Chapter 41
CHAPTER FORTY-ONE
GARRETT
Iscent Angel before I see her. She’s done one of the less traveled trails, talking with one of the guards.
Cord. The moment she touches his forearm and laughs at something the asshole said, my wolf growls, loud enough that Cord pulls away from her, nods curtly, and takes off.
He knows the sound of a male warning another away from his female.
And given how Angel turns and glares in my direction, so does she. I’m nearing my limits. Nearly a week of constantly scenting her nearby, seeing her talking with other males, and avoiding me, could turn me feral at this rate.
She’s heading toward me, her lips open to either scold or ask me what the fuck I’m doing. That part should be clear. I’m getting in her way of whatever’s going on, when I said I wouldn’t. I’m so starved for contact with her, I don’t care how she approaches, or what she says, as long as it’s to me.
“Really, Garrett? Nothing was happening between me and Cord.”
“Seems like Cord and I are in the same boat, then.” My words come out without any thought. I close my eyes and search for calm, but my wolf’s as agitated as I am. He wants me to blood-bond her, stop avoiding what he sees as an eventuality.
I’d like nothing more than to blood-bond her, but I promised her to do whatever she needs.
“That wasn’t fair of me,” I say, resisting the urge to take her in my arms. “I just miss you, Angel.”
Her expression softens as she steps in close and caresses my cheek. “Are you saying you want me to move back in with you?”
I hesitate answering, searching for the right answer. “I think the question is what do you want?”
“Honesty.”
“Then yes, I want nothing more, but I meant what I said. I won’t stop you from leaving.
Though I will tell you—and this is me not being fair, darlin’—it will kill me to lose you.
You think I was an empty shell of a shifter when you met me?
Fuck, the old me will look like a model shifter compared to what’ll be left if I lose you. ”
Blue eyes widen. “That certainly is… honest. And a lot of pressure.”
I throw her a grin. “I said I was done playing clean.”
“I think it’s time I’m honest with you, Garrett.”
I tense. “Go on.”
“These past few days I’ve been talking to a lot of shifters I’ve never met before. Like Cord, just now. Therapy of sorts. Getting to know more of the pack. Learning who I am here. As me. Not as Garrett’s female or the shifter Garrett brought back.”
Hope’s rising within me. “Getting to know the pack is… good,” I say cautiously. “Not sure I’ve ever heard anyone call you my female, though.”
“Oh, they have. With their eyes, especially when we’re together. You just haven’t been paying attention.”
“Usually I notice people’s… expressions.” I falter for a minute, wondering how blind I’ve been around here, what else I’ve missed.
She cups my cheek. “This isn’t about you, shifter, so don’t start questioning yourself again.
It’s okay to have your guard down in your own pack.
That’s a good sign, actually. Means you trust the pack.
And that’s what I’m working on developing…
a better understanding of the shifters here.
It’s something I should have done a while back.
Anyway, I have a favor to ask. Will you show me how to find Tiberius? ”
Aside from her asshole ex, Tiberius is the last shifter I expect her to seek. “Why him?”
“I’d rather not say. I’m still working things out in my head. But it would really help.”
I don’t fully understand, but if it’s helping her, I’ll restrain myself from bashing in the head of the next male who dares touch her. Though technically, she touched Cord, not the other way around.
“Fine. I’ll stay nearby, make sure he behaves himself.”
“That’s not necessary.”
“Yes, it is.” I stretch my arm out for her to take, praying she does. I don’t know where we stand right now. Her behavior towards me reminds more of Marla…. Friends. But Angel is so much more to me. My life force, essentially. I need this female, and I don’t expect that will ever change.
When we reach the small cabin on the west side of the pack, Angel blocks my path. “I’ve got it from here.”
“Not leaving,” I say.
She bites her lower lip, then stands straighter. “Then stay here, please. I’ll feel… self-conscious if you listen in. And Tiberius might not want to talk to me if he knows you’re here.”
“Oh, he’ll know it.” I bend forward, kiss the fuck out of her, then release her lips. He’ll smell me on her for sure. “Now you can go.”
“That’s a dick move, Garrett.”
“And yet you didn’t pull away.” I’m grinning as if I won a small battle.
She rolls her eyes and slams her open palm on my chest. “Don’t move.”
I pick up her hand and kiss her palm.
“You’re incorrigible, do you know that?”
“Always go with your strengths.”
With a chuckle, she heads down the path.
I step off the path, just enough to keep the door in view. Enough to watch Tiberius open the door, scent and frown at seeing her, then cross his arms over his chest. Her body language grows tense, but she persists with whatever she’s saying.
When he steps inside and she follows, my wolf claws the hell out of me.
I don’t fucking like it either, but I have to trust her.
My words don’t settle my wolf, but calm him long enough to stop dragging his claws across my insides…
his way of reminding me it’s Tiberius I can’t trust. My wolf’s right, but he’s not in charge here. I am.
A few minutes later, Angel emerges and the door shuts behind her. I quickly step back onto the path, precisely where she left me.
“May I ask what happened?”
“You can, but I won’t answer.” Her smile relaxes me, as does the hand that slides into mine.
“Where next?” I ask.
“You assume there’s more?”
“No, just hoping to escort you wherever you want to go.”
“To the lab. Mila asked me to report there for treatment.”
“I don’t understand. I thought your wolf finished healing the road burn finally.”
“Have you been checking up on me with my doctor?”
“Yes,” I say without shame. “What’s wrong, Angel? Is whatever this treatment is the reason you’ve been staying away from me?”
“Partially. I want to be fully healed before we talk.”
My stomach’s knotting with fear that she’s suffering from some condition I could have picked up on earlier, maybe even prevented.
She grips my face. “This isn’t your fault, and Mila said it’s curable.”
“What’s the condition?”
“I don’t know. That’s what I’m about to find out. Care to go with me?”
I puff my chest out with the pride that she wants me with her. Then again, a best friend would provide support too. She hasn’t accepted me as a mate, and I’m starting to wonder if she ever will.