Blind Wolf (A Werewolf BBW Shifter Romance #1)(26)

“It’s dangerous to let her live.”

“I know.”

“You’re not just putting yourself at risk here, Damien,” Jordan said, his voice rising. “You’re putting our pack at risk. And what about this shifter? What pack is he part of?”

Damien shook his head.

“I have no idea. There are a lot of questions I want to ask him when he wakes up.”

“But you still think staying here is a good idea?”

“Are you questioning my judgment?”

“Damien, I followed you when nobody else did. I trust you. I love you. But this...this infatuation—”

“It’s not just an infatuation,” Damien said quietly.

“Whatever it is, it’s putting our lives at risk.”

“You say you trust me,” Damien said. “Then trust me.” Despite his confident tone, he had doubts of his own. But the shifter had said that he was there for Julia. As prey, or something else? There would be a lot to figure out in the coming days, but his gut told him that this was the place they needed to settle. It just felt safe. A good place to start a family. A family—

He sniffed the air. “Where’s Katherine?”

“She and Kyle went to scout the borders of the town again,” Jordan said. “To make sure there weren’t any more shifters from the same pack as this guy.”

“When did they leave?”

“About an hour ago.” Jordan’s surgical tools clattered as he gathered them up from the table. “Should be back soon.”

“I’ll wait for them outside.”

“Do you want something to eat? There’s leftover pizza in the fridge.”

“No, I’m fine,” Damien said. He walked to the hotel door.

“Are you sure?” Jordan asked.

“Yeah, I had something to eat earlier,” Damien said.

“No, I mean, are you sure about this?” Jordan said. “Staying here. Staying on that property.”

“Yes,” Damien said, and as soon as he answered he knew that it was the right answer.

“And the girl?”

“We’ll figure it out,” Damien said. “Don’t worry.” He closed the door behind him before Jordan could object again.

Damien walked across the parking lot and stood at the edge of the woods, waiting. In the darkness that had enveloped him for the past two years, he could replay the memories of what he’d seen back when he still had sight. Now, he remembered the last night before the fight that had taken his eyes and driven him away from his main pack.

The stars had been bright in the sky, the smell of the forest as sweet and cool as it was now. He remembered the pale white moon, and now as he stood by the trees he lifted his head and held the memory in his mind so that he could almost see the bright circle above him.

A smell brought him back to the present. Katherine, her sweet musk on the air. Damien licked his finger to test the light breeze. They must be upwind of him. He could hear both of them now, their paws crunching the branches and pine needles underneath, their laughter lilting on the wind, carried to his ears.

They stopped well before reaching him, and Damien tensed, thinking that something had happened. The sounds that came to him were of a scuffle, perhaps a fight, but there were no yelps or growls to indicate anything amiss.

Then he heard Katherine’s low whine, the whine of a female in heat desiring the attention of a male. Kyle yipped and whined back, and Damien could almost see in his mind their rough, flirtatious play. He froze, unsure of what to do. A week before, he’d have had to challenge Kyle and fight the young wolf, but now there was a lot more at play.

A lot more. Even though he didn’t want Katherine as a mate, this flirtatious behavior insulted his status as alpha male, even in as straggling a pack as his was. He thought a moment before calling out in their direction.

“Katherine! Kyle!”

He immediately heard their play stop, their voices silenced. He waited. They might run now, leave the pack. It was up to them.

He heard their footsteps growing louder. They slunk out of the trees and shifted back into human form. Damien could hear Katherine’s breath coming fast, and Kyle’s heart pounding.

“Hello, Damien,” Kyle said.

“Hello,” Damien said, too casually. “How was the scouting?”

“We didn’t find anything.”

“No other wolves? No wolf scent?”

“Nothing.” Kyle shifted his weight from one foot to another. Damien could smell the tension coming off of him.

“What about you, Katherine?” Damien asked, his voice rising in a lilting tease. “Did you smell any other wolves out there?”

Katherine was silent for a moment.

“Well?” Damien said. “No other handsome wolves out in the woods?”

“Stop playing games and come out with it,” Katherine said, her voice quavering. “You know what we were doing. Damien—”

“I’ll fight you for her,” Kyle said suddenly.

Damien smiled.

“Is this what you want, Katherine?” he asked.

“I don’t—I don’t want you to fight,” she whispered.

“Katherine, I love you,” Kyle said.

“You could die!” Katherine said. “Either one of you could die!”