Forbidden Shadows (Lee County Wolves Book 7)

Chapter 9

Clare finished sending off a text and then sighed. She leaned against the counter in the kitchen, trying to figure out what in the hell she was going to do. She needed her damn car. The urgent text she had just gotten had her in a panic. She couldn’t ask anyone to take her where she needed to go. Glancing over at Jamie, who was finishing the prep for the next morning, she straightened and then glanced around the kitchen.

“Hey, do you mind if I go ahead and take off?” Clare had finished everything she had to do but always stayed to help lock up. Tonight, she couldn’t.

“Sure.” Jamie glanced over her shoulder. “Is everything okay?”

“Actually, no.” Clare frowned, glancing back at her phone. “I need to borrow a car.”

“I thought Malcolm was taking you home.” Jamie turned completely around to face her.

“Oh, he told you that?” Clare asked, getting that warm tingling flutter in her stomach.

Jamie grinned without answering. “My brother is a good man.”

Clare frowned. “I never said he wasn’t, remember?”

“I do,” Jamie wiped her hands off on her apron. “But I know you’ve heard…things. He did what he had to do.”

Clare understood that more than Jamie knew. “We all have to do that at some point in our lives,” Clare responded with a shrug. “Doesn’t make us a bad person. Malcolm has been nothing but nice to me. I don’t listen much to gossip. Been on the receiving end of it myself.”

“Good to know,” Jamie said, then tossed Clare a set of keys. “The tank is full. Keep it and bring it back in the morning.”

“Really?” Clare caught the keys, feeling relieved. She hadn’t wanted to bother Roxy about using her car.

“Yep.” Jamie gave her a nod. “I’ll have Malcolm take me home. He’ll be thrilled.”

Clare went to grab her bag but stopped and looked at Jamie. “You live across the street.”

“I know.” Jamie laughed with a shrug. “I just love irritating my brother. Plus, you know how protective these men are.”

“It must be nice.” Clare sighed and slipped her bag over her shoulder.

“What must be nice?” Jamie started scrubbing down the sink but stopped to look at her.

“Having a brother…someone who cares that much,” Clare said, feeling an ache of loneliness overwhelm her. “Never take that for granted.” She didn’t wait to hear what Jamie’s response was to that. She was afraid any more discussions along these lines would have her blubbering like an idiot. Right now, she had a job to do, and she needed to have her wits about her.

The weather was turning warmer, and the days were getting longer, but the chill in the air still took her breath away. She was a summer girl and couldn’t wait for warmer nights. It was a little past dusk as she opened the door to walk outside but stopped at the sight before her.

Dell, Garrett, and Hunter walked toward her with a tall and very handsome stranger between them. Seeing motion in her peripheral vision, she glanced to see Malcolm walking toward them, wiping his hands on a shop towel.

“Clare,” Dell said with a nod.

“Dell,” Clare said back, looking away from Malcolm. Her gaze flicked toward the stranger before landing on Dell.

“This man is looking for someone and thinks you can help him,” Dell replied, watching her closely, as did everyone present.

Shit. She had to think fast. “I’m sorry, but there is no one left inside.” She said quickly, then stepped out of the way. “You’re welcome to look.”

“I was told that a woman named Clare helped my sister.” The man said, not falling for her little distraction trick. “I tracked you here.”

“You tracked me?” Clare frowned, trying to figure out how to avoid being exposed for what she had been doing. “Listen, I don’t know who you think you…tracked, but it wasn’t me. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have business to take care of.”

Clare tried to pass the men, but the stranger blocked her path. Hunter interjected himself between them. “Before there’s a serious ass-kicking, maybe you should start over by telling Clare exactly what you told us.”

Feeling sweat bead across her forehead, Clare did her best to look unaffected, but in truth, she knew exactly what this man was going to say. What she didn’t know was if this man was really who he said he was. The world she had involved herself in was messy and dangerous. If she screwed up, not only would her life be in danger, but others as well.

“I haven’t heard from Tammy, and her phone has been turned off,” The man said, his eyes watching her closely. “I know she and my nephew are in danger. I’m here to help her.”

Clare had to admit the man sounded truly worried, but she still had to be careful. She had been lied to in the past, and people’s lives depended on her to be vigilant with information. Glancing away from the man, she looked at Hunter, who was also watching her closely. Her gaze then landed on Malcolm before going to Dell. They were all waiting for her to answer.

“How do I know you are who you say you are?” Clare turned her attention back to the man.

The man sighed in relief as he pushed his hair out of his eyes. He was very handsome with rugged looks—tall, dark-haired, and a little wild-looking. “Do you have a way to reach her?”

Clare didn’t offer an answer but continued to stare at him. She wasn’t giving any information to this man until she was absolutely sure he was who he said he was.

He sighed again, but this time in irritation. “If I can talk to her, she will tell you herself that I am, in fact, her brother.”

After thinking about that for a minute, she gave him a nod and headed back inside. Hearing footsteps behind her, she stopped and turned. “Wait here,” she said with a frown, then disappeared inside.

Jamie was turning out the lights but stopped when she saw Clare. “I thought you left. Are you back already?” Jamie asked, then glanced out the window to see all the men standing outside. “What’s going on?”

“I, ah, need to make a phone call,” Clare replied, pulling out her phone. “I can lock up.”

“Sure.” Jamie nodded, then frowned after taking one more look outside. “Don’t tell me Roxy set you up on another blind date?”

Clare shook her head. “God, no. That ship has sailed and sunk.”

Before she could say anything else, the door opened as Malcolm walked inside, his eyes going straight to her. “Are you in some kind of trouble?”

The question surprised her, and she didn’t know how to answer. It would be from the Foster brothers and Dell if she were in trouble. Her hesitation to reply wasn’t lost on Jamie or Malcolm.

“Who is that, Clare?” Jamie looked back out the window and then to Clare.

“That’s what I’m about to find out,” Clare said. She unlocked her phone, found the number, then put it to her ear, letting it ring twice before hanging up and calling right back. She knew Jamie and Malcolm were confused, but that was the least of her worries at the moment.

“Clare?” A scared voice whispered over the line.

“Yes,” Clare said as she walked further away from Malcolm and Jamie, forgetting they had heightened hearing since they were both Shifters.

“Are you still coming?” The fear and uncertainty in the girl’s voice made Clare want to hit something, but she kept her own tone calm. “It’s not going to be long before he finds me. He always finds me.”

“Of course I am, but…,” Clare informed her, then paused. She was trying not to set off alarm bells. This girl who reached out for help had already been through so much, and she didn’t want to add stress to the situation.

“What?” She whispered, her voice trembling. “You’re scaring me.”

“I’m sorry.” Clare sighed, then mouthed the word shit before noticing Malcolm watching her closely. “Do you have a brother?”

“Why? Is someone there looking for me?” Her voice turned frantic, and Clare could hear her moving stuff around as if getting ready to flee.

“Tammy, no one knows where you are. I promise no one is going to hurt you.” Clare did her best to calm the girl down.

“I’m sorry.” Her voice calmed down somewhat, but she still heard movement.

“Do not leave there, Tammy,” Clare warned her. “I can’t protect you if I don’t know where you are.”

Clare glanced toward Jamie and Malcolm, who were staring at her with huge frowns. She realized her secret was about to be revealed since she knew they were overhearing her conversation. Once again, she looked away to focus on the most important situation, which was Tammy and her son.

“There is a man here claiming to be your brother,” Clare informed her, trying her best to keep Tammy calm. “Do you have a brother?”

“Yes,” Tammy whispered, and Clare heard her swallow hard in fear.

“And what is your relationship with your brother?” Clare was not usually a patient person, but when dealing with women who had been abused in one form or another, she had the patience of a saint.

“Brock,” Tammy whispered. “I have a brother named Brock, but I haven’t seen or talked to him in a while. But that was because of my ex. Not because we had issues.”

“So, if this is indeed your brother, you trust him?” Clare wanted to clarify so no mistakes were made.

“Yes.” Tammy broke down, and her hiccups of tears rang over the phone, tearing at Clare’s heart.

“What does he look like?” Clare headed toward the front, passing Malcolm, who was watching her closely. She glanced out the window but stayed far enough away that they couldn’t see her looking. “I have to make sure it’s your brother before I give him any information.”

“He’s tall, with black hair and brown eyes like mine,” Tammy whispered, her voice trembling. “It used to be long, but he could have cut it.”

Clare frowned, seeing that the description fit, but she still wasn’t convinced. “What does your ex look like?” She hated bringing up the bastard, but she had to be sure. Clare, fortunately, never had the displeasure of meeting the asshole. She had to make sure this wasn’t a trick to find Tammy.

“Tall, black hair and brown eyes.” Tammy’s voice shook as she relayed that information.

“Dammit. Okay, is there anything that would identify him as your brother, Tammy?” Clare backed away from the window. “Scars, maybe? Any tattoos? I don’t even want you talking to this person until I am sure he is who he says he is.”

She watched through the window as Dell, Hunter, Marcus, and Garrett talked to the man. He seemed at ease, but his eyes kept going toward the door as if waiting for her to reappear. She hoped this was, in fact, Tammy’s brother who was willing to help.

“Yes, he has a tattoo on his back.” Tammy sounded hesitant to give more detail.

“Tammy, many people have tattoos,” Clare replied, then demanded more information. “What is the tattoo?”

She hesitated before answering. “It’s of a wolf coming out of the forest with the words Wolfe County Nightwalkers above it.”

Dread jolted the pit of her stomach as Tammy’s description sunk in. Her eyes went to Malcolm, who was still frowning at her, his eyes now narrowed. “You’re a Shifter.” It wasn’t a question but a fact.

“I didn’t think you would help me if you knew.” Tammy”s voice shook uncontrollably. “I’ve been turned away from women’s shelters before. I’m sorry, Clare.”

Things just got a lot more complicated, if that was at all possible. “I would have helped you, Tammy,” she whispered into the phone, her gaze never leaving Malcolm”s. She knew he had heard everything. “See if he has the tattoo.”

Malcolm gave her a nod before turning and walking out the door. She hurried over to where Jamie stood and watched out the window. She couldn’t really hear what was being said, but Tammy’s brother looked in their direction, then took off his shirt and turned around. Sure enough, just as Tammy described it, was the tattoo.

“Ask her if the whole pack has the same tattoo, same location,” Jamie whispered, still staring at the man’s back.

“No,” Tammy answered, indicating she heard Jamie without Clare repeating the question. “Only the pack leader.”

Jamie’s eyes widened as she now stared at Clare. “Damn, and here I thought trouble only found me.”

Clare frowned with a curse as all male eyes looked her way. “Stay where you are, Tammy. Don’t open the door for anyone unless it’s me. We will be there after I get my ass chewed.”

“I didn’t mean to cause you problems.” Tammy sniffed.

“You didn’t,” Clare reassured her. “I did that all on my own.” Clare hung up after once more telling her not to open the door and stay where she was. Glancing at Jamie, who continued to stare at her, she sighed. “Guess I need to face the consequences.”

Jamie’s face had an odd look as she continued to stare at Clare. She finally spoke. “You won’t face it alone,” Jamie said, then moved, giving her a tight hug. “Every woman who has faced abuse needs a Clare.”

Needing this contact and understanding after facing the horrendous things she had seen about the women she helped, Clare tightened her hug. Her eyes opened slowly. When the door opened, her gaze met Malcolm’s, followed by the rest of the men.

Pulling away from Jamie, she looked directly at the man. “Your sister is safe for now, Brock,” Clare said, then looked down at her phone before handing it to him. “I gave her a burner phone so I could contact her. I will take you to her as soon as you talk to her. Let it ring twice, then hang up and call right back. She won’t answer it otherwise.”

“Thank you,” Brock said with a nod. Then turned and walked across the small diner to talk privately.

“So, this is what you do on your so-called vacations?” Marcus frowned, looking at her as if seeing her for the first time.

“Who the hell are you?” Hunter looked at her the same way. “A burner phone? Where did you learn that from?”

Clare didn’t answer. Instead, she looked first at Garrett and then at Dell. “I didn’t know she was a Shifter, not that it would have mattered. I would have helped her anyway.”

“We will talk about this later.” Dell finally responded, not looking happy at all, not that she could blame him.

Nodding, Clare glanced at Jamie, who was glaring at Dell, and then she looked at Malcolm, who stood watching her closely. After living among the Shifter community, she knew the rules. As a human, she broke the most important rule. Involving herself in Shifter business and possibly bringing danger to their community. Though she meant what she said to Dell. Even if she had known, she still would have helped Tammy and her son, Shifter, or human; it made no difference to her. She only saw a woman in need with nowhere to turn. If that got her kicked out of the community, it would have been worth it to her, as scary and sad as that would be for her. Once again, her eyes caught Malcolm’s, and for the first time ever, she wanted to run into someone’s arms, and that frightened her more than anything.