My claws punched through my skin as Clyde’s words found their mark. “Careful, Clyde.”
Delight lit up his eyes. “Ah, I see. Yet another of the mighty McCarthy Clan whipped by a measly human. What an embarrassment you are.”
I had him over the desk by his throat in a split second, my teeth bared. “Say that again. I fucking dare you.”
Clyde’s smirk turned deadly. “Strike me here and you’ll be executed before you can even leave our lands. That’s before we issue a declaration of war, naturally.”
My grip on his throat didn’t lessen. “You wouldn’t be alive to issue a declaration, Clyde. It might cost me my immortality, but I’d make damn sure to take yours first.”
If Clyde was rattled by my threat, he didn’t let itshow. We both knew I was walking a dangerous line right now. One step the wrong way, and I’d unleash the chaos I was hoping to avoid. “You’re behaving very strangely if you want to protect Reid.”
Fuck.The threat was so thinly veiled it was almost laughable. Clyde was smarter than I’d given him credit for. I might’ve risked my immortality, might’ve even let my clan go to war for my deeds.
But Reid? I wouldn’t risk him.
I let him go reluctantly, my claws retracting. “What’s strange is how you’re threatening your only son while trying to insist you just want to see him because youcare.”
Clyde sat back down, picking up his pen again. “It wasn’t a threat, McCarthy, it was a warning. A promise. I’ll give you another, too—Reid will be back with his clan again. There’s nothing you or any of the other wolves can do to stop it.”
I didn’t say anything else to Clyde. There wasn’t any point. He was looking for more of a reaction, and I’d already shown him more cards than intended.
His promise meant nothing, not when I had my own to uphold. To keep Reid safe. To make him happy.
The only way he’d ever step foot on Clarkson lands was if there was no breath left in my body.
Until then, I’d fight to keep my promise. I’d do whatever it took.
No matter the cost.
Chapter 14
Evan
Over the next few weeks, I hit a new low.
It was so low that Finn reluctantly agreed to let me take shifts guarding Reid. I tried not to think about how pathetic I must’ve seemed for him to cave, instead focusing on the fact that I got to see Reid.
Just see him. Finlay had expressly forbidden me from approaching him. It was an unnecessary order. I’d meant it when I promised Reid I’d keep my distance.
There was a difference between keeping my distance and keeping him safe. Now, I was able to do both.
I hoarded each moment when Reid crossed my vision, treasuring every new detail about him. Like how he always stopped for an iced coffee for him and Chester on his way to work, regardless of how late he was. His interesting choice in breakfast food—if you could call it that. I swear one day he was eating a frozen Pop-Tart. My supe vision had no issue picking up on the ice crystals atop the chocolate frosting. Who even knew that was a thing?
Reid definitely had a sweet tooth.I’d lost count of howmany times I’d seen him with a chocolate bar or a slice of cake. It made me wonder if he liked ice cream in the summer.
I hoped I’d get to find out.
Every evening when he got home from work, he’d pat himself down, searching for his keys. Twice now, he’d had to resort to using the one he’d hidden under a rock.
Yes, a rock. I nearly had a heart attack when I realised how easy he was making it for people to break into his home. Only the knowledge that it was covered in wards had been enough to stop me from marching over and giving him a lecture.
Reid definitely wouldn’t take that well.
I couldn’t help but marvel at how his mind worked. Sometimes, he’d go to do something, like make a cup of tea, then get distracted. Before I knew it, he’d be elbow deep in cleaning the windows, or pulling the books off his shelves to put them back in a different order.
Then there were the nights when he’d collapse on the sofa, gaming controller in hand, andFriendsplaying on his laptop. There was always more than one form of media playing. Some might find that overstimulating, but it seemed to have the opposite effect on Reid.
I think he found it relaxing.
