6. Finn
Finn
I couldn’t get Reid’s words out of my mind. Not about Chester, and certainly not about the truth bomb he’d dropped before leaving me with my jaw scraping the pavement.
Humans weren’t supposed to know about supes unless they were mated to one. The only exception was if they were marked by an angel or demon, which was basically one step away from being mated.
That wasn’t to say it didn’t happen. I was certain Riley knew the truth about Danny long before he became his mate.
But he was surrounded by supes. Demons, vampires, mages, shifters—Riley had them all in his circle.
It made sense that they’d let him into their world.
It wasn’t like anyone was going to tell the former Grim Reaper, the sons of Lucifer, and Sebastian fucking LeClerc that they couldn’t do that.
Not if they wanted to keep their immortality.
What was strange about Reid was that there were no supe scents on him, let alone a mating bond. This human was walking around the world with knowledge he shouldn’t have, and I had no idea how he’d got it.
It’d only be a problem if he decided to talk. Given we hadn’t had any pitchfork wielding villagers knocking at the door, he’d kept it to himself so far.
Other supes would’ve compelled Reid before he’d made it back to the shop, but not me. I could’ve blamed that on the fact I’d been too shocked to process the information in time, but that wouldn’t be true.
I thought it was more because of Chester. If Reid was right, if Chester was still in danger, I was glad he had someone who had knowledge of the supe world. Someone who knew he could call me and I’d come running.
Which reminded me—I needed to give Reid my phone number. Even if I wasn’t going to pursue Chester, I wanted to keep him safe.
Keeping him safe wasn’t what kept me awake all night though. No, it was the other thing Reid had asked for.
“ Keep showing up. Let Chester get to know you. Show him that he can trust you. ”
Normally, I’d keep this to myself, but after Calan’s talk the other day, I’d decided maybe it was best to open up about Chester.
Not about all of it. Certainly not where we’d met or why I’d gone to his shop.
But him possibly being in danger? That I could share.
We all visited the loch near his home, and while I knew none of them would hesitate to help a human in danger, I wanted them to be vigilant.
Five minutes into doing just that and I was already regretting it. We were in my office in the clan house, and I hadn’t even got through the whole story yet. Calan was too busy fixating on our meeting in the woods.
“Are ye sure following him home was a good idea?” Calan asked, leaning back in his armchair and crossing his feet at the ankles. “Seems a bit of a creeper move to me.”
Evan, always the peacekeeper, shrugged. “Maybe he just wanted to keep the bloke safe.”
“From what?” Unlike the rest of us, Logan had chosen to sit on the desk rather than in one of the comfy armchairs.
His drink was iridescent blue today. I hadn’t bothered to comment on either the drink or his seating choice.
It’d send us off topic for several hours.
“That loch is within our territory. Finn would’ve been the scariest and most dangerous thing there that night. ”
I sighed. Why had I thought this was a good idea? Oh, right. Being open . “Look, I can’t explain it, but the guy was…scared.”
Calan narrowed his eyes. “Of ye?”
“I think so.” I thought back over our interactions and the information Reid had given me. Chester’s behaviour definitely suggested he’d been hurt in the past. “One minute he was okay, the next he was snapping at me, and then he shrank in on himself entirely.”
“Hmm.” Logan studied me as he took a long draw of his drink. “Something’s not adding up here. Walk us through the whole encounter.”
I did just that, omitting the reason for Chester’s ‘walk,’ instead making it sound like he was just out for a stroll. I didn’t get far before Logan was interrupting me.
“Hang on, you asked him why he was out in the middle of the night? What time was this exactly?”
“Around seven p.m.”
Logan wasn’t the only one who laughed, but at least Calan and Evan were polite enough to try and hide it. “You know, it’s kinda normal for people to be out walking in the evening, right? I mean, ye were. ”
“Technically I was swimming, and I’m also immortal. Pretty much, anyway.”
“He doesn’t know that. Does he?”
“Course not.” I blew out a breath. “But I get it. He was pissed off at me for asking him. Seemed to think I was telling him what to do or some bullshit.”
Calan shrugged. “Maybe that’s how it came across. Some men don’t like being told what to do, even if it’s an innocent comment.” We all turned to stare at him, and he huffed and rolled his eyes. “Aye, I’ll admit I’m one of those men.”
At least Calan was able to admit to his flaws. As our enforcer, he was great at following orders where his job was concerned.
It was in every other area of his life that he struggled. I thought the biggest reason he hadn’t found a woman to mate with was because he refused to concede even a scrap of his control. Compromise wasn’t a word in Calan’s vocabulary.
“I don’t know…” My voice trailed off as I tried to find the words to explain it. “Something about how he reacted got my guard up. After he snapped, it was like he was waiting for me to retaliate.”
That had the three of them stilling. It was Logan who spoke first. “As in, violently?”
“Maybe.” I tapped my fingers on my thigh. The more I thought about this, the more I agreed with Reid. Chester needed someone looking out for him. “Or just verbally. He wasn’t spoiling for an argument though. The opposite, in fact. It’s like he spoke his mind and was immediately fearful about it.”
Evan gave a low whistle. “If you’re right, that’s fucked up, man. Sounds like he’s been through some shit. ”
Hearing Evan agree with me made it all the more real. The thought that someone might’ve hurt such a gentle soul such as Chester had me wanting to break bones. “I want to give him a protection detail. Just until we know he’s safe.”
“Hang on—” Calan brushed a hand over his thick dark stubble. “—I feel like we’re missing the point here. Why are ye bothered about this?”
I shifted in my seat. “I’d be bothered about anyone who might be being or have been abused.”
“Yes,” Calan said slowly, studying me closely. I willed myself not to shrink under his attention. “But this is more, isn’t it? This is personal.”
Logan put his drink down beside him to clap. “Oh my god, does the unflappable Finn have a crush?”
I scrubbed my hand down my cheek, stifling a groan. This had definitely been a mistake. “No, it’s not like that. I’m just worried about the bloke. He’s no one important other than that.”
My gut twisted at the lie.
Like he could read my thoughts, Calan smirked. “Oh, not important, but important enough to bring up in a meeting?”
I glowered at him. “Technically the meeting has ended.”
I may as well have not spoken. Evan tapped his fingers on his chin mockingly as he addressed Calan. “Has Finn ever brought a human up like this before?”
“Never.” If Calan kept grinning like that, I was going to officially revoke his grumpy badge. Or punch him in the face. One of the two. “Nor a supe. Definitely not stalked anyone either, as far as I know.”
I sighed. “Are you all done?”
“Nope.” Logan hopped off the desk. “And apparently, neither are you. Live in denial with us all ye want, Finn, but don’t lie to yourself.”
This was what I got for being more open with the circle. “I’m not. I just want to make sure he’s safe.”
Logan’s smile turned dangerous. “Okay, so have Evan watch him.”
My wolf snarled at the idea. “Absolutely not.”
Evan saluted me lazily from his chair. “Thanks for the ringing endorsement, chief.”
I winced, backpedalling hastily. “I’m not saying you’re not capable, but you’re very new to this role and?—”
“So send me or Logan.” Calan folded his arms over his chest and raised a brow. “Unless there’s a reason why it has to be you specifically?”
Logan got to his feet, stretching his lithe frame out. “Sounds fun! I could do with some new eye candy seeing as none of you fuckers do anything for me.”
My fingers dug into the arms of the chair as my wolf bared his teeth at Logan. He’s baiting us.
Logan winked. “After I save him, maybe he’ll be up for some fun. God knows I’m hotter than you.”
I was on him before he finished the final word.
My arms wrapped around his waist as I tackled him.
We went crashing over an armchair and landed hard on the floor.
I put my forearm over Logan’s throat and bared my teeth at him.
My body was vibrating with the need to shift.
It’d be easier to teach him a lesson in that form, but right now, I needed my human tongue.
“Touch him and I’ll peel the fur from your bones. ”
Despite the pressure I was putting on his windpipe, Logan wheezed out a laugh. “No one important, my arse. You like the man, Finn. Just admit it.”
I growled before releasing him and getting to my feet. “ Fine. He’s attractive. He’s smart, funny, creative, and would look like fucking heaven on his knees for me. Ye happy now?”
“Happy and a little aroused.” Logan stood and dusted himself off. “What? Picturing two guys together does it for me, especially if they then decide to bring me in too. The more the merrier.”
I pinched the bridge of my nose. “Logan, how on earth did you get from me hooking up with a human to ye having a threesome?”
“Talent,” he said grandly, heading for the door. “Easy when you’re as fabulous as me. And don’t describe it as hooking up, not when you want it to be more.”
He stalked out of the door before I could respond. Fucker thrived on getting the last word.
“Well, I don’t have an issue with ye doing a protection detail,” Calan said. “Not that ye needed our permission for that.”
“True, but I didn’t want you questioning why I suddenly wasn’t around as much.”
Evan frowned. “Do you think it’ll take you long to figure out if he’s safe or not?”
“No.” My hands started to vibrate with the need to shift. Just the fact that we were discussing this had my wolf wanting to be at his side as soon as possible. “But I’m not rushing this.”
Evan’s smile was kind. “Wasn’t suggesting ye should. Just wanted to know if you needed us to pick up any slack in the meantime.”
“Thanks, Evan. I don’t think there’s anything—” I stopped abruptly as I realised there was something.
Something very important that I’d neglected to bring up.
“Actually, there is. Could ye do some digging for me? There’s a human who works at the florist for Chester. Name’s Reid. He knows what we are.”
Both Evan and Calan went tense. “As in?”
“As in he knows we’re shifters,” I answered Evan. “He’s not mated, and not carrying any other supe scents.”
“How can ye be sure?” Evan asked.
“He told me,” I said bluntly. “Said he’d keep it a secret, but…”
“But it’s suspicious, and we don’t know if he can be trusted.” Evan finished for me. “I got you. I’ll go see what I can find out.”
He was almost to the door before I called out to him. “Evan, behave. No sleeping with the human until we know he’s not a threat.”
Evan waggled his brows at Calan. “Excellent. That means he’s hot and not straight. Off I go.”
I groaned as he vanished. “What are the odds of him listening to me?”
“Slim to none,” Calan drawled. “Ye might’ve had a chance before forbidding it. Now? It’s guaranteed to happen.”
“Well, so long as it doesn’t bring any trouble to our doorstep, I can’t really complain.”
“Hmm.” Calan was studying me thoughtfully. “Did you say Chester is a florist?”
I froze. Had I? “Um, yeah.”
The smile Calan gave me was too understanding. “I’m glad ye went there, Finn. Even if this thing with Chester comes to nothing, I’m glad you’re moving on.”
I thought of the beautiful memorial Chester had created and smiled sadly. “Me too.”
I waited until the wee hours of the morning before setting off to the loch. None of the clan would’ve questioned my comings or goings, but I didn’t want anyone deciding to accompany me.
This was something I had to do on my own.
I walked the distance to the loch in my human form; the first time I’d done so in…well, I didn’t know how long. But it wasn’t like I could carry the display Chester had made me while shifted. Besides, it felt right to do it like this.
A walk to remember them. To honour their memories.
Before finally laying them to rest. For me, at least.
Each step was spent replaying our time together.The memories I’d hoarded away over the years, not letting myself revisit them. I revisited them now. I ran through each and every one, saying a silent goodbye to them at the end.
By the time I reached the loch, tears were streaming steadily down my face. Careful not to damage any of the flowers, I dropped to my knees at the water’s edge. “Goodbye, Maria. I hope wherever ye are now, you have your blankie and a never-ending supply of tablet.”
Her laughter rang in my ears as I placed the wreath on the water. “Goodbye, Sarah. I’m sorry I loved ye when I shouldn’t have, but I’m so fucking grateful to have known ye.”
I knelt on the hard ground, silently watching as the beautiful memorial floated away from me. There was no current here, but the wind pushed it along and into the distance .
I didn’t stop the tears from falling. I didn’t try to bury my feelings. No, I let myself feel it all. Each wave of love, loss, and grief. I let them wash through me and away into the night.
When the arrangement neared the middle of the loch, I got to my feet, but before I could leave, a sudden wind picked up, so strong that it caught me off guard for a second.
It roared past me, skittering over the surface of the water.
The flowers on the wreath rustled before one came loose. A dried thistle.
My supe eyes easily tracked the thistle across the loch. The wind carried it far further than it should’ve been able to. My jaw hung slack as I waited for it to drop. For it to fall into the inky depths and disappear.
But when it did land, it wasn’t in the water.
It was on the porch of Chester’s house.
Just then, his bedroom light flicked on.
The wind returned to me, shoving me once in the back before dying away completely.
I found myself chuckling and wiping away my tears. “Okay, Sarah. Message received.”