by Amber Lynn
“Yeah, I figured it might be, but I’m trying to come up with something to get him to leave us alone.”
“That’d be another thing I’ve never heard of happening. Even if he decided he didn’t want me and it was okay for you and me to play house, how long do you think you’d last before you’d really be banging Katie, or some other girl who was good at keeping a secret?”
“I’ll be the first to admit I really enjoyed our sex life before things happened, but that wasn’t all we had. I felt like I could share everything with you, which I suppose is why it hurt so much when I found out you were hiding who you were from me.”
He was being evasive when it came to the actual question. As virile as he’d been when we were still happily sharing a bed, it was hard to believe he hadn’t picked up someone on the side.
“We had a great relationship, but as you just mentioned, part of it was based on lies. I couldn’t tell someone who ran one of the most populous states that werewolves are real. You’d have locked me up before we even finished our first date.”
“You could’ve proven me wrong before I made any calls. Plus, I wasn’t the governor back then. I was only running for the office.”
He had me there. I still didn’t think I would’ve done anything different. The only thing I regretted was going for a run when a supercharged alpha wolf was around.
“We can’t change the past, as much as I hate it. We can only look forward and do what we can to raise our girls so they grow up to be strong women.”
“With a mother like you, I don’t think that’s going to be too hard. I know you said you wanted to run errands, and it looks like that’s something you want to do soon, but I thought of something new. If werewolves don’t consider a marriage between one of them and a human valid, is there any reason for us to get divorced? From what I’m piecing together, the piece of paper that ties us together was never something they took seriously.”
Without having spoken longer with my mate, I wasn’t really sure what he thought our relationship would be. I knew some wolves went through the human ceremony, but my parents never had.
“If that’s what you want, I can see if he’ll allow it. He said something about you and me being over, but I don’t know if he meant a divorce or just that we couldn’t try to rework our relationship”
“Of course that’s what I want. If it helps, I can pretend there’s something between Katie and me for his benefit. I’ll make sure clothes stay on, because I’m not trying to piss you off this time.”
“I still think you’re better off making whatever is between the two of you legit, but I’ll ask him about the divorce when he shows up again. I think I’m going to get dressed and head down to the station. I did want to ask if I’m the reason you decided not to run for a second term. Your constituents aren’t going to be happy when you finally make that news public.”
“You evidently haven’t been reading the paper lately. I already announced I was going to be a one-term governor. There’s all sorts of speculation that I’ve been diagnosed with an incurable disease. I’m still trying to decide if I should act like there’s something wrong.”
“You’re above the sympathy card, Paul, and that’s the second question you’ve avoided. Am I right in thinking you’re quitting because of me?”
He shrugged. “There aren’t a lot of woods around here, and I know you and the girls need them. I was planning on moving us upstate where you could be what you are without having to worry about prying eyes.”
I felt like a jerk. I’d screwed things up with the perfect man for me.
“You’re not going to like it, but you deserve someone so much better than me. I don’t understand how after everything, you still want to be with me.”
“Probably for the same reason you broke all the rules and ended up with me in the first place. We were meant to be together. I suppose some people would disagree with that, but it’s my reality.”
It had turned into a fantasy, but I understood what he’d said. I’d thought the same thing when he’d started pursuing me. I wished I had a time machine to go back and make things right. I wasn’t sure what I’d change to do that, but there had to be something.
“I’m going to go get dressed and head out for a while. I shouldn’t be more than a couple hours.”
“You’ve still got a lot of clothes here. Go ahead and change while I go check on the girls. And don’t worry about how long you’re gone. Get the answers you need, so we can figure out what we’re going to do.”
Paul walked out of the room and left me to think about what questions I had to ask to get the answers I wanted. Once I thought of that, I had to figure out exactly what it was that I did want.
Chapter Seven
I didn’t waste time taking a shower. The nice thing about having straight long hair was that it was easy to pull it back and be on your way. I threw on some jeans and a shirt, found a pair of shoes to quickly slip on, and was ready to go.
I wasn’t dressing to get noticed, which was status quo for how I normally tried to dress. It never failed that eyes followed me everywhere I went, though. I’d always thought that only happened when there was more than one werewolf, but as I’d separated from the others in my pack, I found there were still people watching my every move.
I hated it, and often mentioned it to men I caught ogling a little too long. I’d made sure the engagement ring Paul had bought me wasn’t too gaudy, but it was clear I was married. While driving to the precinct, I looked down at the ring, wondering what it would be like to not wear it.
In the grand scheme of things, I hadn’t been wearing it that long, but I was used to its weight. It symbolized my attempt at having a normal life, and I really wasn’t ready for that to be over. Divorcing Paul on my terms, would’ve still been a normal life. Having a big alpha male come in and tell me I was going to do what he wanted wasn’t.
The particular alpha male causing havoc in my life was following me. I couldn’t see him, but I felt him move as I did. I was hoping he would for the simple fact I was afraid Paul would get himself killed while I was gone.
As I pulled into a parking spot behind the building, I felt him stop moving. If he was that close, I should’ve been able to see him, and the fact that I couldn’t only downgraded my overall mood. Not seeing anyone staring at me, I walked around the block to the front of the building.
I could feel Jack was there, which was good news, because I didn’t want to have to track him down at his house. The police station wasn’t exactly neutral ground, but it was as close as we were going to get. I hadn’t felt any other wolves the previous times I’d been there, so I didn’t feel like I’d be ambushed.
Having the man following me around put numbers against me, but I still hoped I could deal with him. Thinking over our conversation, I had to admit he’d been more than reasonable. My life was pretty much screwed, but at least he hadn’t immediately killed anyone.
I walked into the police station with that on my mind. There was only one person waiting and a receptionist. I didn’t know either of them, and pausing to acknowledge they existed wasn’t on my agenda.
“Hey, you can’t go back there,” the woman who’d been sitting behind the desk said.
She’d gotten up to try to stop me. I glanced over at her, hoping my eyes hadn’t turned gold. She took one look at my face and started to backpedal.
“I have business with Detective Connell. I’m sure he’s expecting me.”
I didn’t need to divulge that information, but I did anyway to ensure she wasn’t going to hit some button to alert everyone there was a maniac on the loose. Having to fight my way through people was another thing not on my agenda.
I continued walking, knowing everyone in the room was following my movements with their eyes. I instantly connected my eyes with Jack’s and wished I had the ability to slap him from across the room. He didn’t bother getting up, rather he just sat there with his feet up on his desk and an evil smirk plastered across h
is face.
I detoured from my path to go to the interrogation room I’d been in before. Baring my fangs in front of his coworkers would’ve been a bad move on my part, and I didn’t think I could hide them for long. We were going to be lucky if he didn’t need to show off his super-healing powers.
If witnesses weren’t everywhere I looked, there would’ve been no hesitation on my part to tear into my brother a little. We’d butted heads many times in the past, but I’d never wanted to take a piece of flesh as much as I did right then from Jack. I had plenty of blame to put on myself for how messed up things were in my life, but he hadn’t helped.
I walked over to the camera, not caring if anyone had an issue with me adjusting it to make sure it wasn’t recording. Whoever got to watch the last glimpse before blackness more than likely saw striking gold eyes. I doubted I was lucky enough that it was black and white.
“I don’t think they like when civilians do that,” Jack said as he joined me. The door shut quietly behind him.
“I’m pretty sure they’ll just think I’m a lover you’ve scorned, who has a few words they want to say in private.”
I expected him to laugh at my claim, and I wasn’t disappointed. He shook his head as he made his way closer to the table.
“I doubt that. Every precinct within fifty miles was shown a picture of you yesterday when the governor was trying to track you down.”
“You mean he didn’t just sniff me out?” My sarcasm was laced with venom.
I stared at Jack, while he stared right back at me. He’d lost his smirk, which managed to keep him in one piece. I hated that he looked the same way he always did. He had to go to the barber every week to keep his inky hair from growing even a centimeter.
“If only he could. Rest assured he was only requesting protection detail, not informing everyone his wife ran out on him. I know how much keeping up human appearances means to you.”
Jack leaned against the table, arms crossed as he faced me. Even what he was wearing looked like it hadn’t changed. A crisp white shirt paired with pressed black slacks was exactly what he’d worn the last time we’d faced off.
“Is that why you’ve been feeding him all sorts of lies about how to bring the spark back in our relationship? What right do you have to interfere in my life?”
“You wouldn’t agree with my answer to that, so why don’t we move on to why you’re here. I’ve heard rumors you had an interesting day yesterday.”
“Interesting probably covers it. What do you know about him? I assume you’ve had a few conversations over the years.”
“The bigger question is what has he told you? I’d hate to step on his toes by revealing something he wasn’t ready for you to hear.”
I didn’t bother keeping the growl that escaped my lips quiet. I hated when someone answered one of my questions with a question.
“He’s told me nothing, even after I asked numerous questions. I don’t really want to know about him, I’d just like to figure out how much of a threat he is to my family.”
“I guess that would depend on who you consider family. If you’re going to claim that no good man you married is a part of your family, then I’m going to have to say Vik is a pretty big threat. I’m not sure how he’s managed to not kill him, but I don’t think that’s going to last much longer.”
I took three steps forward and stopped. I’d been pissed enough at Jack for enough hours that it was dangerous for me to get within arms’ reach.
“That man you hate so much is the father of my children. He’s a part of my life whether you, or anyone else, likes it. You’re lucky I’ve decided to use words instead of beating the crap out of you for what you’ve been up to over the past few years. How could you tell him about what we are?”
Jack shook his head. Just like I hadn’t tried to hide any of my anger, he didn’t bother concealing his disappointment.
“And that’s my biggest sin in your eyes? Telling your human playmate that you were a monster underneath all that well-moisturized skin.”
“It’s up there, but we both know that’s not your biggest sin. I just wanted to understand how Mr. ‘Humans-can-never-know-about-us’ could be one of the first of us to tell a human.”
I was sure there were others who had shared the secret over the years. I doubted that they’d done it with as much malice as Jack had; it was hard to believe he was my own flesh and blood.
Looking at him, I hated that the evidence of our familial ties was so apparent. I didn’t understand how others couldn’t see we were related. We’d both changed a little over the years, but I still saw the same look in his eyes that I did every morning when I looked in the mirror.
“As far as telling him goes, my initial hope was that he’d freak out and need to be dealt with. I didn’t expect him to accept you’re a hairy beast.”
“We’ve lived together long enough that he’s seen how hairy my legs can get when I decide not to shave for a few days, Jack. Telling him I sometimes like to run around as a wolf probably didn’t come as a surprise.”
I acted as nonchalant as I could, but hearing that my brother had hoped to kill my husband made the hair on my neck stand up. The chances of me making it out of the room without turning into a monster were becoming dim.
“I will say I was surprised by how much he actually loves you. That doesn’t change the fact that he’s an idiot, or that your marriage has been doomed since the last time you were here, but I’ll give him credit for showing you proper respect.”
“Really? Like the respect you told him to have for our marriage? What was going through your mind when you realized I hadn’t attacked him for his infidelity?”
Jack chuckled, low, almost growl-like, deep in the back of his throat. He walked over to the plain, but sturdy table, and leaned up against it on the side closest to me. As sturdy as the table looked, it wouldn’t have lasted in the room if we’d gone at it. It could’ve been made of solid concrete, and it would’ve been dust.
“I tried to figure out if I could convince someone from the pack to step in and seduce him, since I didn’t think the human he’d picked was a big enough threat.”
“Are we seriously related? I have to believe I was adopted, because I’ve never shown even an inkling of your stupidity. As I’m sure he probably already told you, he never slept with his assistant, just pretended because you told him to.”
Jack nodded, a very slight movement of his head to verify he already knew where Paul had drawn the line. “Hence me mentioning how much he loves you. He was adamant from the beginning that he’d never cheat on you, and I did my best to explain it was for the best.”
“Was he here by that point?” I didn’t know the general time table, nor did I want to, but I was curious whether the man had anything to do with Jack’s advice.
“For some reason he isn’t as spiteful as I am when it comes to your husband, which is why the governor remains alive. Are you able to use words other than pronouns when it comes to your mate? I don’t believe I’ve heard you say his name.”
“And you won’t anytime soon. I’m still trying to decide what moves I have. Now that I know Paul knows, and he’s already declared he’ll do anything to make sure he stays in my life, I think there are some options I’ve never considered.”
The options I implied more than likely weren’t real options, but I knew they’d make Jack mad, so I was all for discussing them. I watched as his eyes quickly flashed gold, before he got his emotions under control.
“You’re still thinking about denying Vik? Are you freaking insane? The man has been more than reasonable as far as you’re concerned. You’ve been raising his child with another man and he hasn’t once tried to take her from you.”
Before he could go on with the rant it sounded like he very well could’ve rehearsed, I stopped him.
“And that right there should cause concern for everyone involved. What kind of wolf sits back and watches his mate and child without stepping in? We both know he’
s an alpha, so there’s got to be something wrong with him.”
“He seems to have reasons for his actions that make sense to him, and that’s good enough for me. You brought up options running through your head, can you try to explain to me what you’ve always felt was wrong with the life the rest of us live? As far back as I can remember you’ve hated being a werewolf.”
Jack was three years younger than me, so his earliest memories were probably from the time I was six. Being the younger sibling, and a male, Jack didn’t have to go through the same upbringing I did. Evidently no one had been nice enough to clue him in over the years.
“You don’t want to tell me more about him, and I don’t want to tell you more about that. What I need to figure out is what exactly he is. You skirted by the part where I implied there was something up with him. As someone who’s my blood, and clearly has always wanted what’s best for me, can you honestly say there isn’t something I should worry about when it comes to that man spending time with my children?”
The girls were a packaged deal that came along with an overprotective mother, who was ready and able to severely maim anyone who didn’t like that fact. I wasn’t sure how much involvement he wanted in Selina’s life, but he’d shown interest in her.
“Why won’t anyone tell me about what really drove you away from us? Our father informed me five years ago that if I asked him one more time, he’d disown me. I’d only asked him twice, and he used the tone he does when you know he’s serious.”
Jack didn’t magically morph into the little brother I used to pal around with, but I felt in his words that he was trying to connect with the me I was back then.
“I’m starting to think it’s impossible for either of us to ask a question that will be answered. Since you aren’t going to answer my original questions, I suppose that means I have to go find him and talk things out. Right now, knowing Paul is safe is what I need to focus on.”