“Sick bastard.” This from a tough-looking man with tattoos ranging up and down both arms. There was a murmur of agreement from around the room. She had a memory of him fixing her wrist. Gator. Yes, that was his name.
“Give me the phone.” Jacque held out his hand. The man sitting next to him, who looked enough like him to be his brother, handed him a nondescript cell. “Let’s see who’s on the other end of this number.”
The alpha dialed and they all waited. The tension in the room thickened. Hannah reached up and covered Reece’s hand with hers.
The phone rang once. Then twice. On the third ring, it was answered. “Where the hell are you, Edgar?”
Jacque had put the phone on speaker so they could all hear it. While most of them had superior hearing, Reece’s aunt did not.
Hannah felt every drop of blood drain from her face.
“This isn’t Edgar?” Jacque answered.
“Then who the hell are you and how did you get this phone?” the voice demanded.
Hannah began to shake. Reece crouched beside her and frowned. She could see the worry in his eyes.
“I got it from his cold, dead fingers.” She had to give Jacque his due. He didn’t back down from anyone. “He tried to kill a member of my pack.”
“Shit.” There was silence on the other end.
Now that the initial shock was over, Hannah finally found her voice. “Daddy?”
“Hannah.”
Shock rippled through the room. She opened her mouth to speak but was lost for words.
“Hannah!” he yelled. “If you hurt her—”
“One of my pack saved her life,” Jacque told him. “From Edgar Treadmont.”
“Shit.” There was a deep inhalation. “Hannah, are you okay, baby?”
She nodded. “Yes,” she managed when she realized he couldn’t see her. “What are you doing in Montana?”
Had he left her simply so he could go back to his pack? That hurt her to the depths of her soul.
“I knew I couldn’t protect you on my own. Too many wolves think like Edgar. I figured the best way to do it was from the top.” He paused. “I’m alpha now, baby. No one from this pack will ever try to hurt you again. They know what will happen to them if they even think about it.”
“When?”
“Only a month ago, Hannah. I kept a watch on you from a distance but decided there was only one way you could live in peace. Edgar was gone before I got here. I’ve been trying to find him ever since.”
Her father had been watching out for her. Now he was alpha of the very pack he’d left years ago. It was too much for her to digest at once. There were so many questions she wanted to ask him. The biggest one was, why? Why had he left her? But now was not the time or place to ask, and she was too heart sore to hear his answers.
“I take it we’ll have no trouble from you over Edgar’s death?” Jacque inquired.
“None,” came her father’s quick reply.
“We have logs of his kills. He’s been at it for years.”
“Send me what you have,” her father requested. “You can sell his truck or destroy it. I don’t care. I assume the body will never be found?”
“He’s probably dust by now or pretty damn close. And no,” Jacque assured him. “He’ll never be found.”
“Hannah, I want to talk with you.”
She couldn’t do it. Not now. She shook her head.
“She’ll call you when she’s feeling better,” Reece informed him.
“Who’s this?”
“Reece Gallagher. I’m the man who loves your daughter.”
Hannah’s mind went blank. Had Reece just told her he loved her in front of his entire pack and his father?
“She’ll call you when she’s able,” Jacque informed him and then ended the call. “Well, that went better than I’d hoped.”
The man with the tattoos smiled. “Anyone else hungry?”
The alpha nodded. “I could eat.”
There was a general commotion as people pushed away from the table. Reece took her hands in hers. “We’ll talk about this later,” he promised. “For now, I want you to meet everyone.”
Later was good. She had a lot to digest. She nodded and rose from her chair, ready to face the rest of the pack.
Chapter Twenty-One
Reece was worried as hell about Hannah. He couldn’t imagine her shock at discovering her father had not only been watching over her all these years, but he was also now the alpha of his former pack.
And on top of everything else she’d been through, Reece had informed them all that he loved her. Yeah, not exactly smooth. He’d obviously shocked her. Yes, he’d told her she was the woman from his dreams, the woman he’d been waiting for, but dropping the “L” word was another thing altogether.
Better to introduce her to the pack and get her to relax before they headed back to his place to talk. Her shoulders were taut, her entire body so tense, he was afraid she might snap if he held her too close.
“You know Elias and Sue,” Reece reminded her. His uncle nodded at her and Sue gave Hannah an encouraging smile. “Of course, you know Sage.”
His twin stepped up. “This is my wife, Rina.”
Sage’s mate stepped forward and held out her hand. The haunted expression in her mossy green eyes was long gone. In it, there was only happiness. Reece wanted that for Hannah.
“I’m so glad you’re both safe,” Rina said.
“It’s nice to meet you,” Hannah told her.
“That’s Mikhail, Rina’s brother, right behind her. Next to him is Miss Elise. She’s the alpha’s mother.” Both of them nodded.
Hannah was getting tenser by the second so he hurried the rest of the introductions. “This is Louis and Gray, Cole and Cherise, Armand and Anny, Joseph and Corrine.” He pointed them out as he introduced them. “And in the kitchen are Gator and Sylvie.”
“Don’t try to remember all of us at once,” Gwen told her. “I know you’re probably overwhelmed right now.”
Reece could have kissed Gwen for her kindness.
Hannah nodded. “It’s nice to meet you all.”
Reece knew he had to do something before she bolted. “Why don’t we step outside and get some fresh air.”
Hannah all but ran for the door with him right behind her. His uncle patted him on the shoulder as he passed by.
“Don’t go far,” the alpha told him. “We’ll be eating soon.” Coming from Jacque, it was more order than suggestion.
Reece stepped outside and shut the door. Hannah was standing on the far end of the porch gripping the railing. He silently walked up behind her. She knew he was there. He could tell by the way she hunched her shoulders.
He stayed behind her but put his hands on the railing next to hers, effectively caging her in. “You’re safe now.”
She nodded but said nothing. He was at a loss to know what to say. “What are you thinking?” he asked.
She shook her head and then took a deep breath. “All this time my father was watching out for me and I never knew. Why? Why wouldn’t he just tell me?”
He felt her pain keenly and wrapped his arms around her, pulling her back against his chest. “I don’t know, sweetheart. He thought he was protecting you.”
“Maybe he just wanted to be alpha and could do that once I was out of the picture.” The bitterness of her words hurt his heart.
“No. If that was all he’d wanted, he could have given you up for adoption and abandoned you when you were a child.” He hated having to defend her father to her, but the man had given up everything in order to raise his child.
She gave a watery laugh. “Why do you have to be so damn logical?”
He kissed her temple and rocked her gently from side to side. “It’s a curse.”
She turned in hi
s arms and rested her head on his shoulder. “What am I going to do?”
He dropped a kiss on the top of her head and struggled to remain calm. His wolf was pacing inside him. He didn’t like this turn in the conversation any more than Reece did. “Now you stay here with me, get your strength back, and we take our relationship one day at a time.”
“You make it sound so easy.”
“It is.” He tilted her head back and rubbed his thumbs over her cheeks. “Listen, Hannah.” He needed to tell her he loved her. She hadn’t mentioned it and he wasn’t sure she even believed him.
He muttered a curse and turned his head in the direction of the voices coming closer. Hannah eased away from him and that made him want to swear again. He refrained, but only because it was children coming toward them.
The youngsters raced up to the house while his cousin brought up the rear. Billy paused when he saw them and then shrugged. “I couldn’t keep them corralled once Gwen called and said to bring them over.”
“It’s okay.” Reece leaned against a post and motioned to the teenager. “Hannah, this is my cousin, Billy. He’s Sue’s son from her first marriage.”
He made sure all the kids were on the deck before he strolled forward. “Nice to meet you.” He held out his hand and waited for her to take it.
A little girl, who looked like a fairy princess with her blonde hair and green eyes, tapped Reece on the leg. “Who is she?”
He bent down and scooped her into his arms. “This is Hannah. Hannah, this is Amy.” He might not have lived here for years, but he’d visited as often as possible, and he got regular updates from his brother. All the kids were comfortable around him.
Hannah smiled. “It’s nice to meet you, Amy.”
“That’s Aaron, Nicholas, and Etienne.” The little girl pointed at each boy as she said their names. She wrinkled her nose. “They’re boys, but they’re nice.”
“Good to know.” Hannah’s smile filled him with warmth. As usual, Amy had made another conquest.
The back door opened and Cole stepped out, a frown on his face. Beside him, Hannah tensed. Reece couldn’t really blame her. Cole was huge and dangerous and looked none too happy.
“Daddy.” The little girl in his arms squirmed until Reece put her down. Then she ran to Cole. He scooped her into his arms and held her against his chest. “I made a new friend,” she informed him.
Cole glanced at Hannah and back at the little girl. “So I see.”
He turned and walked into the house. Amy waved over his wide shoulder. “Bye, Reece. Bye, Hannah.”
He chuckled and Hannah waved.
“That little girl is his daughter?” He could hear the disbelief in her voice.
“Yup.”
Billy grinned and ushered Aaron and Nicolas inside. “Those two belong to Jacque and Gwen,” Reece told her.
A serious little boy stood silently watching them. His blue eyes missed nothing. He walked toward them and studied her, his gaze falling on her bandaged wrist. “Don’t be afraid,” he told her. “My daddy won’t let anyone hurt you,” he promised.
Hannah crouched in front of the boy. “Thank you, Etienne.”
The boy nodded and went inside, his feet not making a sound on the wooden deck.
“Who’s his father?” she asked as she straightened.
“Gator.”
She shook her head. “Wow. This is so strange for me. I was smaller than Amy when my father told me about werewolves and packs and warned me to stay as far away from them as possible. Now I’m surrounded by them.”
Fear pricked at him but he shrugged it off. “I know none of this has been easy for you.” He snaked his arm around her waist, needing the physical connection. “They’re good people, Hannah. Pack and family are everything to them.”
“I can see that. I’m just not sure where, or if, I fit in.”
He brought her snug to his side and kissed the top of her head. “No need to make any rush decisions. Give it time.”
Give me time, he wanted to yell.
Tension thrummed through him until she finally nodded. “Okay. It’s not like I’ve got anywhere to be. I don’t want to go back to Chicago.”
The door opened and Sage stuck his head out. “Time to eat.”
Reece wanted to kiss his brother for his timely interruption. They couldn’t really talk freely until they were home. There were too many ears around here able to hear without having to try to eavesdrop. It was one of the drawbacks of having exceptional hearing.
It was an education for Hannah to watch the pack organize a meal. There were far too many of them to eat at the table inside, so they moved it outside. There were several long picnic tables set up. The evening was cool, but not cold. Gwen had loaned her a sweater since she felt the chill more than the others. Sue was also wearing a heavy sweater so she didn’t feel conspicuous.
The children raced around, yelling and playing tag. The rest of the pack all worked together to get the meal organized.
It surprised her to discover that in matters of food, all of them deferred to Gator. He’d seasoned and marinated steaks to grill alongside some homemade hamburger patties. The women had made potato salad and a garden salad. There was baked potatoes and fresh corn as well. Outside of a restaurant, she’d never seen so much food.
“You get used to it.” Reece’s aunt sat alongside her on the bench seat. She motioned with her head. “They can be overwhelming, but you’ll never find a better group of people.”
“How did you adapt?” This was the one woman who could relate to what she was going through.
Sue sighed. “I feel in love with Reece and Sage before I knew what they were. Sage was such a wonderful boy, but so lost. I thought Reece was his dog.” She laughed and her gaze fell on her husband. “Then there was Elias. I know he made my heart race, but I wasn’t sure it was love. I wasn’t sure I could believe in love.” Sue looked back at her. “My first marriage wasn’t a good one.”
“I’m sorry.” Hannah didn’t know what else to say.
Sue patted her arm. “It gave me my son, so I have no regrets. In the end, it all worked out. I have a wonderful husband and family and the best of friends.” She pointed out a slender woman with long brown hair. Hannah thought it was Armand’s wife. She was still trying to remember all their names and match them with the right faces. “I was friends with Anny long before either of us knew anything about werewolves.”
Hannah frowned. “How is that possible? Anny’s a werewolf, isn’t she?”
Sue nodded. “She is, but that’s a story for another day. Today is about celebrating the fact that you and Reece are well on the road to recovery and that the threat to you is gone.” Sue touched her wrist. “How does it feel?”
The wrap was still in place, but Hannah figured she’d remove it before bedtime. “There’s no swelling and it’s mending nicely.” She flexed her fingers and felt only the slightest twinge.
“Good, but don’t push it. You need to take your time and heal.” Gwen called her name and Sue stood. “Don’t pressure yourself to figure things out today or tomorrow or the day after,” Sue cautioned. “Take your time. You’re safe here.”
People kept telling her that, but after being constantly on edge her entire life, Hannah was finding it difficult to just relax. She was used to looking over her shoulder, to not allowing people to get too close to her for fear they’d discover her secret.
That wasn’t a problem here. No one wanted to hurt her, and they all knew what she was.
Reece and Sage were standing about ten feet away under a tall tree. It was still strange to see them side-by-side. They truly were identical in looks, but totally different in personality. She’d always know which one was Reece because Sage didn’t make her heart skip a beat when she looked at him.
“Aren’t they pretty?” Rina slid in next to Hannah and rested
her elbows on the table.
Hannah couldn’t help but agree. “They are.”
Rina lowered her voice. “Are you going to stay?”
Hannah wasn’t sure if anyone around could hear them or not, but she was cautious with her reply. “I don’t know.”
“He’ll leave if you leave.” Rina’s eyes narrowed and she frowned. “And they need to be together.” She motioned to her husband and his brother. “They’ve been apart for too many years. It’s hard on them.”
Hannah knew Rina was looking out for her mate’s best interests, but she couldn’t allow feelings of guilt to make her stay. That wouldn’t be fair to any of them.
“Everything has been chaotic since Reece and I met.” And Hannah was sorely afraid that what he felt for her was a mixture of sexual attraction and a sense of responsibility and nothing more. How could it be love? They barely knew one another.
But she had deep feelings for him, so why couldn’t he feel the same about her too? A part of her was afraid to believe it was real.
She wanted to. God, how she wanted to. All she’d ever wanted was a home and someone to love, someone who loved her. She wanted to be able to live freely and not always have to watch what she said or did.
Did she truly love Reece or did she love what he could offer her? He could give her the home and family she’d always yearned for, the freedom to be herself. There was no denying she was physically attracted to him, but was that love? Or was it because she could be herself in the bedroom too, not having to worry about giving herself away in a vulnerable moment? There was so much to think about, so much to consider.
“For what it’s worth,” Rina told her, “I hope you do stay. I once thought half-breeds were weak. That’s how I was raised.” She glanced at her husband. “Then I met Sage and everything changed. You could have a good life here.”
Reece and his brother strolled over. “Everything okay here?” Reece asked.
Hannah nodded. “Everything is fine.”
He frowned like he didn’t quite believe her.
“Food is ready,” Gator called. “Come and get it.”
Wolf in her Soul: Salvation Pack, Book 8 Page 23