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“You’re still one of us,” Halloran said, staying where he was and smiling when I huffed.
“I want patrols out that way more regularly, even if someone has to pull a fucking triple shift to do it. Ren Sheppard needs protection, and after sacrificing her own safety to save Tully Graves, she’s more than earned it from this pack. I don’t care if people think she doesn’t belong. She’s under my protection now, and as such, she’s part of this pack. That means you assholes patrol her section. You got that? If I hear she’s being left unprotected, I will personally come back here and beat the hell out of every single one of you.” I warned them, turning to Cole, who was smiling and shaking his head.
“It’s good to have you back,” he said softly, smiling when the others all hummed in agreement.
“I’m not back anywhere, so get that shit out of your head. I’m happy where I am. That doesn’t mean I’m okay with you and Trey being the only ones pulling your weight. I get the shortage, I do, but this isn’t a game. I won’t have Ren in danger when there are more than enough males here to make sure that doesn’t happen. So I’ll say it again. Protect her, every one of you. Or you’ll answer to me.” I snarled, taking just enough time to meet every male gaze before I turned and walked out.
“It was good to see you, Caleb!” someone yelled right before I pushed through the door. “Really good, my friend. Hope we see you more!”
I grunted, not bothering to answer, but as I got into my truck and drove away, I was smiling, and damn, it felt good.
Chapter 9 Ren
“T
rey, I’ll be fine. Give!” I yelled, shoving my hand out and tapping my foot until the big, scowling shifter sighed and dropped his car keys in my palm.
I wanted to gloat, preen, and crow about how easy it was, but I refrained, reminding myself that Trey was my friend and he was just concerned. How we became friends…I snuffled to hide a giggle when I thought back to last week when Trey Chase snuck into the kitchen. He had scared me so badly I’d punched him after I’d twisted around and kicked out, nailing him in the balls.
I still winced with guilt every time I thought about it, but I smiled too because when Caleb rushed in, in response to his brother’s high-pitched scream and saw what had happened, he’d laughed so hard he’d nearly keeled over.
“Just take it easy.” He grumbled, pouting so hard that I narrowed my eyes and realized he was worried about his car, not me.
Scowling because, hey, my feelings, I stormed out of the house and got into the big, stupid, cool blue truck. Once I set off, I cheered up and had to admit Trey had a point. My car was a wreck, but in my defense, when you worked two jobs and slept with one eye open because your husband was an asshole, a little fender bender into a tree wasn’t uncalled for. I fell asleep driving once, and I was never going to hear the end of it.
Deciding today wasn’t the day to dwell on the past, I cranked the volume up and sang along to the radio. By the time I reached the grocery store, I was a happy, twitchy Ren, and I felt so good at first that I didn’t notice the stares and whispers when I walked in.
Humming, I strolled down the aisles and concentrated on what I wanted for the house. Not having a budget was so wonderful I cheerfully dropped anything I wanted into the cart when the hairs on my nape rose. Gulping, I turned swiftly and then gulped again when I saw a group of women behind me. Surrounding me.
“Well, if it isn’t the killer.” Mary Fen snarled, her teeth bared when I flinched and took a step back to put the cart between us.
Swallowing, I felt my body grow tight with nerves and then start to burn when my wolf growled threateningly. I was trapped, my back to the milk fridge while the women all stepped closer, and I knew, just like I did the last time they’d cornered me in the store, that I was going to get hurt.
“I’m not a killer,” I mumbled, searching for an escape before they tired of taunting me and things got worse.
“Yes, you are. Poor Shane. All he tried to do was love your raggedy ass and look where it got him.”
“He hurt me,” I whispered, the futility of my words hitting me when they all started in on me, hissing insults and words so mean, I shook my head in wonder.
How some people could be this terrible, I would never know.
“He was mine, you know.” Kimmy Stokes growled her eyes a dark blue fire of fury. “Even after he married you.”
“Wouldn’t even mate her ass.” Someone else snarled, making them all laugh while I cringed.
“I didn’t want a mating ceremony,” I whispered, attempting to defend myself. “And I know Shane wasn’t with you. He may have been crazy, but he wasn’t unfaithful.”
It was the least I could say about my ex. Shane was obsessed with me, and when he could get it up, he was insatiable.
“He was mine!”
“Sure he was. That’s why he spent months trying to avoid an arranged mating with you and eventually split town, only to come back married?” A deep voice snarled before Cole and Trey Chase shoved by the women, and stopped beside me.
I sniffled now, trying to smile as relief hit me.
“That’s not true.”
“Yeah, it is.” Cole laughed, giving them a filthy look before he snickered. “It must have really shamed you that Shane didn’t want your raggedy ass. Not that I blamed him, either. Ren is way above every single one of you, and even a mutt like Shane Sheppard knew it. I’d suggest you get lost now before Walker hears about this, but I’m having some fun. Why don’t we play?”
