Tyson was a lost cause and a killer.
Jack was a manipulative bastard and a killer.
Sadie was a baking bombshell and not a killer.
He felt it in his gut. For her to take a life, her hand had to have been forced. Beyond what he knew about her before, this moment alone showed him all he needed to know. It destroyed her. The fear, the heartache, the guilt. He knew those vintages and tasted them daily.
Tyson was enchanted by Sadie, much to his own dismay. But as she blinked up at him, clearing her too big eyes and seeing him beside her for the first time, he fell into something more with her.
Protecting her would be his redemption.
Chapter Thirteen
Lately his thoughts turned toward Jenny. Had Jack loved her? He knew she was smitten with him. He never had liked the man but there was no reasoning behind it at the time. Jenny liked him so he kept his mouth shut. Tyson chalked it up to being her big brother and head of their little family. Whenever it came to making decisions that affected more than just him, Tyson would ask himself, “Is this what dad would have done?”
He thought he had been doing right by her. Even thought he would be making his parents proud with his station inside the pack and how well he had kept Jenny safe. Now, he knew differently. They would be ashamed of him but to be fair, they would be ashamed of her too. At some point they had gotten off course and it had cost Jenny her life.
Tyson missed her. For the past 22 years, Jenny was his rock. They were closer than most siblings in the pack and fought harder than the others too. Tyson had a temper and she was stubborn. When they disagreed on something, everyone knew it and they weren’t opposed to letting them know whose side they were on. She knew all of his buttons and had pushed them regularly to “keep him on his toes,” as she called it.
When Owen came to him with suspicions of a spy. He would have never thought it would be his sweet, big eyed, loud mouthed sister. If she believed in something, she told you. Spying wasn’t her game. But just because she wasn’t the one feeding information to the rebel group Canidae, didn’t mean she wasn’t one of them. He did his job, he followed the evidence, he made judgment and he dealt out the punishment. As enforcer he was part cop, part judge, part jury. Tyson had to be able to put away his bias and his opinions and look at the problem with clear eyes.
All of it pointed to Jenny.
All but one thing.
Jack’s position as her boyfriend bothered him. He had seen the small changes in her personality when they got together. Could he sway her to join his cause? No, but he could brainwash her. Canidae was tempting for all wolves. Their stance on wolf and human relationships spoke to their natural instincts as a wolf. But times change and they had evolved. No longer did the wolf rule the body. The man now had control. It’s what kept them out of the government eye and alive.
Tyson had found very little pointing to Jack having any association as the spy but his gut told him otherwise. Something Jenny told him once stuck in his mind. She hinted at being unhappy. They hadn’t spent much time together since she had started dating Jack, which was partly his fault. He had been off to a neighboring pack acting as enforcer for them. It wasn’t a job many volunteered for and was mental and emotional hell sometimes. When he had gotten back, Jenny was quiet and subdued. Her normally exuberant personality was dampened. She didn’t say much and spoke even less of Jack. Tyson assumed they had a fight and the relationship would be over soon. Had hoped so at least. Within a few weeks all was back to normal and Jenny was hanging on Jack’s every word.
Tyson heard from Owen that when he had been away Jenny was rarely seen, and when she was, it was with Jack at her side. It made him uncomfortable but he kept his mouth closed because she was happy. But the whole time he had been pushing his thoughts and ideals onto her, punishing her when she thought for herself and rewarding her when she fell in line. His beautiful baby sister who had a wicked smile and a strong mind wasn’t there anymore. She only existed when Tyson was around to bring her back.
Jack’s interest in Sadie was grating on him. He saw through that polished exterior to the monster inside. If Tyson’s soul was broken, Jack’s was nonexistent. Meaning, at some point Tyson’s had been whole, while Jack never had one to start with. He hoped Sadie could see past the veneer but she was only human and saw what was presented to her with ribbons, bows and all.
He had come to meet her only a day ago. Jack’s car was sitting out front when he got back from stretching his legs in a run. Tyson held back into the tree line. Sadie didn’t let Jack inside and half hid behind the door. He didn’t push her. Not yet anyway. Jack was there for an introduction, nothing more and if he tried more Tyson would be ten seconds away.
When he left, Sadie searched the woods for Tyson. He could feel her eyes sweep across the perimeter. The fact that she wanted him, hell maybe even needed him, was a little unsettling. At the same time, his chest swelled with something that resembled happiness. He wasn’t one hundred percent sure that was what he was feeling since it had been so long since the last time he felt it.
Tyson had stepped from his spot into the sunlight. She seemed to be relieved and fearful all in the same breath. Good. She was too comfortable with him around. For all she knew, he was a real wolf. Werewolves didn’t exist in her tidy world. It pissed him off that Sadie was too trusting. Yeah, he had heard bits of what had happened to her but that didn’t change how he thought. She might be more cautious around new people but she invited Tyson into her life almost immediately.
Again, he wanted to change to human so he could yell at her.
That feeling was a common one as of late. Almost hourly he had the intense need to show her what he was, all the while explaining in a very loud and angry way that she needed to take better care of herself. The woman left the back door not only unlocked at night, but also open so he could come and go as needed. As much as he appreciated her thoughtfulness, he wanted to smack some sense into her. She had a stalker and yet here she is leaving her door unlocked for anyone to use.
Stupid, irresponsible, incredibly adorable woman.
The familiar sound of crunching gravel perked his ears up. In tune to his movements, Sadie also perked up. It was Jack, again. He knew it in his gut without having to see him. His wolf growled. Right there with ya, buddy. Her hands shook as she lifted herself off the couch. She relaxed a fraction and said, “it’s Jack.”
No shit.
He didn’t stop growling. It was the only way he could voice his objections. She asked him to hide, told him to go, and then begged him to be quiet. Tyson never hid, wasn’t leaving her with Jack, but he could be quiet. Behind the door, he squished his muscular build into a space that shouldn’t have been able to hold him. She laid a hand on his head and they both seemed to calm at the contact.
Jack came and talked out his ass all while calling it flirting.
Sadie, his Sadie, wouldn’t fall for empty words and a charming smile. This guy was so transparent, it’s a wonder he got any woman to date him. Her hand left his head. Wait, was she smiling? Tyson couldn’t believe it. She was flirting back, or at the very least not pushing him off the porch, telling him his attention was hopeless and he was a bastard at that. What the hell was going on?
This time when he growled she grabbed his muzzle. He looked up at her in protest. Woman! I will end you. His mental threats did nothing. Sadie’s hand didn’t leave or lessen its hold until Jack was gone. She had agreed to this date under the pretense that they would just be going as friends. Jack would never settle being just friends. He had a plan. Always had a plan. Sadie was now part of that plan.
God dammit Sadie!
“Sorry,” she told him after Jack had was out of sight.
He couldn’t be near her right now. Pissed? Yeah he was pissed. Hurt, angry, upset, scared? All the above. But what he felt most of all was betrayal.
“Fred?”
He growled.
“Fred?”
Fuck you. Jack is goin
g to get you in all sorts of trouble or worse yet, killed. But no worries, Sadie. You chose him, so it’s not on me this time.
He couldn’t look at her anymore. And what do you know? She was now scared of him too. Tyson was batting a thousand today. He knew when he needed to walk away. He never should have stayed this long to begin with. She called after him but his mind had already been made up. This was just a short sidetrack to his ultimate goal. He’d be feral soon. If he had any choice in the matter, it’d be before that date ended.
***
He was gone. He was leaving and not looking back. Right after she got home, Tyson was leaving. Or at least he was going to try to convince his wolf to leave. So far they had gotten about ten yards into the trees when he stopped. Nothing Tyson said got him moving again.
It was full dark and Sadie had left three hours earlier. Just friends my hairy ass. Tyson thought when he saw her. No one who was going to meet as “just friends” dressed up like she had with a red peasant top that was flowy but showed off her curvy breasts and skinny jeans that came to her lower calf where the sandals she wore wrapped and tied in a bow. She was like a present waiting to be unwrapped. Tyson had given it one last ditch effort to keep her from going. He pulled out the widest, glossiest, puppy dog eyes and caked it on with a small whine and downcast ears. No one resisted his sad face, not even Jenny. He didn’t bring it out for just any situation either, it had to be dire for him to slump to this level. And slump he did.
Sadie had hesitated but in the end left him on the porch for her ‘just friends’ date.
He pissed on her door once she was out of sight.
It was only fair.
When she arrived home an hour later, Tyson was beyond agitated. Although, he was pleased that it hadn’t lasted long and Sadie hadn’t invited Jack back to her place. All hell would have broken loose if she had. He chose to ignore the beaming smile on her face that glowed brighter than the headlights on her car.
She went inside without even glancing around for him. Not that he cared since he was leaving. Once he got his legs to move he was gone. God-fucking-dammit! Will you move it wolf! She’s here. She’s safe. Let’s go. That obviously wasn’t happening as he put his ass to the ground. Apparently, Sadie’s date with Jack was not as much of a problem for his wolf as it was for him.
Chapter Fourteen
He was here.
Jack was here.
Inside her house.
Sadie was inside her house.
Must protect.
Door is closed.
No hands.
Protect.
She keeps the back door open.
Wait.
He’s outside now.
I can smell him.
I can taste his scent on hers.
There.
On the porch.
The fucker is going to die if he touched her.
Tear him open for what he did to Jenny.
Kill him.
Make him suffer like I have suffered.
I’m lost without her.
Gone feral.
Finally feral.
He looks wrong.
Smaller.
Smells right though.
Smells like arrogance.
And fear.
And vanilla.
“Fred?”
And butter.
“Freddy?”
And…Sadie?
“Fred, please…”
Shit. Fuck.
What the hell did I just do?
***
Tyson almost killed her. He almost slid his teeth into her neck and almost bit down ending her life with a vicious shake of his head. He had almost felt the warm flash of blood come into his mouth. Had almost ended her like he had Jenny’s.
Broken.
There was nothing ‘whole’ about him anymore. Even his thoughts were becoming short and sporadic. He didn’t deserve this life. Good people didn’t kill their sister because pack law demanded it. Sane people didn’t attack a woman because she smelled like another man. Tyson was neither good, nor sane or worthy of any such titles. He was broken and defeated. The darkness in him had finally brimmed the top.
Sadie didn’t yell after him. He wouldn’t have stopped running even if she had. Tyson needed away from her or better yet, Sadie needed away from him. He attacked her once, he might do it again. It was hard to tell anymore how he would react to anything, to anyone. It had been foolish and senseless for him to be there. Tyson was unstable, but yet, somehow had convinced himself he could protect this woman when in all actuality it was him who she needed protection from.
Was Jack even guilty in all this?
Had Tyson, unwilling to believe the facts, clung to the desperate hope that it was someone else other than his baby sister acting against the pack? Jack had nothing against him other than Tyson’s gut suspicions. His gut had been wrong about Jenny, maybe he was wrong about Jack too.
Was he the real monster?
Yes.
There were no options for him. Options indicated that he had a choice about his future. Just as there were no options, there was no choice. There was nothing but leaving. He had to go. That was clearer now than ever before. Harm came to those he cared for. Harm of his own doing.
This was the push into the void he needed. The last of his humanity would eventually dry up, and because of this, it would be considerably faster than expected. Tyson welcomed it. Anything to suppress the guilt that ate at him. It chewed on his conscious like a dog with a bone. The only solution lay in front of him. Forest, trees, mountain, wilderness. Going forward meant leaving what was left of his human side behind.
Tyson didn’t look back as the house disappeared through the trees. He looked forward to the oblivion that awaited him.
Chapter Fifteen
Courage was that special quality some had that allowed them look into the face of danger without fear. Stupidity was blindly running up to that face and prancing around, taunting the danger. As Tyson sat at the edge of the parking lot behind the dumpster, he sulked in the fact that he was far more stupid than anything else.
The last few days were a pitiful haze of anger and insanity. Tyson had pushed himself after attacking Sadie until his legs all but collapsed beneath him. For the next two days he ran until his legs were stiff, hunted and killed whatever he could sink his teeth into, and slept like the dead. With his muscles in pain from over work, he couldn’t think about much else.
But he could dream.
Each night when exhaustion took him, Tyson relived the attack. Sometimes it would morph with Jenny’s until he wasn’t sure who he was killing. Each morning he woke more exhausted than before. Each day he pushed himself further than before as punishment.
This morning he had woken to find himself in the bushes below Sadie’s bedroom window. Tyson had no memory of going back but he also didn’t remember much lately anyway. He left immediately but didn’t stray too far. Something was telling him to stick around. Instincts told him it would be worth his while. So he stayed out of sight and did his best not to look at her.
All day he stood as a centurion; solid, strong, focused on his duty above all else. When she left for work he had huffed out a relieved breath. But as the night weaned on, his anxiety rose. It wasn’t until he went into town—a place all wolves were taught to stay away from when in their fur—that he realized just how stupid he was. He did not belong there anymore. These were not his people. At one time they had been his friends and neighbors, now they were the strangers who would have no problem hunting him.
Sadie came out the back door a few hours later with Lee—a pack mate of his—and a kid who smelled like grease. With her in his sights, his anxiety calmed. She was unharmed. Instincts were a fickle thing sometimes and with his head in the wrong frame of mind lately, it wasn’t a surprise that he read his wrong.
Tyson stepped back further behind the dumpster. Her car was a few feet away and he had no intention of letting her see him. Once she got home, locke
d her door, and went to sleep, he would be gone. For good this time.
The crunch of a stick perked his ears up. Tyson looked from where Sadie stood talking to Lee and to where the sound had come from on the other side of her car. Jack stumbled his way around the hood, leaning his body into the car for support. He was piss ass drunk. Sadie left Lee at her car and was striding over to hers. There was no time for Tyson to do anything unless he wanted to be seen by not only Sadie but Lee too.
A small spike of fear sizzled through the air. He felt it brush over him like a shock of electricity. It was quickly followed by a short, fast intake of breath. Sadie had seen Jack. Lee must have felt her fear too because she was right beside Sadie giving her backup. Tyson allowed himself to settle. Lee wouldn’t let anything bad happen to Sadie.
“Can I talk to you?” Jack asked reaching for Sadie. Tyson doubted if he even noticed Lee standing there. He only had eyes for Sadie.
My Sadie.
“Not like this you can’t.” He wasn’t sure what to expect from her, but that had pleased him. Last time he had seen her she smelled like Jack but maybe things hadn’t gone so great on that date. Maybe…well fuck, if the date hadn’t gone well then she had been dealing with a mentally deranged wolf attacking her and a psychopath following her along with whatever other shit came up in between.
As Lee took over, Tyson faded into the darkness. Jack and him needed to have a little talk. After this was settled, he’d go for good.
Yeah, good luck with that.
Shut. Up.
Jack’s place was just at the edge of town. Because of his head start he beat Lee and Jack there, but not by much. Lee was pissed. He had known her long enough to see the signs. When she drug Jack from the passenger side of her car, her cheeks were red and her jaw clenched. He was not known for his ability to handle liquor so it didn’t surprise Tyson at all that Jack was acting like a giant douche. That quick tongue of his got a little loose when the whiskey started to pour.
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