“That winter was brutal even for us as wolf shifters. It was worse for the humans. They had no way of protecting themselves from the elements. So they made a way.”
Eric took his time collecting his emotions and words. “We were the closest territory. The easiest to attack. That’s why they chose us. I wasn’t there, obviously--I was too young.” He closed his eyes. “I wasn’t worried, though. My parents always went out to deal with pack business, and they always came back. So they went to the border to investigate the human intruders.” He paused. “But that day, they didn’t come back.”
My gut churned in unpleasant anticipation. I didn’t dare ask the question that rested on my tongue.
“Instead of my parents, it was Crystal who came back to the house. Horrified. Too shocked to cry. She still blames herself for what happened, even though it wasn’t her fault. Because it was the humans who killed my parents.” Eric’s voice went rough with a growl. “It was the humans who killed them for meat and fur.”
A gasp of horror came out of me and I gripped Eric’s arm tighter without realizing it. “Oh, no.”
When Eric opened his eyes, they were dull with pain. “It happened fast. And they were organized. There were just too many humans, and not enough pack members to stop it. By the time my parents were…” Eric paused. “By the time it was over, the rest of the guards were too shocked. They just lost their pack leaders. They were in disarray. They retreated to protect what was left--me.”
He shook his head. “Maybe I should consider it a blessing that the humans were satisfied with what they got. They didn’t return. Not that winter, anyway.” His eyes glinted. “I can’t say the same now.”
That statement brought me back to reality--to here, and now, with Eric’s bloody and bandaged arm.
It all made sense now. Why Eric kept disappearing and why he wouldn’t tell me the reason. Why he was so emotional and secretive, so full of thinly-veiled pain.
“Is that why you’ve been gone all this time?” I asked in a low voice.
“Yes. The humans are encroaching closer than usual, and I don’t like it,” Eric muttered. “I wanted to teach them a lesson they wouldn’t forget. That West Pack isn't a bunch of weaklings or cowards.”
“Are you saying a human did this to you?” I demanded. The mental image of humans hurting Eric made me sick to my stomach.
“Don’t worry about me.”
“Eric, shut up,” I snapped. All my anger and sadness and concern boiled over and I exploded. “I’vebeenworrying about you all this time. Can’t you see that? This whole fucking time, I needed you and you weren’t there!”
“You were worried?” he asked, genuine surprise in his voice.
“Yes, idiot! You kept disappearing and you wouldn’t tell me why!” I cried in exasperation. “You kept coming back more and more tired, and I never got to see you, and I thought you didn’t care about me anymore--”
Eric grabbed my wrists and pulled me in for a hard, deep kiss. The intense emotion of it was almost enough to make me start crying. We pulled away breathlessly.
“First of all,” he growled, “don’t you ever think I don’t care about you. Because that’s the whole reason I kept leaving to patrol in the first place.”
“Wait, what?”
“I already lost my family to humans before,” Eric muttered. “I wasn’t going to let it happen again.”
The stupid realization dawned on me. That Eric wasn’t doing all this just for his pack--he was doing it to protectme.
My lip trembled. “Eric…”
He cupped my face with his warm palm. “I’m sorry. Okay? Maybe I went over the top. Maybe I got a little possessed. But it’s only because I love you, Matheson. The thought of you getting hurt by humans… it drove me crazy. I couldn’t let it happen.”
“It’s not going to happen,” I promised with a smile.
Eric growled again, his wolf’s voice mingling with his own. “You’re damn right, it’s not. I’ll kill every last human before they can lay a hand on you.”
I chuckled. “Okay, settle down. I’m pretty sure that won’t be necessary.”
Eric grumbled. “I’m serious.”
We got up and started walking back to the house.
“So what’s this about, then?” I asked, gesturing to his wound. “Did you actually go looking for a fight?”
“No,” Eric said somberly. “The humansaregetting closer to our border. That part is true. I just don’t know why, or what they want. But I do know that if they take one step out of line--”
