Patrick's Heart (2 page)

If Evan knew about Patrick, he must be okay with the fact. He’d seen him transform with his own eyes the same as her. Maybe being a werewolf wasn’t as sinister as Hollywood made it out to be.
Oh my God, I had sex with a wolf.
Too many thoughts flitted in her head. She was going into shock.

“Calm down,” he said, his voice soothing. She realized she was leaning over the dashboard, her chest heaving. The car felt like it was closing in on her. Her reality was fractured, and she just wanted to wake up from a bad dream.

She turned to look at Evan. Were his eyes glowing, too? She was nervous and suspicious of everything. Then the horrible possibility entered her mind—what if Evan was a wolf? What if Garret’s entire crew were wolves? How far did this secret spread? She started to fit the pieces together. Talk of packs and territory came to memory.

Cassidy swallowed hard. Should she be afraid of Evan? They’d made love not long ago, had a monumental breakthrough in their relationship. Or was he just protecting Patrick?

“You’re afraid,” he said.

“How would you know that? I thought only animals could sense fear—like dogs…and wolves.”

He chuckled, bringing down her hackles slightly. “You’ve got a death grip on the chair and you look like you’ve seen a ghost.”

Maybe she was jumping to conclusions. Evan seemed as normal as ever, not scary or threatening. It was Patrick who was the issue, and he’d always been more aloof than the others. She had to believe that to save her sanity. Otherwise, she’d be truly on her own in Climax, nowhere to turn.

They pulled into an alcove where Evan cut the engine. He got out of the car, slamming the door shut, and came to retrieve her. He held her by the hand, leading her away into the darkness. Was Evan going to eat her? Was the man in the back alive and well?

“Where are we going now?” she asked as he tugged her along. “What about that man?”

“He’ll wake up as good as new. But I don’t want him associating my little stunt with Garret or Gregor Mining, so we’ll go the rest of the way by foot.”

“Rest of the way where?”

“We’re going to the cottage until things settle down.”

She always preferred their cabin as it was larger and more comfortable. Garret’s hideaway in the woods was four walls and a woodstove, nothing more. It was also the place where she’d first seen the red wolf. Or was it actually Patrick all along?

When she began to complain about her feet hurting, Evan whisked her effortlessly into his arms and carried her the rest of the way. She couldn’t understand how he could traipse through the forest in his bare feet without getting jabbed or poked at least once. Perhaps he was just too man enough to complain.

Cassidy couldn’t even see her hand in front of her face. She wrapped her arms around his neck, resting her head on his shoulder.
Please be human,
she thought. All her life she’d sought a place to call her own. Cassidy thought she’d found her happily ever after in Climax with her five miners. It seemed too good to be true…maybe it was. But right now she felt safe in his arms.

“I’ll get a fire going,” Evan said after setting her on her feet. She reached out and felt the rough wooden planks of the little cottage. At least she was somewhere familiar, not on Corbin’s land with the pack of bloodthirsty wolves. Her chest tightened as she thought of the other three men. If they really were just flesh-and-blood men, how could they ever survive when up against wolves? But they’d done the same thing before, hadn’t they? Her men had saved her when Corbin led her into the forest behind the diner. There were wolves present then, giving her time to get away from her captors.

She sat on the cold, wooden floorboards, her back against the corner of the cabin. When the fire flickered to life, she was thankful for her returned sight. Evan was crouched low, adding logs to the growing flames. She watched the muscles in his back flex as he moved, such a perfect specimen of a man.

“Are you a wolf, too?” she asked, daring to break the silence. Her voice echoed slightly, startling her.

He closed the whiny iron door to the fireplace and rose to his feet. Evan was the tallest and most heavily muscled of all the men. He would be intimidating if she didn’t love him so much.

Evan took the few steps to where she’d folded herself into the corner. He sat down next to her, resting a hand on her bent knee. “Do I look like a wolf?”

“Not now. But Patrick didn’t look like one either.”

“I’m a man. What you see is me, Cassidy. I’m not an illusion or trick.” He reached out and ran his fingers through her hair. “And I love you.”

She briefly closed her eyes, savoring the words, and wishing they were enough. “What about Patrick?”

“I think Garret should tell you.”

Cassidy pushed his hand away, perturbed with his unwillingness to explain things to her. She needed answers, deserved answers. “I thought we’d been through this. You don’t need to get Garret’s permission for everything you do. You have a mind of your own, Evan.”

“What exactly do you want to know?”

“Everything! I feel like there’s this whole world around me that I don’t even know exists. I’m like this freak show walking around blindfolded while everyone can see with perfect clarity.” She recalled how she never felt fully in the loop, always questioning their actions. “What
are
you?”

“The same man you fell in love with.” He leaned over her, nuzzling her neck. The scent of his skin was like an aphrodisiac. She wasn’t sure how she could think about sex under such dire circumstances, but she managed.

“Stop it. If you really care so much, you’ll be honest with me. Patrick, he…he turned into a…into a
wolf
.”

He took a deep breath and exhaled as he pulled away from her. The single word appeared to dampen his spirit. Evan ran a heavy hand through his blond hair. The shadows created by the dancing flames highlighted the sharp planes of his face. He was devastatingly handsome, no less now that she questioned his humanity.

“What you saw was real.”

She froze. To actually hear him confirm what she witnessed was real was both gratifying and terrifying. “Patrick’s a wolf-man?” she whispered.

He choked on his words, the hint of a laugh disguised in his cough. “Well, not exactly.”

“Can he change back or is he stuck like that…as the red wolf?”

“Come here.” Evan coaxed her over until she was between his legs, her back to his chest. He soothed her, running his fingers up and down her arm. “Have you never heard of Native legends?”

“I suppose.”

He stroked her hair. “You know there are many Native reservations around Climax. They tell stories of Skinwalkers, men who can change into animal form.”

“Those are stories,” she said, fighting to avoid what she knew was the truth. It would be so much easier to live in blissful denial.

“Most stories and legends are based in fact—”

The door to the cabin burst open like a hurricane had blown through, the loud crack of wood startling her. Patrick stood in the doorway wearing a pair of worn blue jeans. His face was stoic, his eyes trained on her alone. Her breath caught in her throat. Her mind still had difficulty processing what she’d seen earlier. Standing in front of her was the Patrick she’d always known. Her natural reaction was to run to him, to throw herself in his arms and seek his affection. Now she didn’t know what the future held.

“Am I a monster to you now?” he asked, his voice deep and gruff.

She couldn’t speak. Cassidy was frozen in place, unsure if she should be afraid of him or not.

“Where’s the rest of the pack?” asked Evan.

“They’re coming. I came ahead of them, ran nonstop to get here as fast as I could.”

The firelight shone in his eyes. He ran a hand over his arm, her eyes darting to the intricate black tattoos along his skin. Did those ancient markings tell a tale of his birthright, his true identity? Patrick stepped closer—slow, measured steps.

“Stay away from me,” she said without thought. Cassidy curled up into Evan’s arms, seeking safety and security.

Patrick tilted his head as he crouched directly in front of her. “Are you afraid of me, little human? Do you think I’ll actually hurt you?”

She nodded.

He frowned, his lips pursed for a moment. Then Patrick grabbed her wrist before she could pull it away. He wasn’t gentle as he rose to his feet, yanking her up with him.

“Evan…”

“He won’t help you now. You’re coming with me.”

She struggled to stay with Evan, wondering why he hadn’t moved to help her. No matter how hard she fought or dug her heels against the floor, it was like a pebble up against a mountain. Patrick’s strength and determination were incomparable to hers.

He hoisted her up over his shoulder, smacking her bare ass for good measure. His body felt hot against her stomach.

“Evan!”

“Quiet down. You’ll wake the wolves,” he said as he carried her to the open entrance. He kicked the door closed behind them, the darkness of night suffocating her. She wriggled, trying to free herself, even calling for Evan. He continued to ignore her as Patrick trudged deep into the woods. She could hear the leafy undergrowth parting, the odd branch brushing along her bare back.

As hard as she tried to look around, it was too dark with the thick forest canopy obscuring the glow of the moon. She held on to the back of his jeans in fear of falling.

After traveling deep into the forest, he finally set her down, only to pin her against an old-growth tree. A small break in the branches above allowed for some natural light to filter to her level. The lacy network of leaves allowed her to see a fractured image of Patrick.

He bent down and tried to kiss her, not yet saying a word. She avoided his lips, turning her head in distaste. In truth, the scent and warmth of his skin tempted her to touch him, to see for herself if he was still the man she remembered.

“Kiss me,” he said.

She refused, keeping her head to the side. What she wanted was to live in her idyllic ignorance. It was so much easier than facing the bitter reality ahead of her.

“What’s the matter, little one? You didn’t mind all those times I made you come with my tongue. Now you can’t stand the sight of me?”

“I don’t know you,” she said. “I thought I did, but obviously I don’t.”

Cassidy wasn’t sure what to say, feel, or do. If she said the wrong thing, would he become enraged and shift into an animal capable of tearing her apart?

Patrick always got the short end of the stick. He’d volunteered to be the one to challenge the Rockford wolves so that Cassidy didn’t have to witness the entire pack shift at once. Now she fucking hated him.

She’d developed a close relationship with the other members of his pack, but he kept holding back. He could lose her…or himself. Garret hadn’t officially marked her, which was part of the reason they were in this situation in the first place. If his alpha really expected to claim the human girl, he should have transitioned her into their world long ago.

Now Patrick was the monster. She still sidled up to Evan, so he obviously hadn’t manned up to the truth. Patrick was stuck explaining everything, and he’d never been good with words. Cassidy was naked, smelled sweet, and his territorial nature was off the charts. The more she pulled away from him, the more his wolf demanded he stake his claim.

“I know you remember me,” he said. “My wolf remembers
you
.” He ran the backs of his fingers along her jawline, savoring the soft femininity of her skin.

She cringed every time he touched her.

“I’ll never hurt you, if that’s what you’re afraid of.”

He tilted her chin up so she’d have to meet his gaze. Patrick knew his eyes would have a slightly inhuman glow, even in his human form.

“I remember,” she whispered.

“Do you remember running your hands through my wolf’s fur? Were you afraid then?”

She shook her head, still looking in his eyes.

“He likes you. A lot. He claws within me all the time, demanding I keep you close, keep you safe.”

“He?”

Patrick smiled. “My wolf. He lives inside me, only allowed to be free when I shift forms. And know that he’d never harm you, not a hair.”

When a tear slipped from her eye, he felt a sense of deep-seated relief. She didn’t hate him. She was just distraught.

“I don’t know what to think.”

“You have to allow yourself to accept things you were taught are fiction. That’s not easy to do.”

“Does everyone know?”

All her lovers were shape-shifters. He closed his eyes for a moment, wondering how to break the news to her, and if it would be too much for her naïve mind to handle. “It’s a carefully guarded secret. Only my closest friends know the truth.”

“I should have known this was too good to be true,” she said.

“What was?”

“That five amazing men would actually fall in love with a nobody like me. I’ve never had a place I belonged…until I came to Climax. Now I don’t know anything.”