AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Loren trailed her gaze over his chest, across the scars, up to that thatch of dark, curling hair. Hair, the exact shade of a certain snarling wolf.
“So, you’re a werewolf?” Her voice came out small, as she tried to recall what little she knew from horror movies.
Did he bray at the moon? Howl? Get fleas?
He flinched. “We prefer the termlupine. Lycan. Wolf-man—anything butthat. And—” He paused deliberately, preparing her for another bombshell. “You are as well.”
“I’m what?” Loren blurted stupidly before she realized what he really meant—one ofthem—lupine. She shook her head. “I’m not.”
The only things she had inherited from her parents seemed to be an awful streak of bad luck, an inability to communicate with others, and a panache for making life difficult for those around her. Besides, one would think that if shedidpossess the ability to change into a wolf, she would have discovered it by now.
“Youare.” He met her gaze and held it, silently begging her to listen. “You must have inherited it from your father. That is how lupine blood is passed down. I’m guessing your mother was a human, but—”
“No,” Loren said. “My father wasn’t a werewolf.”
Fred Connors had been a violent alcoholic, but he never sprouted claws.
“Fred Connors was not your father, Loren,” McGoven said cautiously. “He couldn’t be. Not if—”
“I’m not a wolf. I’m not—” She wracked her brain for the right word. Brave? Strong? Lethal? “Likeyou,” she settled on helplessly.
“You are lupine, Loren. Youare.I can sense it on you. Even now. You know I followed you out to that clearing, but you don’t understand how. By your scent. I could feel every step you took—”
“S-stop.” She dropped her sandwich onto the plate and scooted from the counter. Her heart was pounding, head throbbing, and, for once, the reaction had nothing to do with fear.
“Thank you,” she stammered. “You’ve been so nice to me, b-but I’m not—I can’t do this. I’m sorry.”
He’s crazy,a part of her thought as she scrambled for the front door. He had done more for her than anyone else—but he was obviously off his rocker. He had to be. Especially if he thought she was anything other than a messed-up teenager with nowhere left to go.
He didn’t storm after her or stop her from leaving. The front door was unlocked, and the frosty night air hit her like a whip as she stumbled out onto the porch. After descending the steps, she hit the ground running and didn’t stop, hair flying out behind her—though a part of her wailed in annoyance when she reached the one place that wasn’t far from him.
The second she entered the barn, Bunny and Esther’s heads appeared over the doors of their stalls in greeting. Xavier kept his distance, though, hidden firmly in the shadows.
Clumsily, Loren pulled open the door to the nearest stall and slipped inside, pressing herself against the farthest corner.
It didn’t take him long to find her. Like a shadow, he appeared near the door, massive enough to block the entire exit. If she hadn’t sensed him already, the horses’ reactions would have alerted her—all three stomped their hooves, breathing heavily.
“Loren.” His voice reached her easily above the clamor. “It’s freezing out. Come back inside.”
Loren felt like a child, fighting the urge to stick her fingers in her ears and chant,“Na na na na, I can’t hear you.”
“Loren. We need to talk—” He must have taken a step, because Bunny balked, and Esther shrieked, the whites of her massive eyes flickering.
Instantly, he retreated to the doorway, but he didn’t leave. “Come here.” He dropped the politeness. It was an order, one that had her flinching in his direction before she could help it.
Why is that?a part of her wondered helplessly. No one else had ever affected her with so much as a few simple words. Even when she obeyed her father, it had always been out of fear, but with him…
It was as if a part of herneededto obey, even as she dug her heels into the straw-strewn floor and gritted her teeth.
“Loren,” he insisted, his tone deeper. “Get out of the barn.”
Resisting him was like trying to hold her breath. After so long, her muscles ached, and every inch of her screamed with the need to give in.Go!
Gasping, she took a stumbling step toward the mouth of the stall, and then another… She could clearly see him now. He stood just beyond the doorway, eyes blazing against the darkened sky.
“Come here.”
The words yanked her forward another few steps.I have to, a part of her insisted.I have to listen to him.
