Chapter 4 – Bryant
Chapter Four
Bryant
It takes a lot of coaxing, but I finally get her to stand up. Collecting her things, I tuck them under my arm and hit my feet.
“Can you lead the way?” I ask, nodding toward the direction it seems like she was headed before Flint attacked her.
I wish I knew her name, but for now, I’ll address her as little wolf.
She’s nowhere close to the size of a male shifter, but she is past maturity. To be in the club, she would have to be at least twenty-one.
God, even the thought gives me indigestion. I’m fairly sure I have jeans that are older than that. I’m a creature of habit. I like what I like, and I don’t change just because something new comes out.
She shakes out her fur and takes off, continually looking over her shoulder to make sure I’m following her. It’s tempting to pick her up, but that would be awkward.
My wolf fights for control. He wants to be released to run at her side. With the crazy-ass thoughts he’s had all night since spotting her in the club, that won’t be happening.
It’s less than a five-minute walk, but while I was distracted, we made a loop of some kind. We’re right back where we started.
I frown, squatting down at her side. “Are you afraid to let me know where you live?”
Her head tilts away from mine, and she huffs.
“Okay, fair enough. How about you come to my hotel with me? I’ll get you a change of clothes, and you can be on your way.
” My wolf wants to brush my fingers over her soft fur, but I fight the urge and stand.
“Well, this isn’t the easiest way to have a conversation, but I suppose you’ll follow or you won’t. ”
I called it a hotel, but I believe it’s actually a motel. The rooms are all accessible from outdoor corridors. Either way, the wolf follows me up the stairs and sits at my side as I fish out my room key. The door lock clicks, and I step inside, holding the door open for her.
The female wolf bounds inside with her nose to the carpet. She sniffs around, her tail flicking from side to side, and my wolf fights me for control.
That’s not happening.
It’s been entirely too many years since he’s been around an unclaimed female wolf, and he’s never shown interest in a member of our species in the way he’s obsessed with her.
You’d think you’d be more interested in getting to know our mate. He projects the thought in my mind.
My entire world tilts as I let the hinge pull the door closed.
Are you sure? I ask my wolf.
If you don’t believe me, get a whiff of her scent when she transforms back, he growls.
I swipe a hand over my face, walk to the table, drop her belongings, and move to my suitcase to grab her something to wear. By the time I check on the wolf, she’s on the bed, pawing at the comforter.
Great.
She’s not house-trained.
I’m never going to get my deposit back for this room.
My wolf once again tries his luck at knocking me out of the driver’s seat. Unfortunately for him, we shift regularly. He doesn’t have the strength to take over unless I cede control.
You’re being a dick. Let me take over, he demands. It’s not worth the risk you might ruin things between us. If that happens, I’ll never forgive you.
Shit.
He’s really convinced that woman is our mate. The other half of our soul that we’ve waited over two-thousand years to find. I long ago gave up hope of ever finding our mate, but he held out hope with an optimism that can be grating at times.
I might like to think of my beast as separate from myself, but the truth is, we’re one in the same. We have differences of opinion and preferences on how to do something, but ultimately, he’s an extension of me in the same way I’m an extension of him.
If he’s sure this wolf is our other half, I’m certainly not going to fuck it up out of spite. That would be like shooting myself in the foot just to see if I bleed. Nothing good could come of it.
I drop the sweats and T-shirt on the nightstand, climbing onto the bed at her side.
“This would be so much easier if I knew your name.” I knee-walk closer, and the wolf’s head whips up as she turns until we’re face-to-face.
Those shocking reddish-orange eyes of hers meet mine, and I’m just as blown away by them.
“Gods, you are beautiful. What has you agitated? Huh, little wolf? What’s bothering you, sweet girl? ”
Extending my arm, I keep my hand steady. If I show fear, she’ll never respect me. If we were both shifted, she’d have no chance against my wolf, but with me being in human form, she could do some real damage if she wanted to.
Just like we could never hurt her, she could never truly injure us. The connection would never allow it, my wolf says, sounding haughty as fuck.
I dig my fingers into the soft fur on the side of her jaw. She really is fluffy. Her ears twitch as I scratch down her neck, and I chuckle.
“My wolf is jealous. No one ever gives him scratches,” I tell her, keeping my eyes locked on hers.
She squirms the longer I maintain eye contact, and after a few seconds, she lies down on her stomach, closing her eyes.
“I can’t turn off the dominance in my gaze.
I wasn’t trying to intimidate you.” I scratch between her ears and move to run my fingers along her jaw.
She doesn’t open her eyes, but her tail does flick from side to side. It feels like she’s acknowledging my words. Though what I really want is for her to shift so I can scent her in human form.
My nostrils flare as I try to get a strong hit of her scent. I’m baffled that I can’t tell with the same level of sureness that my wolf is experiencing.
“You’re not a full-blooded wolf. Are you?” I scoot back so I can dip my face to hers. There’s something there. I felt drawn to watch her as she worked, but I assumed that was my wolf’s obsession bleeding through into my actions. “What are you mixed with?”
She’s not keen on giving any answers, and I’m not sure pushing is the right call. She’s already retreated into her wolf. If she remains anxious, it might be quite some time until her beast hands over control. It’s a built-in protective instinct.
“You’re free to shift back at any time,” I tell her.
“That command was only directed at Flint and his men.” She continues to ignore me, so I pat her head a final time.
“All right. I’m going to get out of my boots and stretch out next to you.
You’re welcome to stay for as long as you’d like.
I put a set of clothes on the nightstand for you. ”
I get out of my boots and pull my belt out of the loops on my pants, tossing it over the chair at the small table.
It’s tempting to remove my shirt and jeans before climbing into bed, but I’m not trying to traumatize the poor woman.
After what she went through with Flint, it’s more important to account for her comfort than it is for me to worry about my own.
I make sure the door is locked and turn back, appraising the bed. She’s lying at an angle across the mattress.
I don’t want to ask her to move, but she can’t be on the side closest to the door.
Maybe that’s old-fashioned.
Either way, I won’t be able to rest unless I’m between her and the breach point. I’m the first line of defense if Flint should decide to try his luck at attacking me again tonight.
I highly doubt he would go that route so quickly. The man prefers to let his enforcers do his dirty work, and the ones he brought with him will be down for a few days as they heal from the wolfsbane.
Striding over to the edge of the bed, I flick off the bedside lamp that’s been on since I left to head to the club earlier and kneel on the edge of the mattress.
“Move over for me, little wolf,” I murmur, keeping my voice low to avoid scaring her.
The wolf stands and does a circle.
I chuckle as I pull the comforter back and stretch out on the bed.
She climbs up by the pillows, and I take the opportunity to tug the blanket down on her side as well.
That way, if she shifts back in her sleep, she’ll have some coverage.
Her nails dig into the cheap fabric of the pillowcase as she stands next to my head.
“Come on. Lie down. You’ll feel better after you get some rest.”
She huffs and walks down the mattress before spinning in a circle again. She sniffs and follows her nose to my side. Her warm breath puffs through my T-shirt, and I have the overwhelming urge to comfort her.
So I do.
Even though it’s weird and out of line, I bring my hand to her head, running my fingers through her fur.
She lies down, resting her head on my chest.
I can’t help myself.
A goofy smile breaks out on my face as I brush the backs of my fingers over her snout.
Up and down.
Over and over again, even though I know it’s considered taboo to pet a shifted wolf.
That doesn’t apply to mates, and you know it. My wolf sure is smug, but even he can’t ruin the moment.
Her tail swishes, proving she likes my touch, so I don’t let myself feel guilty for being unable to stop touching her.
“I am sorry that you got caught in my mess,” I murmur. “Flint and his men never should have touched you…” She clearly can’t reply, and despite my fondness for silence, I can’t make my mouth stop moving.
I ramble way longer than I probably should, and according to her even breathing, I bore the shewolf to sleep.
At some point, I must fall asleep too.
The door lock clicks, and I sit straight up in bed. The light, silvery blue magic that spills around the doorframe doesn’t belong to Flint or any of his guys. Not unless he hired a witch or another magic-wielding species to attack me.
I toss the blanket back and spring from the bed, ready to defend myself and the female wolf against whatever attacker might be on the other side of the door.