6. Callum #3
I laugh, because that’s a fucking understatement.
“Fuck you,” he grumbles, but his lips twitch before he sighs again. “Morgan asked me where we get our money from.”
Not what I was expecting him to say, although I’m not surprised it’s come up, only that it’s taken Morgan this long to ask. Maybe he didn’t want to know the answer. “What did you tell him?”
He blows out a breath, and I know then that whatever he told Morgan, it wasn’t the truth. Well, not all of it anyway. “I said we have the garage in town.”
“And what did he say to that?”
“Nothing. Just glared at me.”
I laugh, picturing it. Morgan isn’t stupid. He lives here now, sees the amount of food it takes to keep a shifter pack fed. The garage turns a profit, but nowhere near enough to support all the people we have here or fund our monthly rescue efforts. “You’re going to have to tell him eventually.”
“Yeah, I know.”
“He’s pack now, Lynx. He asked for it, you didn’t force him.
He knew we had secrets when he took your bite.
You’re not going to scare him away by telling him what they are.
” If anything, I think it’ll bring them closer, if that’s even possible for fated mates.
“Mates shouldn’t have secrets anyway,” I add, fully expecting the low growl I get for that comment.
“I’ll tell him.”
“Make it soon. There’s too much going on for you to be worried about this.” I think about Morgan and Ash and the fuckload of secrets between those two. “Maybe encourage Morgan to share some of his own while you’re at it.”
“You think he should tell Ash about us?”
I draw my knees up, resting my arms over them while I consider it.
“Under normal circumstances I’d say no.” Keeping our secret is what keeps us alive and able to live where we do with the freedom we have.
“But protecting Ash would be so much easier if he knew about the real dangers out there.” And I’m tired of pretending I can’t scent Ash’s emotions when we’re together.
That I can’t hear him when he thinks he’s talking to someone in confidence.
It feels . . . wrong.
Lynx looks at me, really looks, and I let him, because there’s nothing for him to find. Doesn’t stop him raising an eyebrow. “You sure that’s all it is?”
I scoff. “You think there’s another reason?”
“You tell me.”
“Look, you know I don’t usually give a shit about humans, but Ash is Morgan’s, and so by association, he’s also ours.
” I’m not lying, even if it’s not everything.
“It’ll be hard enough for him to accept the truth when he eventually discovers that we’re not human.
That his best friend isn’t human. It’ll be better for everyone if that happens sooner rather than later. ”
Lynx sits with that for a while, the silence that settles between us allowing my mind to drift. Annoyingly, it comes right back around to Ash.
I’ve never had a human stand up to me like that before.
Especially one who’s already injured. Most people either give us a wide berth when we’re in town or are overly friendly.
But Ash stood there with his arm in a brace, the scent of fear clinging to him, demanding answers from someone who could easily overpower him.
All because his family might be in danger.
Brave and loyal.
Two traits that have always been my weakness.
And he smelt so fucking good.
I roll my eyes.
His room reeked of sex.
All things considered, he’s lucky I didn’t toss him on that bed and fuck him already. I know he wanted it. Could smell that too.
Nope.
Still not going there.
Which is another reason for Morgan to tell him already. Any attraction he feels for me will disappear the second he knows what we are.
And that’ll be better for everyone involved.
I give Lynx a nudge—he’s had long enough to come to a decision.
He groans. “I’ll talk to him.”
“Good.” I rise to my feet, tugging my T-shirt off as I do, finally giving in to the pull of the moon and the forest. The rest of my clothes follow, and I’m dimly aware of Lynx speaking to me, but it’s background noise.
My mind is already lost to the primal need rising inside me as I give in and let my wolf take over.
Pain whites out my vision for one bone-shattering moment and I embrace it willingly, desperate for the clarity that follows. Free from the trappings of human emotions, stripped back to the base instincts of the wild animal inside me.
Throwing my head back, I howl long and loud, letting go of all my frustrations, at least for a little while. I’m not surprised when there’s an answering howl from behind me. Lynx never likes his pack to run alone. But I am surprised by the three that follow his.
I shouldn’t be.
I turn to see Lynx’s huge black wolf stalking towards me, closely followed by Flint and Mal, with Jet’s sleek black jaguar bringing up the rear.
The five of us have been together a long time. By now we know what each other needs, even if the individual concerned doesn’t. Apparently, what I need tonight is to run wild with my closest friends, my pack, my brothers.