While the hand at her throat didn’t have the same appeal as when he was plowing into her, it was still a call for submission, but it was coming from Ulf more so than the man. She realized the man was the one who was measuring the strength of it.
“Ulf.”
One word but spoken to the wolf simmering below the surface of Monster’s skin. She infused his name with as much affection and submission as she could muster. It was dawning on her that it was Ulf’s confusion and hurt fueling Monster’s anger, not the other way around.
“I didn’t betray you, but I am guilty of intention.”
Monster’s fingers twitched at her words, but he didn’t interrupt her, and she took that as I sign to go on.
“I was sent into the bar to get close to Kansas. My father hated him. He’d told me that Kansas had not only ruined his life, but the club took his money.”
“Bullshit,” he bit out, but let her go and started pacing while tapping on his phone. After pocketing it, he spoke again. “The club didn’t do shit to him but loan him money that he asked for, and Kansas?” He stabbed his finger toward the still-closed office. “You heard him, it was that fucker who ruined Kansas’s life.”
The growl that escaped him then was more wolf than man.
“I know?—”
Monster turned and was in her face. His finger almost touching her as he pointed angrily.
“And that’s why I can’t just … can’t …”
“Why you can’t what, Arden?” Using the name he’d given the officers.
“Can’t have you.” His voice got lower the longer he spoke. Defeated.
As much as his words pierced her heart, she understood. There was too much between them, too much against them. Her parentage, her part in Kansas’s death, hell, the drug her father injected her with.
Who knows if that had tricked her into thinking he was hers. The connection she felt had hit her fast and hard.
Not to mention, she should be soaking in every second she could with her mother.
“Arden?” She waited until he turned to her. The pain in his eyes tore at her heart. The heart that believed he was her mate, even if it were drug induced. “I’ll never speak of what happened, you have my word. I will take what happened today to my grave. Forget about me. Just leave and don’t look back.”
Words didn’t answer her, but a howl did. One that started human but ended as anything but.
Carys found herself face to face with a monstrously large wolf.
An extremely sad one. She could feel it coming from him in waves.
Tentatively, she reached a hand out to touch his muzzle. Ulf closed his eyes and turned into her touch much as Monster had.
The wolf looked confused, hurt, angry, and … young. While he was huge, his eyes looked juvenile. He also looked on the verge of bolting.
“Ulf.” With her hand in his fur, she seemed to get disjointed images that flew at her in flashes. Like someone clicking through a slideshow at an accelerated rate.
There was what she could only describe as Arden as a boy of ten or eleven, blood, a lot of blood, her on her knees in the parking lot of the bar, Monster holding her note with the silver cuff at his feet.
“Sorry, I didn’t notice,” she murmured more to herself. More images flew at her. Ulf trying to hold on but never allowed to occupy the same space as his other half when Arden was in the fore and longing to do so. Ulf not understanding that while he’s running free, Arden slept.
More confusion.
Then, finally, an image of Ulf starting to blend with Arden as he’d longed to do for years.
“Oh, Ulf. He’s yours now, and you’re his, as it was always meant to be.” Without thinking, Carys leaned forward and kissed his wet nose. “I’m happy for you both.”
Ulf whimpered at her words. One of frustration. They weren’t bonded so she couldn’t really feel him or communicate with him as she’d heard some mates could, but for some reason, when she was touching him, Ulf was projecting.
“I don’t understand. I’m sorry. If you want to talk to me?—”
