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If he didn’t come to Brandy as a human soon, she’d dismiss him. If she dismissed him, he could never reveal what he was to her. If he didn’t reveal what he was to her, she’d never know that all her research wasn’t a silly hobby.
If she didn’t know it wasn’t a silly hobby, she’d never accept him for what he truly was.
What does it matter, wolf?Flidae. Not what he needed right now.
Gritting his teeth, he thought,Even if I don’t get to keep her, I will take this time with her.
I love how you think you are in control, Reardon McAlator.Flidae’s laughter filled his head as painfully as his leg throbbed.You are not.
He clamped his hands over his ears, but her voice still echoed in his skull.
You banished me, Flidae. Deemed me unfit to receive your protection, yet you continue to watch me. Why?
A long beat of silence stretched on, and Reardon didn’t think she was going to answer him.
My punishment was not without terms, wolf. You are to do something worthy. I am simply monitoring your progress.
In order to make progressing more difficult.
Perhaps. And I’m aware of your intention to reveal yourself to this human. Do you think that’s wise?
I don’t want there to be secrets anymore. I think she can handle the knowledge.
A heartbeat of silence.Well, this changes things.
She left his consciousness before he could ask what her statement meant. A wave of dizziness swept over him. He leaned forward and rested his head on his knees, breathing deeply. Angering a goddess had been a foolish move. He’d learned his lesson on that one, but he had to push forward on his plan to tell Brandy what he was. He couldn’t waste any more time because he didn’t know how much he had.
On a silent count of three, Reardon pushed off the toilet and braced himself in the doorway of the small bathroom as all the blood again rushed down to his hurt leg. His fingernails dug into the wood door frame as he fought off the pain. Hopefully Brandy wouldn’t notice the indentations.
He poked his head out of the bathroom and focused his gaze on the front door. It was a straight path, but he dreaded making the journey all the same. Inhaling and exhaling several deep breaths, he took a step and immediately wanted to crumple to the ground.
Crawling to the door might be better anyway.
Reardon slid noiselessly to the floor and used his arms mostly to slither to the front door. By the time he got there, his forehead was covered in sweat and he’d bunched up the long rug Brandy had lining the path to the door. Doing his best to fix the rug, he grabbed hold of the doorknob and pulled himself to standing. He caught sight of an umbrella in a bin by the door and fished that out, using it as a cane. It probably wasn’t strong enough, but he put as much of his weight on it as he could.
With the prowess of a professional burglar, he opened the door and slipped out into the darkness. His progress to the entrance gates was slow and laborious. Several of the other wolves gathered behind him as he struggled. Lug sidled up next to him, Midir on his other side. They nudged his hands as if to say,Lean on us.
“If you were a little bit bigger, I would. Thank you, my friends.” He paused to catch his breath and scratched both wolves between the ears.
Lug licked at the bandage, a small whine escaping his throat.
“I’ll be fine, Lug.”
The other wolves took turns rubbing against him, their concern touching him in ways he couldn’t have imagined. He’d never had a pack. He’d had his army of men, but that was not the same as having a loyal wolf pack, canine brothers and sisters who genuinely cared for him. Perhaps in changing his men to wolves, that was what he’d been looking for—a wolf family. Unfortunately, he now knew turning men to wolves without their consent did not create the bonds he sought.
Only wolves by birth could provide that connection.
Not so, wolf.Flidae again. Couldn’t he have a moment’s peace?There is but one human you can turn to wolf who would be truly connected to you. That is why you can turn humans. For that reason alone. To find your soul mate.
And that was why he’d been in violation of wolf code. He’d turned men into wolves to make killing machines.
Ah, recognition of your mistake. That is progress, wolf.Again, Flidae faded from his mind.
One moment the goddess was angry at him, the next she sounded pleased. That was why Reardon found females—human or divine—so complex. Regardless, the woman back in that log cabin was worth the trouble, so he continued his approach to the entrance gates.
A quiet but steady hum vibrated from the gates. It was a new sound to Reardon, and the other wolves appeared to hear it too, but he unlatched the gates anyway and paused to address the wolves.
“I will be back in a moment, friends.”
