That made Monster feel about two feet tall. Kansas was a good man, a stand-up brother, and a hell of a secretary. Not to mention the only wolf raised in a pack, even as dysfunctional as it had been. The sad part was, Monster wondered if it was jealousy. Maybe he did want love in his life but was afraid to hope.
The apology was perched on his lips when a sexy as hell brunette approached Kansas. Leaning against the bar next to his brother made her rack sit higher in her low-cut shirt. Curves in all the right places, pouty lips, and a short pixie cut that wasn’t usually his thing but was hot on her.
The voice when she spoke shot straight to his cock.
“What, no kiss for me?”
Kansas turned to face her. He must’ve been just as tongue-tied as Monster felt because he didn’t speak.
“I mean, you kissed every other lady that came in, so why not me when I came in a few minutes ago?”
Monster was about to say he’d give her a kiss anytime and anywhere she wanted, when Creedence piped in.
“Kansas is probably all kissed out, beautiful, but my lips are ready to go. FYI, they make a pretty good seat too.” Creedence winked at her. Fucking winked. Monster pinged his gaze back to her just as Kansas raised his mistletoe above her head and leaned in.
As their lips met, he watched her dark eyes start to drift closed, but they clashed with his instead. Fuck, he felt the weight of her whiskey-brown eyes settle on him as she kissed his brother.
That was the first time in his life he remembered being jealous of another man. He wanted to feel those full pink lips against his.
An image flashed across his mind. Him with his hand on her throat and his wolf in control.
What in the literal fuck?
His wolf was never in control while he was in skin. Hell, he was barely in control when in fur. His hand absently stroked the cuff on his wrist.
As disturbing as that was, it wasn’t the part of the vision that had him reeling. It was the tears staining her face.
Monster reached out to Ulf. Nothing but a whimper answered him. His wolf couldn’t speak without great effort due to the cuff, but it was necessary.
I’ll give you fur later if you explain.
He couldn’t let him run, but he could give him a break. While he couldn’t take the cuff off, his wolf felt less pain in the fore. The silver didn’t hurt his wolf as much in fur as it did in skin.
There were a few moments during the shift to and from where they were both aware, occupied the same consciousness, but it didn’t last. During those precious seconds they were like one, as they were meant to be. No secrets, no cages. Ulf was less disjointed too.
Don’t know. Never do. You skin, me fur. Always been, always should. His wolf gritted the words out.
Yeah, Monster knew that, but he at least had to try.
Hurts more. So bad. Why? Must get out.
Monster hated keeping him caged. Hopefully some of the information Kansas had recovered from the decimated Domino pack would help.
Sorry, he apologized to his wolf.
Ulf was hurting with the constant silver; it must be doing something extra tonight because Monster was thinking too much about the past or something.
His wolf had been twisted since he’d awakened in violence way too early. He didn’t even have a proper name, just the one he’d given himself … Ulf. Which was how Arden used to pronounce wolf when he was even younger.
That day, so long ago, had been lost to Monster in all but retellings, but suddenly he was getting flashes.
No. Stop. Kill.
He’d been just a boy when his wolf growled those words in his head before bursting free from his little body. It happened so fast, ten-year-old Arden didn’t even understand what was happening. He watched through the giant wolf’s eyes as he ripped the man’s throat out.
Ulf licked Arden’s Grammy’s wounds, then curled up next to her.
That’s where his dad found Ulf later that day.
