by Gwen Knight
There was a flash of something behind her eyes, a dark emotion that Wyatt read as easily as he did a book. “But he blames me.”
Her gaze flitted away. “He said that as an alpha, it’s your responsibility to put a stop to this.”
Though the insult burned, Wyatt didn’t disagree. The old man was right about something, at least. And it was something that he was trying to make right. “Anything else, other than insulting my competence?”
“Unfortunately, no. All his wolves are accounted for. Which means none of them have been off murdering or blinding women in Colorado.”
Cursing, Wyatt leaned back on his haunches and gazed out the window. Well, their best lead had fizzled. And yet, it’d made so much sense. None of this had happened before her mother’s death, before Sky had returned to the pack for the funeral.
“Was there anyone else at the funeral that you can think of? Anyone that wasn’t of your pack? Anyone that stood out?”
She nibbled her bottom lip, her brows knotting. “Not that I can remember. It was a year ago, Wyatt. And I wasn’t exactly in the state of mind to notice who was there.”
He sighed and dropped onto the floor. Eyes focused on the ceiling, he played through the events that Sky had listed once more. “You said your mother and you hadn’t spoken in over a decade. Why?”
“It doesn’t matter—”
“At this point, I’m not ruling anything out. So, why?”
Sky groaned and dropped her hands down the side of the chair. “My mother thought I’d acted rashly. She thought I’d turned away from the pack and my family by choosing a career instead. When I left, she told me not to expect to be welcomed back. I went to school anyway. I thought once they saw what I was doing, they’d understand.”
“But they didn’t,” Wyatt stated.
“No. I graduated and my grandfather contacted me. He told me it was time to come home. I had responsibilities.” She scoffed. “Right. What he meant was it was time for me to choose a mate and pump out babies. I disobeyed his order and, instead, applied for grad school.”
Wyatt’s brows shot up. “Your grandfather actually expected you to come home just to have children?”
Sky sneered. “It’s their way, something I’ve always loathed. My grandfather believes a woman’s first and foremost responsibility is to take care of the pack. And when she isn’t pregnant, she’s a homemaker or caregiver. My grandfather is old-fashioned, and he pushed those stupid beliefs onto the pack.”
Wyatt shook his head. Old-fashioned was right. He encouraged the females in his pack to broaden their horizons. Travel, education, career, anything that could help strengthen the pack. If they chose to mate and have children, it was their choice—he would never force them.
“When I finished my master’s, my grandfather contacted me once more. He claimed that he’d been generous, and that he’d given me my freedom for long enough. This time, he sent two of the males, my brother included, to fetch me. Their orders were to bring me home, no discussion.”
“But you didn’t return.”
A bitter chuckle scraped past her lips. “No, I sent Sawyer packing with a black eye and a broken rib. He’d given me a few good knocks, but hardly enough to win.” She smiled wistfully. “My brother hasn’t won a scrap against me since we were teenagers, but I suspect that has more to do with his upbringing than anything. My grandfather believed men were meant to protect women, not hit them. And thank goodness for that. He might have knocked me out cold and dragged me home, otherwise.”
Wyatt grinned and tucked his hands under his head. “Can’t imagine your grandfather appreciated that.”
“Not at all. He phoned and I told him to stuff his rules where the sun don’t shine. Told him I’d begun my doctorate and there was no way in hell I was coming home.”
“And then he exiled you.”
Her silence was answer enough.
“And this led to your mother rejecting you?”
He heard her swallow. “My mother and I had always been on shaky ground. I disagreed with my parents’ marriage. Felt that they weren’t suited for one another, and that my mother should have left. She disagreed, said she had a good life. My father screwed anything on two legs. How was that a good life? Again, it boiled down to her upbringing. They had mated one another, and there was no way to break that, so why bother changing anything? Eventually, my father grew tired of my mother and left. Neither could choose new mates, but my mother did remarry. There were times when I thought her new husband, Landon, might be her true mate, but there was nothing they could do about it. She had his children, but wasn’t able to solidify their bond.”
Ah…Wyatt nodded as he stared up at the ceiling. This explained so much about Sky and her resistance to authority. It was a wonder he’d convinced her to mate with him.
“When I left, my mother told me not to come back. I’d thought that once I was awarded my doctorate, they would understand and accept me back. But she died before that could happen.”
“You’re still working toward it?”
She shifted in her seat. “Have been for the past three years. It’s a brand new field and all new research, so it’ll take longer than the average doctorate.”
“New field, as in something regarding werewolves?”
She nodded. “And their ability to blend in with human society.”
Wyatt’s head lolled against the floor. She sat in the chair, her eyes closed as she spoke. She seemed so peaceful, a sight he rather liked.
“I tried tracing our lineage back to the first werewolf.” She gave a little shake of her head. “Bunked out. Too many legends. But I know that we’ve been around for millennia. There’s literature for Native American origins, European origins…it’s all so murky. However, our ability to blend among humans is renowned. Werewolves never reveal themselves until they kill. It’s quite an adaptive ability.”
Wyatt’s head started to spin. “All right, so what does that have to do with anything?”
She chuckled and pinned him with a playful stare. “It has to do with everything. We possess an innate ability to suppress our wolves. Look how you reacted to my grandfather when he barged in. Out came your wolf and you two were slathering at each other, hoping to rip each other a new hole. Had he been a human, you would have pushed your wolf back and controlled it. For all intents and purposes, you would have acted human. Studies have proven that some alpha werewolves possess the ability to mask their scents, to hide in plain sight of those they deem a threat. It’s fascinating.”
Wyatt hummed a vague response.
“My theory is that this ability has caused instability within some wolves. Suppressing their inner nature results in an unbalanced psyche, which can result in deviant behavior.”
“All right, all right,” Wyatt laughed. “I get it. You’re passionate about this.”
“Yes. Something my grandfather never recognized. Anyway, understanding werewolf behavior, psychology, and evolution could help the humans accept us.”
He felt a surge of pride for his mate. He had to admit, if anyone could breach the gap between the two species, it was her. She was the perfect candidate both physically and intellectually. Who better to be the public face of werewolves than a lean, blonde, and blue-eyed girl? Unfortunately, her looks were likely what had attracted the attention of her stalker.
“My grandfather has invited us to a feast tonight,” she mumbled after a few moments of silence.
Wyatt glanced at her, his brows twisting. “What?” No. Their obligations back home had to take precedence. Bale had done well enough, but the pack wasn’t safe.
“I don’t understand it either. First, they exiled me, and now they want to throw a party in my honor. I can’t imagine that’s sitting well with the other females. I’m a pariah to them.”
Oh, Wyatt understood. A game of dominance and politics among alphas. The old man wanted him to know that Sky was theirs, regardless of her exile.
“No.” He shook his head. “We�
�re heading back to Colorado immediately.”
“Normally, I would agree with you…”
“But?” Of course she had to argue.
Sighing, Sky leaned forward in the chair. “It isn’t every day I get to see my family under welcoming circumstances. Not to mention…” She blushed. “I want to show them what they’re missing out on.”
A fierce surge to protect her welled within him. “You want to rub their noses in what you’ve become.”
“Is that so bad?” Her mouth grimaced. “I’m a horrible person, aren’t I?”
He laughed and rocked to his feet. “Nah, it’s justified.” Then, with a grim expression, he grasped her hands and drew her to her feet. “But in all seriousness, I’d rather we head home.”
“Wyatt. One more night, that’s all I’m asking.”
“All right,” he sighed. “How is it that you get me to do everything you want?”
“Just lucky, I suppose.”
Chapter 16
“That’s my mother’s cabin, right over that small hill.” Sky leaned against the car door and gazed across the land as their chauffeur, Gordon Hall, drove them to her grandfather’s, her thoughts plummeting to a dark place.
Someone had been maintaining it in her mother’s stead. After the funeral—and after her grandfather had unceremoniously demanded that she leave—she’d stopped at the small cabin and spent the night among her mother’s possessions. Though her mother hadn’t used it since remarrying, it was still a part of her.
No matter that the later years had been rife with anger and frustration, Sky knew that her mother had once loved her. So, that night, she’d curled up on the bed, pulled her mother’s blankets close, and wept for the future they would never have.
“This is hard for you.” There was no question in Wyatt’s soft voice.
“The last time I was here, it was to say goodbye to someone I once loved. I felt such guilt when I arrived. If only I’d tried to mend things, or made an effort to reach out. But when they shunned me, I was so angry. They were my pack. They were supposed to love me no matter what choices I made with my life. Everything was always about them, though. They wanted me to fall in line, pump out babies…live a life I never wanted.”
Wyatt brought her hand to his mouth and brushed his lips against her knuckles. Her heart fluttered, a small smile touching her lips. Away from his pack, there was a marked difference in him. Gone was the alpha attitude that often irritated her. Left in its stead was Wyatt—someone she knew she could love. Sometimes, the wolf chose the mate and left the human half to catch up, and sometimes, the human half never caught up, as evidenced by her parents. How her father had silenced his wolf long enough to screw around was something she’d never understood. Nor did it matter any longer. He lived on the east coast—she’d never bothered to ask where—and her mother was dead.
The soft whirr of the partition lowering broke the silence. “We’re almost there.”
Sky glanced up and nodded, meeting Hall’s gaze in the rear-view mirror. Her grandfather had sent a vehicle for them, which had rankled Wyatt to no end. She’d kept him occupied, though, telling tales of her family along the way.
She smoothed her hands down her outfit, her stomach twisting. Neither Sky nor Wyatt had packed for this, and they’d been given no time to shop before the gathering. Thankfully, she’d brought an extra tank top, which she’d covered with Wyatt’s leather jacket. It swallowed her lithe frame, but his scent helped calm her.
Hall pulled up to the house and into the driveway. Without waiting, she popped open the backdoor and hopped out. Much like the rest of Hidden Creek, her grandfather’s house hadn’t changed in her time away.
“This way.” Hall gestured toward the entry.
Sky and Wyatt shared a glance before they walked up the path and slipped through the door. The estate was a little larger than Wyatt’s, and far removed from the public. It was the vision her grandfather had always aspired to.
“Skylar!” Her name echoed through the gilded hallway.
She lifted her chin and sought out the source. There, at the end of the corridor, was her sister-in-law, Amberly. Sky had been fifteen when her older brother had announced his mating. At eighteen, she had felt he was far too young to commit himself to someone, but her family had been ecstatic that he had chosen someone. The startling realization that Sky liked Amberly had been jarring; she’d fully expected to loathe the woman who had forced herself into their family.
Amberly jogged down the hallway, her long skirt fluttering behind her. “Sky!” Then, with a giggle, she descended upon her and wrenched her into a hug. “When Sawyer heard you were coming…” She shook her head, tears glistening in her light brown eyes. “He’s so excited to see you!”
Sky felt a natural smile curve her lips. Of her entire family, Amberly had been the only one to show any support when she’d left. Not that it’d made a lick of difference. “Where is he?”
“Out with Paxton. There were a couple more things to pick up.” She smiled fondly. “Oh, you should see Paxton! She’s pregnant again!”
Sky blinked. Last she’d heard, Sawyer and Paxton hadn’t been on speaking terms. Sawyer had never agreed with the way things had ended between their parents. And when their mother settled with her new mate, Landon, Sawyer had refused to acknowledge either of their resulting children.
“Things have changed in the past year,” Amberly murmured. “Once your mother passed…” Her words trailed off until eventually she shrugged. “Sawyer sort of took Paxton and Noah under his wing. Landon isn’t dealing well with the loss of your mother. He’s getting better, but Noah needed someone to look up to.”
And so he’d stepped up, something Sky hadn’t been around for. Another surge of guilt washed through her.
“That’s not important, though.” Amberly threw a glance Wyatt’s way before she leaned forward and whispered. “Maybe you could introduce us?”
“Oh!” Sky closed her eyes and shook her head. “Wyatt, this is my sister-in-law, Amberly. She’s married to my brother, Sawyer.”
“Pleasure to meet you.” Amber offered a bright grin.
“And as I said, this is Wyatt, my…mate.” Sure, she hesitated on the word, but who wouldn’t after a mere twelve hours since the big event?
“Your…mate?” Amber brows shot up. “I didn’t know—I mean, no one told us. I thought, I mean we all thought—”
Sky’s mouth tightened. “Thought what?”
An embarrassed blush scoured her sister-in-law’s cheeks, and with a forced grin, she shook her head. “It doesn’t matter. Wow, look how long we’ve been out here, we should…yes, I think they’re ready for us. We should go.”
“Wait.” Skylar drew Amberly back with a hand on her arm. “What’s going on?”
“Ignore me,” she giggled. “Pregnancy hormones, and all that.”
“You’re pregnant too?” Sky’s hand shot to her mouth and her eyes to Amberly’s midsection.
“Six weeks. Confirmed yesterday.” This time her grin was natural. “Now, come on, everyone is dying to see you.”
“Doubtful,” Sky grumbled as she followed in the wake of her bouncy sister-in-law. Wyatt’s choked laugh caught her attention. “And what are you snickering about?”
Wyatt bit back a grin, his eyes twinkling with humor. “Sky, they thought you were gay.”
The sudden proclamation brought her up short. “What?”
Laughter rolled from his lips. Alone in the hallway now, he slid his arms around her waist and drew her into his chest, his fingers sliding along the lip of her jeans. “She was legitimately shocked that you had taken a mate.”
Annoyance settled in the pit of Sky’s stomach. “You’re joking.”
“Nope.” Wyatt choked back a fresh laugh. “Her face gave it away. She’s probably rushing ahead to announce to everyone that you aren’t a lesbian.”
Groaning, Sky dropped her head onto Wyatt’s chest. “Let’s get this over with so we can go home.”
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He hooked a finger beneath her chin and lifted it. “To my place, right? Soon to be our place?”
“Is now really the time to have this conversation?”
He shrugged, then glanced around. “We’re alone, why not? I can’t imagine you’d want to return to your house.”
Her house. Right. Where the bastard had slaughtered poor Jody Anne Davidson. “Let me get through this house first, all right?” So not to offend him, Sky rose up on her tiptoes and kissed him.
“As you wish,” he murmured against her lips.
***
The cabin was dark, but ready.
For a year, he’d maintained it, and all for Skylar. He remembered the night of her mother’s funeral well, had longed to go to her and dry her tears. She’d been alone and grieving and desperate for comfort, but the time hadn’t been right.
Now, he was tired of waiting. Tired of others standing in his way. Tired of being denied that which was his. His nostrils flared, but Sky’s scent had long since faded.
It hadn’t taken long for sweet Trinity to divulge Sky’s destination, and when he’d heard Hidden Creek, he’d felt a surge of pleasure like nothing else. Then, he’d cut out her eyes with a dreamy smile, content for the first time ever. And for once, he hadn’t felt the need to slake his need, a reward reserved for Sky.
Though surrounded by her family, she was far more vulnerable here than in Wolffe Peak. Their eyes wouldn’t track her twenty-four seven, nor was there a dedicated sheriff hounding her every step.
He turned and paced the length of the family room once more, feet wearing a new tread in the restored hardwood. So much effort had gone into the upkeep, and all for her, to make her feel welcome and loved and appreciated. After the miserable life her family had provided her, it was well-deserved. No other could provide her with that—no one else understood what those bastards had put her through. Oh, but he did. He knew the sting of exile as well as she did.
And once she was here, it was a sting they could ease…together.
He shivered with anticipation, his gaze landing upon the master bedroom. He strode toward it, his palms growing clammy as he gazed onto the bed. The restraints sat upon the mattress, the soft cuffs begging for her ankles and wrists. This was the place where he would show her how much he loved her, where he would bring her to the peak of pleasure, where he would hear her scream his name.