The thought that Finley’s bear was protecting him had me wondering if my wolf might not be doing the same for me. Was her hidden essence keeping me from fracturing under the separation from Hunter and Kellan? I had no experience with mate separation pain in new bonds, but the fact that I was functioning at all surprised me.
I did expect that the mate still out there,circling above, was unfortunately helping. Thetug tug tugin my chest wouldn’t abate, no matter how hard I shoved it aside.
Around the time the sun started to rise, tendrils of light filtering through the cave, Finley stirred. Knowing this might be the last moments of peace with him, I slid my hands into his fur and breathed him in. “I’m sorry, mate,” I whispered, my voice breaking. “I know we’ll most likely never be more than antagonistic pack mates, and I accept that, but I wish I could take away your pain. You didn’t deserve what happened to you.”
Neither of us did.
A tingle of magic caressed my skin, and I jerked back as the change washed over him. It was a smooth transition, and I was left staring at a big body no longer covered in fur.
Finley was all smooth, light-brown skin, long limbs, and heavy muscles.
I swallowed roughly as I noticed his beard and hair were longer and more disheveled than usual, which only added to his visual appeal. Stupidly sexy asshole.
His head snapped up as if he’d finally remembered that I was here, and I was locked in his gaze, the heat of his blazing eyes turning them burnt gold. They were accompanied by a furious expression, and as I’d expected, the peace between us was about to end.
Violently.
CHAPTER 10
EMME
“What the fuck are you doing, Emmeline?”
Nice opening line, asshole. It was almost a relief to have this version of Finley back, as I’d been softening toward his furry side.
“Whatthe fuckdoes it look like I’m doing?” I shot back. “Keeping an eye out while you slept. Just like I said I would.”
Finley pushed himself up, his powerful arm muscles drawing my gaze briefly before I looked away. His packaging was pretty, but inside he was broken and abrasive. Regrettably, it was hard to miss that he was as stacked as the other alphas. Less defined, with more of thebig boybulk.
Stupid appealing fucker.
It was also hard not to look for his tattoos, as I’d been intrigued to know what the artist himself had chosen for his own skin, but…
No!Finley was a prick, and I was done with his shit.
My wolf didn’t even stir to fight me on that statement, which at least distracted me from the naked alpha. If I didn’t get her back soon, I would be in real danger of ending up like my mom anyway. The day my mom stopped feeling her beast’s energy within her, she took one of the ropes from Blaine’s collection—he liked to tie me and her down, for different reasons, thank the goddess—and hung herself from the streetlight out the front of our apartment.
I’d found her.
Along with the note she left to explain how she was too empty to go on living. I’d run the same day, leaving with that final memory of her and a newfound fear that I would end up the same way.
“—you can’t just disappear. We’re under fucking attack.”
Finley’s shouts broke through my trauma, and I groaned, rubbing at my temples. “Could you just shut up for a few minutes. I might not have a father, but I don’t need you to step in and take the role.”
His chest shook as he grumbled. “Did you just tell me to shut up? Do you need a reminder that I rescued you, Ice Queen. How about a little gratitude?”
I pushed to my feet, refusing to have this argument sitting down. “While I’m grateful that you tracked me down, and you’re going to have to explain how you managed that, I’m not grateful enough to continue to beyour fucking punching bag.”
His eyes blazed into me, but I was on a roll, as everything I wanted to say to him for weeks poured out. “Listen up, Finley Thornton. I’ve told you this before and I’m about to repeat it again: don’t take your past traumas and bad attitude out on me. I don’t deserve it, and I will not accept it any longer.”
In one graceful leap, he was on his feet, towering over me. “You don’t deserve it?”
As he stepped closer, I caught a glimpse of a line of text near his hip, and another on his ribcage, but I couldn’t make out the words. “I don’t deserve it,” I confirmed with force, and his eyes darkened.
There might have only been a couple of feet of physical distance between us, but our emotions were a million milesapart. “You could have been my salvation,” Finley choked out, a note of sorrow underlining his anger. “Instead, you broke me just as badly as the other shifters in my life who were supposed to love me.”
That direct hit burned deep in my chest, and I reacted defensively. “You will never find salvation until you can get over your own shit,” I said, a red haze tingeing my mind. “I know you’re a victim, but you can’t play that role forever. You can’tusethat trauma forever to excuse away your own shitty behavior.”
