Darkest Wolf(18)

At least that was how it seemed. Maybe one day—poof—all the magical barriers keeping them from their women would fade and the pack would suddenly recall each and every one of them. He didn’t consider that especially likely. When he’d told Tristan he’d had to go to Florida before he could come home, well, his announcement hadn’t gone well.

Try not to dwell on it. He’s stressed.

I know. Rex nodded. But if I get accused of being a traitor one more time I might decide to actually become one. Perhaps my father could use my help.

His wolf sighed loudly. You’d rip out your own tongue first.

The sad part was his wolf was absolutely correct. He would never, could never, betray Westervelt in any way, despite what his brother thought. Rex would probably live and die being accused of all sorts of horrendous acts without ever committing even one.

He wondered if that made him pathetic.

No, just loyal to a fault.

On his lap, Elizabeth stirred. He ran his hand through her luscious hair. It was thick and soft in his fingers. How could anyone—even a human—perceive it as anything else?

She groaned a second before she opened her eyes. Blinking, her face held the look of a woman who had no idea where she was. Eyebrows tilted downwards, her brown eyes looked dazed and unfocused. It couldn’t have been okay that she was struck with so much magic while she battled a concussion. Rex wanted to throttle those two witches. He might not kill them right away. He might torture them for a while.

“I don’t think I’m in the hospital anymore.”

He shook his head. “Clearly not.”

“And my head is on your lap.” She said the last word with such horror he would have grinned if he hadn’t felt such a tinge of longing in his gut. He couldn’t be hoping she’d want to be there. The idea was downright absurd. Other mated couples might enjoy some kind of emotional intimacy, but it was highly unlikely love would ever happen to the two of them.



He was a wolf and she was a witch. They’d be lucky if they didn’t kill each other.

“I stuck you here so I could drive and protect you from magical assault. I assure you, nothing happened you wouldn’t want. You were unconscious. I’m not, despite what you think, a monster.”

Why did his voice sound so tight? He cracked his neck to try to relieve some of the tension he felt well up in there. Rex didn’t suffer from human aches and pains, so what the hell was going on?

“Where are we going?”

“Florida.” Hadn’t he told her this? She jerked upward, and he grabbed her shirt with his hand. Before she could speak, he finished his thought. “By all that is sacred, do not let go of me. I will not have you losing consciousness again because those lunatics magically abuse you again. Do you understand? It’s simple. At least one hand on me at all times.

More would be better but one hand is the bare minimum. Do you understand?” She visibly swallowed, her neck muscles clenching. Finally, she spoke. “Yes.” As she reached out to put one hand on his arm, he felt himself relax. He hadn’t expected her to agree. Somehow, he’d thought she’d put up more of a fight, he would have to battle her to get her to do what she should do.

Not everything in life is going to be a fight, Rex.

He didn’t like the pity he heard in his wolf’s voice. Everything was a fight. All of the time. From the moment he opened his eyes until he went to bed at night he fought for the right to exist. He was a dark creature whom no one wanted around. Just to exist was a trial. If he didn’t have to struggle against this witch for one moment, then he’d consider himself lucky. For the moment.

“We should not be going to Florida. That is the middle of their den. I can’t stand the thought of something happening to my mother.” Her hand shook on his arm. “Maybe I should turn myself in to them. They’ll probably just torture me for a few years.”

“This is all going to end. They are bullies. This kind of behavior has to be put to a stop. I will end it for you. Then we will go to Westervelt and you will help me.” She shook her head. “It’s never going to be simple. I promise you, if it were just a matter of standing up for myself, I would have done it years ago.”

“Hiding out from something does not make it go away. I know this for a fact. It will never end. It will only get worse.”

Elizabeth slammed her free hand on the console. “How can you be so sure?”

“Because we sat still for thirty years after my father destroyed nearly my entire pack.”

“I don’t understand. Tell me. Make me comprehend what you’re talking about.” Rex had never had anyone want to know more about him than Elizabeth. It was kind of … nice.