Lucian held a crooked grin.
Yeah, he knew.
“I’m sorry,” I breathed as I marched to the side of the house, eager to escape their judgmental eyes.
I jumped when Catcher and Lakota flanked me, the wolves keeping pace while I made my way to the heat house. Thunder rumbled, and the wet grass cooled my bare feet.
It wasn’t until I shut the door and stood in the heat house that I processed what Noah had said.
My tiger’s gonna miss chasing your horse around.
His words repeated in my head like a broken record, and I tried to piece together the last time my mare had come out. I couldn’t remember my shifts, but I remembered the dread and panic whenever I shifted back. Then she had started coming out less frequently. Had his animal been terrorizing her? For what reason?
To keep her from saving you, that’s what,my inner voice replied.He knew you had the ability to escape, so he had to subdue her. He had to break her.
I grabbed a glass from the drying rack and pitched it at the wall. The glass shattered. I slid down to the floor, drawing my knees up and angry tears wetting my cheeks.
A light knock sounded at the door. Instead of getting up, I watched it open.
Mercy walked in with two paper bags. She glanced at the floor and noticed the glass before veering toward the cabinets. “Joy wanted to check on you, but she has a severe case of heartburn. Probably from all that spicy food we ate. Bear goes a little overboard sometimes with the jalapeño.”
She set the bags down, opened a lower cabinet, and retrieved a dustpan with a small brush. “I hope you’re proud of yourself, and I don’t mean that condescendingly.” She squatted and swept up the glass before waddling over to another spot to sweep up more. “It takes guts to say that to someone. People think it’s easy. I’ve always spoken my mind, but it’s harder to open up to those we care about.” After dumping the glass into the trash, she put away the dustpan and crouched next to me. “I know you loved him. You wouldn’t have tried to make it work if you hadn’t seen some redeeming quality in him. So I can’t imagine how much pain you’re in, but I hope that moment back there gave you some peace. Now you can move on.”
“I never knew he was tormenting my animal,” I said, wiping my nose.
“That a-hole deserves what he has coming. The fates have plans for men like him. And don’t you feel beholden to him for helping you out of a situation. I’m sure he knew good and well he was taking advantage of you after your daddy died.” Mercy patted my hand. “Do you want to sit on the floor all night, or do you wanna eat pie?”
A smile touched my lips.
“I thought so!” She sprang to her feet and reached into the large bag. “Bear made this special for you and nobody else. He makesthebest pie in all the South. I should know—my Shifter craving is pecan pie, so he’s had a lot of practice. I brought you a container of ice cream, but if you don’t wanna eat it, just stick it in that top freezer part of the cooler. And I also brought youthese.”
I gripped the cabinet behind me and climbed to my feet to look at the bag she set on the kitchen table. Glancing inside, I recognized the romance titles I’d recommended to them, many of which were my favorites.
“I’ve never been a big reader,” Mercy admitted, “but I started one of these last night, and holy mackerel! I never knew I’d like a historical romance, but they’re fun. And a little steamy.” She playfully fanned herself. “Bear had me read one scene to him, and I didn’t get to finish the book after that.” She blushed a little, but Mercy didn’t strike me as the type who got easily embarrassed. “I can’t wait to read the rest of them when it’s my turn to stay here, but I might just swipe one before then.”
“You and Bear aren’t going to try for kids?”
She patted her silver hair and then touched her earring. “Bear and I made life goals we want to accomplish before we think about starting a family. The great part is we won’t miss out on anything with Hope’s new baby coming along. It takes a pack to raise a child, and I’m looking forward to being an aunt.” She flicked her gaze to the bag. “I lost a lot of my life, and I guess I’m trying to build it back up—stand on my own two feet and see what I can do.”
I drew in a deep breath and sighed. “I’m just relieved it’s over. I’m glad he’s gone.”
Mercy removed the books from the sack. “Now you can focus on whatyouwant in life. You never know where it might lead, but at least now it’s your choice. The road’s always scary when you don’t know where it’s going. I think you should go back to work. You’re good at book recommendations. Why not sell some of these?” Mercy gave a wink as she walked to the door. “This town could use a little more romance.”
Chapter 21
Apple pie had a way of erasing all my troubles. I’d never tasted one more delicious, made with love and seasoned with kindness. I indulged in a slice with vanilla ice cream before settling in for the night. Thunder rumbled for an hour before rain started tapping on the roof again.
Unable to sleep, I switched on the bedside lamp and curled up with one of my favorite comfort reads about an aristocrat who falls for a woman below his station.
Reaching the end of a chapter, I lifted the collar of my white T-shirt and drew in a deep breath. It still carried Archer’s scent.
After he had hung his wet shirt up to dry earlier, I’d kept it since it was perfect sleepwear. Even with dried rainwater, his scent was imbued in the threads, and it calmed me as much as a warm, lavender-scented bath.
I jolted upright when something clawed against the heat house.
Calm down. It’s just tree branches. There are lots of trees around here, and it’s storming outside.
I padded into the dim living room. The thought of Noah’s tiger hunting me chilled my blood. Another scratch sounded atthe front door, and it was definitely no tree branch. When a wolf barked, I let go of a breath and went to investigate.
