I’d told Evan to stop trying to protect me, but I knew better than to think he’d listen.Shifters were more stubborn than that.
Logan was still talking. I realised belatedly that I’d tuned him out.Shit. That happened sometimes. My brain would wander off down a path and it was like the world around me ceased to exist. “Hopefully Riley will come and visit soon. I miss him. But I have you now. Not that you’re a replacement or anything. I will love you both equally, I promise.”
I laughed. For someone who’d only met me today, he was sure determined to be my friend. “Ah, remind me who Riley is again?”
Logan shot me a sheepish smile. “Sorry, my brain goes fast. I forget not everyone is able to keep up.”
“You’re talking to a pro at the ninety-nine-lane conversation. I usually switch topics without remembering to take a breath in between. It’s not that…” Now I was the one smiling sheepishly. “I accidentally tuned you out. Sorry. My mind just wanders sometimes. I don’t mean to, I just…I’m sorry. It’s the ADHD, my brain works differently.”
“Fuck, don’t apologise.” Logan waved a hand dismissively. “I tune people out all the time and I’m neurotypical. Mind you, it’s usually because they’re boring as fuck. At least I know that’s not why you stopped listening to me.”
“You’re definitely not boring. The opposite, in fact.”
Logan beamed at me. “See? We’re going to be besties. Anyway, Riley is my other bestie. He’s Danny’s mate. Hang on, do you know who Danny is?”
My hands tightened so much on the wheel that my knuckles turned white. “Yes. I know who Danny is.”
Danny was alpha of the McCarthy Clan. I’d known he was mated to a human, but not his name. Before Finlay, Danny had been their leader too.
Right up until my clan murdered his wife and toddler daughter.
“Sorry,” Logan said heavily. “I should’ve realised you knew.”
“Don’t,” I said roughly. “Your clan suffered because of mine. I should be the one apologising, not you.”
“Why?” Logan sounded genuinely curious. “It’s not like you were there. You weren’t even alive. I mean, you’re not even a shifter.”
I knew he didn’t mean it to be a reminder of how different I was, but it was. Don’t get me wrong, there wasn’t an atom in my body that wanted to be associated with the fuckers who’d hurt the McCarthys. But it didn’t mean I liked to be reminded that I was just a human. It dragged up the trauma I tried desperately to keep buried.
“I’m glad Danny’s found love,” I said eventually. “He deserves it.”
“He does,” Logan said. “We all do, for that matter.”
A large wooden structure appeared before us. My stomach flipped as Logan pointed out where to park. The clan house wasn’t the same as the one I was used to with the Clarksons, but it wasn’t about the design or layout.
It was what it symbolised. Pack life. Structure.
Prison.
I took a few deep breaths as I got out of the car, forcing my hands to stop shaking. There was no sign of the brown wolf, but I knew Evan was close by, probably watching.
I didn’t want him to see how affected I was by being here. It was bad enough that I’d turned to him in the shop.
Evan would never back off if he knew how badly thishad shaken me up. I hadn’t asked for a furry bodyguard, and nor did I want one.
I wanted as far away from shifter life as possible. Always had. I’d sworn the night I left the Clarksons’ that I’d never enter a clan house again.
And here I was, five years later, about to step over the threshold.
My feet came to a halt just before it.Come on,I told myself.You can do this. It doesn’t mean anything. You won’t be trapped here. After this meeting is done, you can leave the whole damned continent if you like.
Still my feet wouldn’t move.
Logan came up beside me. “Reid? Everything okay?”
“Uh-huh.” My fingers flexed at my sides. “I’m fine.”
“Okay,” he said, slowly opening door and tilting his head. “You coming in or…?”
