Howl My Name (BBW Paranormal Shapeshifter Romance) (Grayslake Book 5) (6 page)

“Compared to you, they’re sane.”

Reid grunted. “True enough.”

“All right, anything else you need?”

Evie lifted her head, attention flitting around the room until her gaze landed on him. “Nope, I got everything else right here.”

Evelyn didn’t have to see Reid to know where he stood or when he moved through the house without saying a word. She sensed his retreat to Patrick’s office and then heard the heavy thud of his boots as he reappeared and drew closer to the small cluster of women. And when the females went quiet, not even a whisper escaping their lips, she knew he was close.

A quick glance over her shoulder revealed she was right. He stood at her back, over six feet of heavy muscle and foreboding fewer than eight feet from them. He was frightening yet calming to Evelyn, her bear wary but interested in the massive male. She’d seen so much in the last weeks, witnessed so much violence, the mere thoughts had bile rising in her throat.

Yet knowing—witnessing—Reid’s destruction didn’t sicken her and she didn’t know why.

Or rather, she did, she just didn’t want to accept the truth. Was it a truth, though? His kiss rocked her to her core and her bear craved him like a fresh steak. That could be appreciation, a thankfulness that came from being saved. Was it more? Was it less?

Did she care? Did she care that she clung to him out of obligation and appreciation? That she wasn’t sure she could even
breathe
with him out of sight. She’d been fine—
fine
—when he’d gone hunting, but his touch, that kiss, changed something. It twisted and turned and now—

“Evelyn.” There was no question there. No rise in his voice that came with asking for someone’s attention. It was flat. As if he expected her attention as his due.

And… her bear said he had every right. That they wanted him to demand control, take it. She slowly turned, unwilling to frighten the females in her haste to face him. Yet another quirk she’d never experienced. The hurry, the rush of desire to meet his gaze. “Yes?”

Reid jerked his head toward the back of the house and then turned to leave. No question. A demand.

Katherine clung to her hand, claw-tipped fingers digging into her skin and she gently extracted herself. She didn’t wince with the sting as those nails sliced into her flesh. Katherine had more to worry about—the child growing inside her—than a few scratches on the dead Itan’s daughter.

“Wait,” the woman whimpered.

“I’ll be right back,” Evelyn gave her a small smile, trying to comfort her with the expression.

“No, you don’t understand. I heard people talking. You don’t know who he is,” Katherine whispered the words as if she expected to be harmed for saying them aloud. “Wait.”

Evelyn stopped trying to get away and paused, laying her palm atop Katherine’s stiff hand. She met the female’s gaze, imbuing the look with comfort and strength. “He’s the one who saved Simone from our father. He’s the one who saved the clan from my uncles. He’s the one who will hunt Ezekiel and free us all. That’s all I need to know.”

“He’s crazy,” Katherine hissed.

“We’re all a little crazy. Some hide it well; others don’t bother.” With that, she eased from the woman’s hold and flicked her attention to Simone. They were a team now, two sisters against the crazy world they found themselves in. Things were different, unknown and unsteady, and they only had each other. Unless… She looked to the back of the den. Unless they had Reid as well.

Whispers followed her, but she ignored them in favor of walking in Reid’s wake. She exchanged nods with a couple of the bears, their names forgotten, but she was sure she’d hear them once more. For now, she needed to focus on one particular wolf.

It was easy to find him, to scent his path to the back door and beyond into the yard. She spotted him leaning against the massive oak that threw shade across half the house, one foot flat on the ground and the other planted on the trunk.

He looked at ease in the world around him, but something teased her bear, niggled her mind and told her he was anything but relaxed. He was on edge, conscious of his surroundings and gaze flicking through the area as she approached. His wolf thrummed just beneath the surface and Evelyn’s werebear reacted to his unease. It reared onto its back legs, lumbering forward and anxious to face a new threat.

“Reid?” What did he see? What did he feel?

Reid met her gaze and like a candle’s flame, his emotions were locked down. The unease vanished between one breath and the next as if it’d never existed. His feelings were gone, leaving a blank mask in their place.

He extended his arm, hand open and fingers beckoning her. “C’mere.”

Another order, not a question.

For some reason, Evelyn couldn’t deny him and she padded forward, placing her hand in his and allowing herself to be drawn to him. He tugged until she was at his side, snuggled beneath his arm in a firm embrace. When he lowered his head, nose in her hair, and drew in a deep breath, that hold tightened further until she could hardly breathe. A rumbling growl soon followed, the sound skating over her nerves and the hair on her arms raised to goose bumps. They were a signal, a sign that his anger wasn’t frustration but something more. Something harder and deeper and… frightening.

She’d told Katherine they were all crazy and that was the truth. What she didn’t reveal was that she was sure Reid’s insanity ran much deeper than what he revealed to the world.

It was deep, dark, deadly, and dirty. It reveled in blood and seemed to crave death. She’d seen a hint of it in the basement and heard the whispers of her father’s passing.

There was more to Reid Bennett than a burning need to right the horrible wrongs.

“Who?” he rasped. She tilted her head back to meet his eyes. They were full amber though she was slowly becoming used to seeing his wolf so close to the surface. She’d only seen his natural brown once, when he spoke to Simone. As if he knew the amber frightened her little sister. “Who did it?”

“Did what?” And then his thumb skated over one of the small wounds, rough pad of his finger jarring the scrape. “Oh, that.”

“That,” he snapped. “Who was it? Who do I have—”

To kill. She knew the end of his sentence even if he cut it off.

“I’m fine.”

“Bleeding is not fine. You bleeding is
never
fine.” His touch roughened with each beat of his heart and every deep inhale. The more of her blood he scented, the more of his wolf stepped forward.

“Reid?” she whispered his name, hoping to break him out of his fixation on her wrist. She slipped from beneath his arm and placed her free hand on his cheek, urging him to meet her gaze. “Reid.”

It was an order. He liked to give them often enough, she could issue one of her own. A movement to their right snared her attention for a moment and she met Asher’s worried gaze. She shook her head in a short, gentle move, hoping to warn him off without Reid catching her, but she was unsuccessful.

With a snarl he released her, nudging her back in a fluid move as he spun and placed himself between her and Asher. “Get away from her.” One flex had his wolf showing himself; claws out, fur coating his exposed skin and the snap of bone told her other parts of him adopted the animal as well. “Now.”

Asher lifted his hands, palms out in a show of surrender. “I’m just checking on her, man. Katherine said you were looking pissed and—”

“I don’t need you out here acting like a talking leash trying to keep me in line,” he snarled, the sound booming through the air.

The bear didn’t even wince or counter Reid’s statement.

“You know what I’m here for, man.”

A rumbling growl was Reid’s only reply. The sound rolling in a gentle promise of pain and blood. But she wasn’t afraid. Not like she’d been with her uncles. Theirs were deeper, darker, twisted, and perverted and they made her quake in her fur. Reid was worse than them. She knew it, felt it, but… it didn’t scare her.

No, she hurt for him, for the distrust that followed him. She understood the looks now, the flickering hints of worry on the bears’ faces that disappeared as quickly as they arrived.

They worked for Reid, listened to him, but didn’t trust him.

“Reid,” she whispered and stepped forward, pressing her front to his back. “Reid.” She laid her hands on his shirt-covered back, fingers splayed on his shoulders. “Reid.” She slid her palms to his arms, sliding them over his fur-covered muscles. “Reid.” She let them wander down his biceps and to his forearms. “Reid.” She encircled his wrists with her fingers. “Reid.” She continued her journey and placed her fingers atop his, matching her small hand to his. “Reid.” One last move, one last press of his hand as she forced his hands into fists and laid her cheek on the center of his back. “
Reid
.”

The massive wolf shuddered, his chest expanding with a deep breath and then contracting in a slow exhale. With the action came a retreat of his fur, his muscles slowly decreasing and the carved lines gradually softening as the wolf’s large form softened to his human shape. He carefully pulled his fists free of hers and just as gently encouraged her to wrap her arms around his waist. His fingers were petal soft when he stroked her skin and then his husky voice drifted through the air. The rumble vibrated through her as he spoke and she absorbed every word.

“Never, ever try to come between us. Never,
ever
approach me when I am holding her.
Never, ever
test me in such a way again because I cannot guarantee she could keep me from killing you.”

Asher’s swallow was audible, not even the birds daring to counter Reid. “I understand.”

The bear’s steps were quiet as he retreated, leaving them alone, and neither moved while the silence descended. Reid carefully turned, shifting until her chest was flush with his. Then he hugged her, thick arms encircling her in a gentle hug—a move that contrasted with the wolf’s air of danger and violence and she didn’t think many saw this side of him.

“Don’t do that again,” he rumbled and she let his voice sink into her.

“What?” she whispered.

“Try to stop me.”

“Why?” She would always save him, even from himself.

“Because I can’t guarantee I won’t kill you.”

Shit, he wished he had a smoke. Just one. Hell, he wouldn’t even have to light it up. Simply hold it and think and try to figure out his fuck up.

I can’t guarantee I won’t kill you.

It was the truth, but he probably should have said it a little nicer. Or… not said it at all. Clary would have urged him to work through his emotions and shit and do some anger cleansing exercises. Then she would have taken away… something. Or prescribed yoga. He hated yoga.

Gutting Asher was exercise. He’d enjoy it. Unlike yoga.

Had he mentioned he hated yoga?

Instead of gutting Asher, he sat on the front porch not smoking or drinking coffee because Clary was a bitch, while waiting for Terrence’s guys to make their appearance. He didn’t expect them for a while—around lunchtime and the sun was only rising above the mountains—but sat outside anyway. He wouldn’t admit he was hiding from Evie. Had been since yesterday. He didn’t want to see her disgust or fear after their confrontation with Asher.

He wished he could apologize for what he said, claim the words were nothing more than anger fueling his actions and he wouldn’t really hurt her. He wished he could make that promise, but history told him there was no way he could make that vow. Not when he was pretty sure he’d break it if shoved too hard. He shied from those memories, from the time he was pushed and he pushed back.

He settled on the top step, watching the day break while keeping his eyes on the tree line. Around five, he’d sent three males into the forest to hunt for Ezekiel—hoping the male came back to search for their weaknesses—and none had called in with good news. Ezekiel had vanished and not a peep was heard. Didn’t bother Reid, though. Zeke would turn up and that was when Reid would take him down. Quick and easy. Hopefully bloody.

Then… then he didn’t know what he’d do. He knew what he wanted, but wanting and getting were two different things. In Reid’s world they never coincided. Didn’t mean he wouldn’t hope he’d get his way this time around. Mainly because he wasn’t sure he could walk away if Terrence decided Reid was needed elsewhere and gave the clan to another.

Terrence giveth and taketh away. A bit sacrilegious, but Terrence was god to this corner of the U.S.

The first clue a newcomer came near was the soft patter of feet on wood inside the house. Then the low squeak of the front door and the groan of the screen’s hinges. That patter picked up on the porch and didn’t stop until she stood beside him.
She
.

Reid recognized each sound, cataloged it, but it was her scent that truly had him acknowledging her presence. He tilted his head back, exposing his throat to her in a move that surprised him. Anyone else and he’d roll to his feet to meet them eye to eye. With her? He made himself vulnerable, he told her without words that his life was in her hands and she could end it if she desired.

“Hi.”
Smooth, Reid, smooth
.

“Hi,” her voice was soft and questioning. Uneasy, unsure and… unacceptable.

The wolf growled and grumbled at her tone, forcing him to take action. Part of him knew he should drive her away, hurt her, and make her run from him. The other part, the part ruled by the animal and its base desires, told him to draw her close and destroy any that threatened their… mating.

Mate. The word flooded his blood. Mate. The word filled his heart. Mate. The word resonated in his soul and he was forced to accept it.

Mine
wasn’t an abstract concept, it was a bone deep truth and he couldn’t avoid the realization any longer.

She belonged to him and he’d defend that ownership until death.

And he knew she felt the same. At least somewhat. Some part of her had to see she belonged to him as well.

Yet… she was a half-shifter. Something he knew from her scent and his talk with Terrence. If her feelings didn’t match his, he’d make sure they did eventually through whatever means necessary short of hurting her.