Chapter 13
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
GARRETT
My hulking cousin blocks the damn door to his house, keeping me from entering, though I suspect that’s unintentional.
He rushed our conversation, the bond with Tess clearly distracting him.
Whether that was because of Angel or something else, I can’t even guess.
I only know what I saw; Tess leading Angel away while Damien raged at me.
I punch Damien in his shoulder. “Move already.”
“You really don’t want to push me right now, Garrett.”
“If I could push you, I wouldn’t be punching you in the back. You’re blocking the door.”
“It’s my door.”
“Good for you. Move.”
One growl later, Damien twists his body enough for me to squeeze past.
“Garrett?” I’ve never heard Angel’s voice so high-pitched, but the way she runs to me puts me and my wolf on guard.
“What’s wrong?” I ask as she throws herself into my arms, not something I usually mind, but she’ll give Damien the wrong impression about us and I’m still in the veritable doghouse with him.
“Nothing.” She pats my chest and backs out of my embrace as if she realized how hugging me wouldn’t help either of us. “I didn’t mean to scare you.”
“Go ahead,” Tess calls from the kitchen. “Tell Garrett the truth. Damien walked in and you and your wolf would have bolted if you’d had a clear path past him.”
“That’s not true,” Angel says loud enough for all. “Not fully.”
Tess reaches the sitting area with a tray in her hands. A tea kettle and four cups. “What part did I get wrong?”
“I would have happily gone through a window… had one been open.”
Damien finally steps aside, giving Angel a way out. “I don’t need any more broken windows. They’re expensive to replace and Langdon’s been on my case about not having enough money in the budget.”
Tess hands Angel a tea cup on a saucer, even though she’s standing at the door with me. I lean into Angel and whisper, “Tess makes it hard to leave.”
“I noticed. I thought I’d be to the border by now.”
My wolf sits up, shocked by her words. Though I shouldn’t be, not after the introduction she had to the pack. “I have to apologize, Angel. The way I brought you here… I fucked up everything. What happened out there, shouldn’t have happened.”
Instead of answering, she sips the tea, her eyes watching Damien closely. I’m not even sure she heard me.
Tess sets the tray on the coffee table and sits, Damien taking a seat beside her.
The moment he pulls her in against him and kisses her temple the tension leaves her body.
Tess’s hand rests on his thigh, her thumb gliding back and forth.
Neither speaks, but they don’t need to. The bond enables them to comfort one another, provide that sense of security and belonging I wish I could give Angel.
But we’re not mates. We’re not anything to one another really.
It took me a while to convince Damien of that.
The way he’s glaring at me, I’m guessing he still thinks I let Angel charm me into doing her bidding.
“Garrett, close the door and sit already. You’re making me nervous,” Tess says.
I offer Angel my hand. “It won’t hurt to talk for a few minutes, if you’re okay with that, Damien.”
Damien cocks a brow at me. He’s not talking, which isn’t entirely unusual for him, especially when Tess is around, but his glare eases slightly. Tess’s doing, no doubt.
Angel slides her hand in mine and squeezes. Hard. For a brief moment I wonder how long I’ll have her in my future. Her every glance at the door is like a knife to my abdomen.
“Thank you both for the tea, but I’d like to get Angel settled.”
Tess glances at her mate, as if she’s waiting for him to ask us to stay. But Damien’s still not talking. Probably because I’m here and he’s not over how I left against orders.
“It’s been a long few days. I for one could use a shower. And my bed.”
“I can walk her to a women’s cabin later,” Tess offers. “Or Garrett’s cabin, if that’s what you two already agreed on.”
I’m not leaving Angel here with Damien in the house. He’d never hurt her, but she doesn’t know that. The first gruff comment from him, she’ll freeze up. Or charge through a window, open or not.
“We hadn’t gotten that far. It’s one of the things we need to discuss.”
“Drop by any time, Lina,” Tess says. “I’m always happy to talk with you. And if you need a guide to show you around, I’m available for that too.”
“Yes, thank you for… talking with me, Tess.” She smiles to Tess, then nods at Damien. “Alpha.”
“Just call him Damien.” Tess’s hand rubs Damien’s knee. “We’re rather informal here.”
The second I open the door, Angel bolts out into the compound and then pitches forward, hands braced on her knees as her breaths come in sharp, short bursts.
I rub small circles on her back, standing there, staring down anyone who dares look our way.
There’s not a lot of privacy in a pack this size, especially in the middle of the main compound.
“All you’re doing is giving the shifters here a fabulous view of your ass in those tight jeans.”
She smacks my leg. “Don’t do that?”
“What? Stare at your backside or comment on others doing so?”
“Distracting me while I’m having a panic attack makes it harder to, well… panic.”
“That’s the point.”
“Except I need to get it out of my system.”
“Running’s good for that. We could strip here, go for a run, then get back in time for dinner at the cookhouse.”
“I’m exhausted, Garrett. I just want to sleep.”
“In that case, let me show you to the women’s cabin.”
“Wait, you mean I’m not going with you, to your place?”
“What makes you think I don’t live in a cabin with other unmated males?”
“You’re too solitary for that.”
I am. But I’m surprised she picked up on that.
Angel stands tall, her breathing normal again as she turns a full 360, taking in the buildings and shifters. “Nope, I’m not staying here.”
“I’m betting it’s not all that different from your pack—”
She punches me again, this time in the belly. “That’s for angering the alpha because of me.”
May a hunter strike me with a bullet between my eyes, this female packs a punch! I can barely breathe. “Damien wasn’t going to see things objectively given how mad he was at me. Which meant another tactic.”
When her fist flies again, I catch it. “I’m not a punching bag.”
“I followed you in the storm without any hesitation because you’re all I had. Now that we’re at your pack, you’re trying to get rid of me.”
“I’m just putting you where you’ll be comfortable. Other females to talk with, ask questions, get whatever you need. They’ll help you.”
“You don’t get it, do you? You’re my anchor, Garrett. Not just in the storm. Here, too. I’m sure there are a lot of nice shifters in your pack, but I don’t know them and they don’t know me. You can’t just drop me now.”
“You can come find me anytime you want.” I point to the path between the cookhouse and the hill that leads down to the lake. “You’ll pick up my scent easily enough. Not many shifters live out my way. They prefer to be closer in, among pack, where it’s safer. I figured you’d want the same.”
“I’ll be safer with you.”
“No you won’t. Besides, I only have one bed and that’s a complication neither of us needs.”
“We’ve been sleeping together for three nights now.”
“Side by side, for warmth. That’s not sleeping together.
” I take her face in my hands, and fuck, I’m tempted to give in, especially when those blue eyes glass over.
“Hey, I promise, you’ll be safe here. No one will touch you, including Damien.
He agreed to keep his distance, give you the chance to acclimate. ”
“I don’t want to acclimate.”
“What do you want?” When she doesn’t answer, I take hold of her chin so she doesn’t look away. “You need to rest and heal. In more than body. Your spirit needs more than I can give, Angel. Trust me, this is the best place for you.”
Ten feet to my right, a female clears her throat.
“That’s Kiera, one of your cabin mates. She’ll get you everything you need.”
With cautious eyes, Angel quickly scans the female that’s roughly her age. At least, I think they’re similar in age.
Angel’s pretty pink lips part, then quickly close. She says nothing, but I see her displeasure in her eyes.
Fuck me, I didn’t handle this well, and it’s too late.
I kiss her forehead and linger a second too long before turning my back on her, leaving her in Kiera’s trusted hands.
That’s when my wolf starts clawing the fuck out of me.