The middle-aged doctor laughed heartily. “Werewolves are notoriously stubborn. I’ve had to learn to be stern, or I'd get nowhere with them. And although you aren’t a full-fledged werewolf yet, your stubbornness could rival even the prickliest of our kind.”
I wasn’t sure if I should take that as an insult or not, so I kept quiet. Minutes later, we were in a large, well-lit living room in the lodge. Kyle eased me onto a brown leather sofa and had me set my injured leg on a nearby ottoman.
“May I?” he asked, gesturing toward the gauze around my calf.
I nodded, and he gently peeled the bandage off. He studied the wounds, turning my leg this way and that to hit the light at different angles.
“Everything looks good. Thankfully the werewolf venom in your system is already helping to speed up the healing process.”
His words struck me. Although I’d been told my body would change, and that I’d eventually shift into a werewolf, the idea that there was already a physical difference drove that point home. I was no longer an average human. I would really turn into a werewolf someday soon.
“Now, what about that head injury?”
“Uh, it’s been fine, actually. I had a headache earlier, but it's gone now.”
He nodded, and reached out to touch my face, as he examined the cut.
“What’s going on here?” a deep, menacing voice interrupted.
I looked up to find Abraham in the doorway, shoulders tensed, fists clenched, and eyes bright with anger. His gaze raked my body, halting on where the doctor still held my face. The next minute he was standing beside Kyle with his hand gripping the older man’s shoulder. He yanked him backward, and Kyle almost lost his footing, catching himself just in time.
I struggled to my feet. “Abraham, what the hell is wrong with you?”
He ignored me. Instead, he placed his large frame between me and Kyle, and I watched his shoulders rise and fall with his rapid breaths. I peeked around him to see Kyle with his eyes on the ground, and his hands held up in surrender.
“I was just checking her wounds, Abraham. You heard me offer that earlier.”
“Why didn’t you come get me?” His voice was still deep, and deadly.
“You were busy, and I didn’t want to interrupt. I meant no harm. I was only trying to make sure she was healing properly.” He chanced a quick look at Abraham’s face. “You wouldn’t want her to have an infection that went untreated, would you?”
Abraham remained quiet for a few endless minutes while I watched the muscles in his back slowly uncoil, his arms falling limp to his sides. He ran a rough hand over his face and reached out to pat the doctor on the back.
“You’re right, friend. I apologize. When I couldn’t find her, I panicked. Forgive me.”
Kyle smiled genuinely. “There’s nothing to apologize for. After all, she is your m–”
“Newest pack member!” Abraham interrupted. “She’s my newest pack member, and you know how protective I am of them.”
The doctor looked confused for a moment before clarity washed over his features. He opened his mouth to respond, but I interrupted this time.
“Could you two stop talking about me like I’m not here?”
Abraham tensed, but Kyle only chuckled. “Good luck with your...newest pack member. I have a feeling you’ll need it.” With that cryptic remark, he took his leave.
Abraham released a big breath and turned to me.
“What was that all about? You could have hurt him.”
He shook his head slowly. “I know. I’m sorry. Like I said, when I couldn’t find you, I panicked. Then when I found you alone in here with him…” His voice trailed off, Adam’s apple bobbing up and down.
“I don’t understand you,” I confessed.
He chuckled darkly. “That makes two of us.”
He smiled and held out an arm. “Come on, let’s get back to the bonfire. I think someone brought out marshmallows, and I’m craving a s’more.”
Remembering the doctor’s threat, I latched onto Abraham’s arm, and let him lead me out of the room.
“I can’t remember the last time I had a s’more,” I told him.
We stepped out onto the back deck, and the sound of singing, and laughter filled the cool night air.
Abraham ducked his head and spoke softly in my ear. “Then it’s a good thing you’re here.”
I fought off a shiver, and nodded, not trusting myself to speak. Del was just finishing another song when we arrived back at the bonfire. Abraham found us two seats and tracked down the necessary s’more supplies.
While he speared a couple marshmallows onto the end of a long stick, I scanned the faces in the surrounding crowd. Some I could identify from the introductions Abraham had made earlier, but most I couldn’t. As I looked around, one thing struck me as odd.
“Do you not allow children into your pack?”
Abraham did a double take. “Why would you think that?”
“It seems like you have people of all ages here except kids.”
He stared into the flames that licked at the soft white puffs he held above the fire. “A pack is only as secure as their alpha.”
I waited a beat, hoping he’d continue. When it was clear he wasn’t, I spoke up. “And you aren’t secure?”
He met my eyes briefly and sighed. “There are tons of couples in the pack in their childbearing years, but they won’t feel comfortable having children until I do.”
I frowned. “Why do they have to wait for you? Is that some kind of weird wolfy rule?”
A reluctant chuckle fell from his lips. “No. It’s nothing like that.” He paused for a moment. “Werewolves are very protective of their young, and they’ll only bring a child into a pack if they’re sure it’ll be a safe place to raise them. The ultimate sign of safety is when an alpha has children of his own. If the alpha is unwilling to have children that signals to the pack that things aren’t stable enough for him. And if the alpha isn’t strong enough to protect his own young, the rest of the pack knows he couldn’t protect theirs either.”
I digested his words for a few minutes before responding. “So, you’re not willing to have children?” I wasn’t sure why that thought saddened me, but couldn’t deny that it did.
He shook his head. “No, I’d love to have children.”
“Then what’s stopping you?”
His gaze met mine, the yearning clear even in the dim light. Without my permission, my heart beat faster. Deep inside, I had this undeniable craving to be or find or do whatever he was looking for.
“Just waitin’ on the right lady to come along.” The carefree words were at odds with his serious eyes. I cleared my throat nervously, and the browning marshmallows drew his attention again. “I’ve had my fair share of... options. Some folks think I should have settled for one of them.”
A sudden heat swelled in the pit of my stomach, and I clenched my fists in my lap. “Options?” I asked slowly.
“A few.” He shrugged.
I nodded and looked away. My chest felt tight as my insides churned. The idea of him with another woman filled me with an emotion I was having trouble identifying. I quickly reasoned that it was just the thought of him being pushed into a relationship against his will that bothered me.
Keep telling yourself that, Montgomery.
Abraham’s voice broke through the turmoil swirling inside me. “I’m glad I held out.”
I looked away, desperate to cling to anything that could keep my feet on level ground. But the dirt beneath me was slowly crumbling, and I knew it was becoming more and more unlikely I would escape this man unscathed.
“You are?” I asked against my better judgement.
He busied himself assembling the gooey confections and handed me one before finally answering. “I really am.”
Chapter 14
“We!” the crowd chanted back at Del, the sound of our combined voices echoing in the clearing.
We were in the midst of a lively rendit
ion of Taylor Swift’s classic “We Are Never Getting Back Together”. As I sang along, I looked around the group of people, and saw every one of them knew all the words. When Del’s sweet voice rang out with the last note, they all erupted in cheers.
I turned to Abraham. “Taylor Swift? Really?”
He shot me a comically offended look. “Don’t tell me you’re not a Swiftie.” A loud laugh shot out of me, and I slapped a hand over my mouth. His answering smile was brilliant. “Are you having a good time?”
“I really am. Thank you for inviting me.”
He shook his head. “You’re pack now. That means you’re family.”
Family.
That word was still so foreign. It’d been so long since I could say I was a part of one. The encroaching sadness was cut short when a small group of people approached us.
“We’re heading home, Abraham. Thanks for the cookout.”
He reached out to pull the man into a brief hug. “Anytime, you know that. Elliot, this is our newest pack member, Elizabeth.”
I held out a hand, but he knocked it aside in favor of pulling me into a brief, but fierce embrace. “Welcome to the pack, little lady. I look forward to gettin’ to know ya’.”
With heated cheeks, I stuttered out my thanks. The rest of his group also enveloped me in big hugs before taking their leave. Feeling self-conscious, I tried to step behind Abraham, but he wrapped an arm around my waist, and stood me next to him. His touch was becoming familiar and almost expected at this point.
It felt like there was more to his touch than simple friendship. But I had zero time for a relationship, so that thought got folded up, and stuffed in a closet somewhere in the back of my mind.
Person after person streamed by us, offering thanks to Abraham, and welcomes to me. I hugged more people in that fifteen minute span than I had in the last fifteen years of my life. To my surprise, it got easier as time went by. I went from feeling awkward, and out of place, to holding out my arms without being prompted.
When most of the pack had gone home, the only ones left were the McCoy siblings, and unfortunately, Peyton.
The latter slithered over to us and wrapped a thin arm around Abraham’s bicep. “Abey,” she cooed, “Some of us are gonna’ have some moonshine down by the lake. You’re comin’ right?” Her fake eyelashes were fluttering so fast, they looked like they were in danger of flying off.
Abraham extricated himself from her grip and took a small step back. “Thanks, Peyton, but I’m good tonight.”
Her angry eyes flashed in my direction before she stuck out a lip. “C’mon Abey. It’ll be fun.”
He shook his head resolutely. “No, thanks.”
She pouted harder and actually stomped her foot. “Fine. We’ll have fun without you then.” Spinning on her heel, she stomped over to Beatrice who shot a scathing look my way before wrapping an arm around Peyton, and leading her away.
Evey, Delilah, and Callista wandered over next.
“You two aren’t comin’?” Evey asked.
“Elizabeth can’t drink moonshine.”
I turned angry eyes in his direction. “Says who?”
“Says me,” he retorted.
I spun on my heel and poked him in the chest. “Who do you think you are tellin’ me what to do?”
Callista stepped forward. “He’s right, Elizabeth, you can’t drink this moonshine.”
I redirected my ire her way.
“Hear me out,” she entreated.
I sighed, but kept my mouth shut.
“The moonshine we have here is a lot stronger than anything you’ve ever had. It has to be to affect us in any way. If you drank it, there’s the possibility you’d get really sick. We don’t know for sure what effect werewolf moonshine would have on a human, but none of us are willing to take that risk with you.”
The other two women nodded seriously, and the anger left my system all at once, deflating me like an old birthday balloon.
“Okay, that makes sense.” I turned to Abraham. “Why didn’t you just say that in the first place?”
He laughed humorlessly and shook his head. “I would have if you’d let me get a word in.”
I opened my mouth to argue, but thought better of it, and snapped it shut.
“No sarcastic retort?” he asked.
With narrowed eyes, I warned him, “Don’t try me.”
He laughed again and turned to say goodnight to his sisters. They each hugged me tightly before melting into the dark night.
And suddenly, I was alone with Abraham.
My heart was the first one to react, thumping wildly in my chest, almost drowning out the noisy crickets and cicadas around us.
Abraham either didn’t hear my wild heartbeat, or was choosing to ignore it. Either was fine with me. He held out his strong, tan arm, and I wrapped my hand around it.
While we made our way back to the house, Abraham tried to help me identify the members of the pack I wasn’t familiar with. He had a different funny or interesting story for each one, and it was obvious how much he cared for his pack. They really were like a big family.
When we made it to the staircase, I looked up the steep steps with trepidation. My leg was feeling better, but walking up these steps to the back door, and then another two flights to my room would be tough. Abraham sighed from behind me before my feet left the ground, and I found myself cradled in his strong arms. We were up the first flight, and in the house before I had a chance to protest.
“Abraham, put me down!”
He shook his head. “I spoke with the doc, and he told me to keep you off that leg as much as possible.”
“It’s feeling better. I don’t need to be babied like this.”
He shook his head again. “He said you’d try to argue your way out of it.”
I crossed my arms over my chest and huffed in defeat. They were all conspiring against me.
Or they’re just concerned.
I pushed that thought away and locked it up in the back of my mind. I didn’t need anyone’s concern. Or help.
Or worse, their pity.
I expected him to set me down once we made it to my room, but he swung open the door, and walked over to my bed before I could protest. He gently sat me on the edge of the bed and took a big step back.
His breaths were even and measured as if he hadn’t just lugged my butt up three flights of stairs. But, as he stood there, his chest began to rise and fall more rapidly. How was it that he was out of breath now?
“Do you need anything?” His voice was full of grit.
I shook my head, unable to form words at the moment. I watched him brace himself before closing the distance between us.
“Abraham,” I breathed. With my eyes squeezed closed, I took a big breath. “Whatever this is,” I wagged a finger between the two of us, “cannot happen.”
There. I’d said it.
He reached out a hand to tuck a lock of thick blonde hair behind my ear. When he leaned his face down toward mine, my breath caught in my chest, and I swear, my heart stopped all together. His clean scent enveloped me, and I felt the heat radiating off his body. His warm lips pressed gently against my temple for a moment that felt both brief and infinite.
The room spun, and I wasn’t sure if it was from his proximity, or the lack of oxygen. He took his time walking toward the door as if reluctant to leave. When he turned to face me again, I saw my conflicted emotions mirrored on his handsome face. He gave me a small smile. “Sweet dreams, Elizabeth.”
Just before he closed the door behind him, I squeaked, “Night.”
The door closing echoed throughout the dark, empty room like the heartbeat in my hollow chest. It begged me to call him back, but I resolutely ignored it. I hadn’t let my heart make decisions for me in over a decade, and I wouldn’t start now. My sanity depended on it.
I woke the next morning feeling much better than the day before. My head was clear, and my leg almost completely healed. I was already showered and dr
essed when there was a knock on the door.
I called for them to come in, expecting Evey carrying an overly large tray of food. Instead, Abraham’s massive frame entered the room, somehow tentative and confident at the same time. I took a minute to admire his casual clothing that seemed tailormade for him. His thick, dark hair was wet as if he’d just showered. He jerked his head to the side flinging an errant lock back into place.
I stood there like an idiot for so long, he had to clear his throat to get my attention.
“Ah. Um. Sorry. Did you say something?” I stuttered. Embarrassed that I’d been caught practically drooling over him. I turned around and continued to towel-dry my hair in the large mirror hanging on the wall.
He chuckled softly. “No, I didn’t yet. I was just coming to invite you down to breakfast.”
“That sounds great.” When Abraham remained quiet, I turned to find him still standing in the doorway, looking like he needed to say something.
“Is there anything I can say to get you to stay here?” he asked quiet, but firm.
Yes.
No.
Probably.
“I have an important meeting I can’t miss Tuesday morning,” I insisted instead of answering his question.
His eyes dimmed. “What time do you have to leave?”
I couldn’t stand to see the look of disappointment on his face, so I turned back to the mirror, and ran a mascara wand over my light lashes. “Probably around noon.”
“So soon.”
It wasn’t a question, but I answered him anyway. “Yeah, I don’t want to hit holiday traffic getting back into Raleigh, and I want to get caught up on some paperwork.”
“I see.” He was silent for a moment while I quickly wove my hair into a thick plait. “Oh! I almost forgot. I still have your camera and phone in my office. We’ll get them on the way back up from breakfast, that way you don’t have to carry them around all morning.”
I gave myself one final look in the mirror. “Sounds great, let’s go.”
To Abraham’s dismay, I insisted on getting down the stairs on my own. He only let it go when he saw how well I was walking on my injured leg today. As we neared the ground floor, the sounds of many people talking, and the clanking of dishes could be heard several rooms away.
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