have avoided the whole scene.”
“You mean he hasn’t talked to you yet?” Chris asked.
Savon’s brow arched as she turned his way. “About what?”
“Never mind that,” Bran stated. “You two need some privacy for that discussion.”
She wanted to slap her brother, then shake the answers out of Chris. Though, Nate did tuck her in, which was sweet. Maybe listening to what he had to say would give her some closure and make it possible to shut him out completely.
“Man, you look good, Sav.” Joe winked and brought a basket to the counter. “We all missed you.”
She couldn’t be mad. It was too easy to fall into old times. Laughing, she teased, “I’m sure you missed having someone to pick on.”
Only real difference besides their age, all four of them were werewolves now. That shouldn’t have come as a surprise. More than two hundred werewolves lived in Silvertail Ridge.
“Hey, we brought breakfast,” Chris said, lifting a picnic basket. The aroma of bacon and sausage wafted from within. “Frannie’s famous breakfast burritos.”
“You guys didn’t need to do this,” Savon offered, though she smiled at the gesture.
Bran shrugged. “No, but I needed to make up for my idiotic move last night. And all of us wanted to give you a hand. Nate especially.”
Nodding, she took plates and mugs down. “Movers should be here in an hour. Give or take. Get some coffee, catch me up on everything.”
Nate closed the distance, stopping inches behind her. She looked back, their gazes locked. Her heart stopped.
His voice was so low she almost didn’t hear. “Sav, can we talk once everyone leaves?”
The blues of sadness and regret sweeping through his aura broke her down. “Yeah, for a few.”
His head dipped slowly, silently pleading for more.
She couldn’t give him promises. The profound sadness in the warm chocolate depths threatened to wash away every last one of her defenses.
Bran nudged her shoulder. “Eat up. Frannie made your favorite.”
“I’m amazed she remembers,” Savon answered, turning back to the rest of the guys.
She hopped onto the counter and took the burrito handed to her. They filled her in on their old friends and acquaintances without delving into werewolf stuff or magic anything. Still a secretive bunch.
Or maybe she needed to pay more attention. One problem. Her mind kept drifting back to the dream. To all the dreams. Something she couldn’t quite reach, but knew she needed to.
Savon finished her burrito in time for the doorbell to chime. She hopped off the counter, placed her plate in the sink, and walked to the door.
Three movers stood on the porch. Four men walked up the path.
Jay’s lips curved into a predatory smile. “Good morning, gorgeous. We thought we could lend a hand.”
“Sure, the more the merrier.” Savon didn’t look back. The tension in the room climbed as shades of orange of distrust and deep crimson of anger floated back and forth.
Did they all hate Jay?
Bran huffed. “We have it covered.”
Brad, the old quarterback who used to make fun of her nonstop gave her a sheepish smile. “We all want to welcome Savon back. We were assholes back in school. Now we want to show her how much we’ve changed.”
“Good luck with that,” Joe muttered.
The first mover offered a smile. “Can we get this going? It’s a long drive back.”
“Sure,” Savon answered, moving inside to let everyone in.
Another of the jocks, Tommy, smiled. “Tell us what you need done and it will be.”
“That so?” Savon challenged with a smirk.
John nodded. “We’ll take any order with a smile.”
She had to see it to believe it.
* * * *
Nate and Bran were outside. Jay took a chance, caught Savon’s arm, and pulled her into a room filled with boxes.
Her head tipped as she turned to face him. Her lips curled in a smile. “What?”
He stepped closer, dipping his head to take in her toned body, those perky breasts, the flare of her hips. The tank top and low-slung sweats were sexy. She’d removed the sweater early on.
Jay brought his gaze back to hers. “Come to the bar tonight.”
“Told you I’d be there. Just don’t expect too much from me. I’ll admit, you’re tempting, but I’m not jumping into anything.”
“No rush, Savon. I’ll enjoy getting to know you until you decide you are ready.” And he realized something. He meant that to the bottom of his soul.
She knew her mind and wouldn’t ever be a pushover. She had fire and attitude. And still, something about her lulled his wolf, called to something deep within. He needed to explore what simmered between them.
One corner of her mouth quirked. “I’ll be there.”
Feet thundered up the stairs, and Savon slipped out the door before Jay could say anything else.
Shaking his head, he waited in silence a moment before leaving the room. Nate shot him a glare, and Jay smirked.
Savon barely glanced Nate’s way all day.
* * * *
Finally done. Everything had been moved from the truck, to the house, and everything was placed in the right rooms.
“That’s it,” Savon announced. “You all can go. I have some work to do.”
“We could help,” Jay offered.
Bran snorted but held his tongue.
“This part I need to do on my own. I want to put my own touches on the house. Which means I need some privacy.”
Grinning, Jay dipped his head and started for the door. “Come on, guys, let’s give the lady some space.”
She held back the shiver that wanted to sneak up with his sexy Aussie accent. “I’m sure I’ll see you all later.”
Violets and reds spiraled through Jay’s aura with his nod, his eyes trailing over her. “Tonight.”
They left, without argument, leaving Bran’s buddies.
Joe pulled her into a hug. “You be careful around them.” He ducked outside.
Savon sighed.
Chris clapped her on the shoulder. “I hope you’ll join us for the barbecue this weekend.”
“We’ll see.” It would all depend on how comfortable she felt around the guys by then. Nate made things iffy. He had her so wound up she wanted to scream.
Jay didn’t help the situation. He knew what Nate wanted and spent the day pushing his buttons.
Bran pulled her into a bear hug, lifting her off her feet. “Catch you later, little sis.” He dodged out the door.
Savon turned and found Nate inches from her.
His voice felt like an invitation as his words came out in a purr, “Can we talk?”
The air vibrated between them. Savon tried to push away the desire to lean toward him. She failed. Searching his eyes, she asked, “About what?”
One brow cocked. “You’re not hungover?”
A laugh bubbled up. “Nah, thanks for taking care of me.” She wouldn’t mention the fact that a little magic and coffee went a long way to relieving the headache.
His knuckles trailed down her forearm, but he dropped his hand when he got to hers. “How do I make up for the hell I put you through?”
Sighing, she walked away. Old emotions threatened to crush her. “You have no idea what I went through, but I’ve moved on. So, if you think we can pick up where we left off, you’re wrong.”
The heat of his body drew closer and she turned back, only to fall into those deep molten brown pools. “Sav, I don’t expect to pick up where we left off. Doesn’t change the fact there’s still something powerful between us. Last night I wasn’t thinking, I responded, and I’m sorry I pushed too far. I never want to hurt you again. But I can’t deny the magnetism between us. I never could.”
She half-laughed. “We’re different people, Nate. There may be chemistry, but who’s to say it’s not dangerous?”
“Can’t we find out?”
She lifted her hand and backed away, shrinking down on herself. “Shit, I don’t know. You weren’t supposed to be here. I never would have moved back if I’d known.”
“Hate me that much?” he whispered, inching closer.
“Yes, damn it, Nate. You proposed to me, then disappeared off the face of the Earth for two months. We were just kids. I’ve grown up, moved on. I’m not that girl anymore.”
“I’m not that boy.”
Squaring her shoulders, she stared back. “What do you want me to say? I’m done with that stage of my life. I don’t want to rehash the past. I’m moving forward.”
“Sav, I never wanted to leave you. I got in my car, drove out to pick up your ring, and on my way home, someone in a truck ran me off the road. I’m lucky to be alive. I was in a coma for two months and I’m sure my asshole father did everything in his power to drive you away. And if he hadn’t sworn he would destroy you if I came for you, I would have been on your doorstep as soon as I got out of that damned bed.”
“You didn’t even try, Nate. Bran said you couldn’t come, so I shut that door, locked it, and boarded it over. I can’t go back.”
“After Bran learned the story, he tried to tell you why. Every time he mentioned my name you would scream at him until he gave up. Shit, I wanted you to know why I couldn’t come to you, but I couldn’t risk your life. My father would have killed you while I watched if I contacted you. Not to mention my father damn near turned me into a monster. I was so angry he changed me it took me a long damned time to learn to control my beast. I didn’t want to be a werewolf. I did everything in my power to protect you, and that meant not calling, not coming, not writing. I’m so sorry I hurt you, Savon.”
Her heart threatened to shatter. Rubbing at her brow, she paced away as colors seeped through her vision. Pain, his, hers…she didn’t want to see their auras. She wanted to remain numb.
Pulling on her bravado, she turned back. “That’s why it needs to stay in the past. It’s too late to fix what we had.”
He nodded, moving closer. “That doesn’t mean we can’t start at the beginning and build something better.”
Shaking her head, Savon paced away.
“Look, I get it. We aren’t together, but we were best friends for years. Can’t we start at friends? I miss talking with you until late into the night and early into the morning. I miss being with you, just hanging out. Even if we never get back to where we were, I want you in my life.”
She stopped at the window and stared outside. He kept chipping at her walls. If she was being honest, she wanted him to tear them down, but she didn’t trust her emotions.
“We’ll see. But don’t expect anything more.”
His presence loomed closer and she turned, looking up into his eyes. “Give me a chance to earn your trust, Savon. That’s all I ask.”
“A chance.”
One corner of his mouth tipped up. “Want help unpacking?”
She laughed. “No. I have that covered. I need to make the place mine, and that’s something I need to do on my own.”
He dipped his head and placed his card on the counter. “If you need a hand, let me know. Even if it’s just for the heavy lifting.”
“All right. And thank you for tucking me in last night, for the pills and water.” She dropped her eyes, trying to push away the hope seeping in. She didn’t want to break all over again.
“My pleasure, Sav.” He ducked out the door with one final smile.
She watched him go, hating herself for wishing he’d wrapped her in his arms.