"New boyfriend?" John asked. "Don't you give our girl any trouble or you'll have six BJJ champions searching for your ass."
Griffin crossed his arms over his chest. "I'm her husband."
John chuckled and then looked at Dakota.
She sighed and nodded.
"Oh, hey. I was just kidding," said John. "It's nice to meet you. Dakota is a great girl. I didn't realize she was married."
"We're separated." She glared at Griffin. "Have been for a while. I'm just staying with him until I find a place to stay."
"Well, the offer still stands if you want to stay with us," John replied.
"Thanks. I just came in to look at the schedule for the week."
John patted her hand. "You know where it is. I'm really glad you're okay. I better get back to class."
Dakota smiled and then pulled a calendar from a desk drawer and looked it over. She grabbed a pencil and wrote her name in several slots. The phone began to ring but she continued writing, ignoring both the phone and Griffin.
"Are you gonna answer that?" Griffin finally asked.
She looked up at him and then the phone. "I'm not the receptionist."
"Then what do you do here?"
The icy glare she shot at him sent chills down his back. He could practically see her hackles raise and her ears flatten.
"I'm an instructor. Didn't you need to use the bathroom?"
"An instructor?"
"Yeah. I teach a bunch of the kid’s classes and two women's self-defense classes."
When had that happened? And how? He wanted to ask, but she turned back to the schedule and ignored him completely. For the first time, he looked at her. Really looked at who she’d become and the truth slapped him in the face. Somehow in the last twelve months she’d gone from scared little girl to a tough, self-assured woman. As much as he hated to admit it… she'd done better without him… and it hurt like hell.
Thirty minutes later they were on their way back to the house. The tension between them hung thick as snow at Bogus Basin Ski Resort.
When they got to the house he looked at the clock.
"Crap. I'm supposed to meet Cassie before my shift." He hopped from the Jeep and grabbed her things, pulling them into the house.
He dropped the bags to the floor, stripped off his shirt and without thinking unbuckled his pants.
"Hon can you finish up? I need to–"
He stopped in his tracks and swallowed hard. He turned to Dakota in the doorway. Being with her all day, even though tense, had felt so natural that he'd momentarily forgotten about their current situation.
Dakota's cheeks flushed a deep shade of peach as her gaze raked over him.
She cleared her throat and glanced away. "It's fine. You do what you need to. I'm a bit tired. I think I'll just lie down."
He nodded. "Right."
She walked toward him and he leaned against the back of the couch to let her pass. Her body pressed against his, as she brushed past the tight area between him and the couch. His hips connected with her and her breasts brushed his bare chest. He sucked in a breath and was struck by the heady scent of musk mixed with wildflowers, that was wholly and fully Dakota.
His wolf whined with desire. Screw Cassie's shampoo, this was the scent he loved most. He fought against his baser instincts to grab onto her, reminding himself of what she'd done. She'd betrayed him. Cheated on him. Even if he did let her in again, how could he ever trust her?
"Do you mind if I stay one more night?"
"No. I'll be gone anyway."
She nodded and continued toward the kitchen to let Bowgie out. He waited until she was gone before releasing a shuddering breath.
He turned around and planted his hands on the back of the couch. His eyes lit on the piano.
"Oh my gosh! Griff! What did you do?" she squealed.
She ran to the piano and hugged it. Then she sat on the bench and traced her fingers over the keys. He slid up behind her on the bench and wrapped her in his arms.
"I figured it would give you something to do while I'm away."
He brushed the hair from her neck and kissed her just below her earlobe.
She leaned back into him. "I could write a new song for you."
"You could. And you can play it for me when I return."
Her hand slid up his thigh making his arousal kick in his cargo pants.
"And what can I give you now to remember me by when you're gone?"
He turned her face to his and kissed her hard.
Griffin shook his head, making the memory fade. A new one surfaced.
She'd been new to Wolf River. Her first day, sophomore year, and she hadn’t known a soul. He remembered how frightened and alone she'd looked as she walked to choir room– deep brown eyes large and round, a red t-shirt hugging her thin form, tight skinny jeans tucked into her Ugg boots.
Six years together. Three tours overseas. Half a dozen moves around the US and one crazy old stray cat, that only lasted two months. They'd been through so much. And yet, for all that time together, it was like he was seeing her for the first time. She'd grown strong since they'd been apart. She'd learned how to stand on her own feet and do for herself. It was sexy as hell.
Stop! There was no forgetting what she'd done to him. No matter the woman she was changing into, there was no changing the past. No changing the pain. No changing the anger.
He walked to the bedroom, went straight to the closet, grabbed his uniform, and walked into the bathroom. All without even glancing at Dakota.
"Are you okay?"
Griffin looked up from his cup of coffee. "I'm sorry, what?"
Cassie smiled and squeezed his hand. "I just wondered how you're doing. Having Dakota back in your house can't be easy."
That was an understatement.
"Do you want to talk? I mean you don't have to but if you want to I don't mind hearing about it."
What could he say? He didn't want to hide things from Cassie… aside from the obvious– he was a werewolf bonded to Dakota and she'd never be fully out of his life, no matter what the papers in his nightstand said.
"I met her junior year in high school."
"So you were sweethearts."
"We got married right before I went into boot camp. I was nineteen. I never thought I'd love anyone but her."
"How many times have you been deployed?"
"Three. And the first two times weren't bad. But the last time…" His gut clenched. He hadn't talked to anyone, besides his brothers, about the reason for the split.
"You don't have to tell me."
"She cheated and got pregnant but lost the baby before I got back."
Cassie nodded. "And you two just couldn't make it work?"
He swallowed hard. "I couldn't even try. I was so hurt and betrayed. I kicked her out after I got home."
"And now?" Her eyes rounded with interest. Her sweet face held no judgment. No jealousy. Maybe it was how she was raised. Maybe it was just that she held the maturity of a woman in her thirties. He didn't know.
"I still can't forgive her. I'm trying but… I watched what betrayal like that did to someone I loved. I swore I'd never allow that to happen to me. So I just shut her out. Even before I got back stateside I'd shut down. Slammed the door. Refused to allow that kind of pain in."
"Do you still love her?"
"I will always love her. Love isn't our problem."
She sipped her coffee and stared at it for a minute before looking at him again.
"Griffin, I care about you and I want to see you happy. I can see right now that you aren't and I just wonder if part of that is because you want to forgive her."
"Cassie–"
"Let me finish. I don't want to get in the middle of you two. You have history and a life together. If you still love her I completely understand. Maybe it would be better if we took a step back and you figured out if you really want to move forward with us, or if you want to go back to her."
So kind. So… comf
ortable. With Cassie it would be easier. A clean slate. He wouldn't have to go backward. He wouldn't have to deal with the pain. The conflict. The lack of trust. He could just move forward. Move on. Not that being with a human would be easy. His parents would rip him a new one. And who knew if Cassie would even accept him when he told her the truth. And if they had kids… He swallowed hard. They might not be wolf. They could be human.
He reached into his pocket and pulled out his keys. He slid one of his house keys off the ring and pushed across the table.
"I don't want to step back. I want to move forward."
She looked at the key and he grabbed her hand.
"You know how I feel," she said. "I don't want to get too serious before your divorce is final."
"Neither do I. I just want you to know that I mean this. I want to be honest with you. I don't know that I'll ever stop loving Dakota. But this key is a symbol of me telling you that I'm not ready to throw away what you and I have."
He leaned across the table and kissed her. His work phone buzzed and he looked at the text.
"I'm late. I better go." He finished his coffee and stood. "I'll give you a call later."
She nodded. "I'll be up."
He walked away from the table and moved for the exit. His wolf grumbled and the chilling feel of betraying Dakota washed over him.
Chapter Six
"Hey baby, you feeling good yet?"
A face swam in and out of view.
"Something's wrong."
"Did you drink too much?"
"I need to get home."
"Don't worry. I'll get you home. Come on." Strong arms enveloped her and the overpowering scent of spicy aftershave filled her nostrils.
Dakota shot straight up in a cold sweat. She scanned the dark room and tried to get her bearings. She recognized her surroundings but couldn't place them.
She was in her bedroom. Hers and Griffin's. She touched his side of the bed and everything rushed back. He wasn't there. They weren't together.
She took a deep breath and the desire to grab a sleeping pill washed over her. Her wolf whimpered, she swallowed hard and turned on the light. Her headache had dimmed but an underlying thumping had become her new best friend.
She made it to the bathroom, splashed water on her face and then pushed a pressure point on her hand, trying to dull the ache. She dried her hands on the towel and Griffin's heavenly scent invaded her.
The memory of their first kiss float back to her. Sitting in the bed of his father's truck and looking up at the stars after a winning football game. Heart pounded, palms sweaty. He leaned in close and touched her cheek. Their eyes locked in an intimate embrace.
"I want to kiss you."
"Then do it."
His lips had met hers. Soft at first and then harder and deeper.
Nope! That would not do. She would not allow herself to be dragged down by painful memories.
She stood straight and walked out of the bathroom. She straightened the bed and then hung up her clothes in the closet. Next, she went to the front room and the kitchen to see if there was anything to clean or put away, but there wasn't.
Wide-awake and with nothing to do, curiosity got the better of her. She went to the bedroom dresser and opened the top drawer, the one that used to be hers. It sat empty. One by one she opened the other drawers. They all remained empty. She opened her old nightstand to find it too empty.
Curiosity turned to obsession and she stomped to the first guest room and turned on the light. It had been turned into a home office. A desk and computer stood in the corner and across one wall was a shelf full of textbooks and other books. She thumbed through the military manuals and medical texts and then walked out of the room.
She found the second bedroom full of home gym equipment. A treadmill, elliptical and weight machine stood waiting. Too much. It was all too much. Her house but not her house. She hadn’t wanted an office and a gym, she'd wanted kids rooms. But Griffin had refused to even think about kids until he was out of the military. So she'd been forced to wait.
She ran her hand over her belly and whimpered. All she'd wanted in life was to be Griffin's mate and the mother of his children. But now that would never be.
She needed to get out. To run and clear her head. She looked at the clock. It was close to three a.m. The sun hadn't even begun to rise yet.
She stripped off her shirt and pants and dropped them to the floor. She needed this. She dropped her underwear and bra and then walked to the back door.
In her mind she retraced the path she used to take when she needed to run. Up off Hill Road going toward Bogus Basin. It was a nice long jog if she could keep from getting hit on the way there.
In wolf form, she definitely healed faster too. Maybe it would clear up her concussion and stupid headaches. Her wolf paced and stretched, anticipating what was coming.
Bowgie sniffed her and then backed away slowly, head down, tail between his legs.
The cool morning air puckered her skin with goosebumps. She walked to the gazebo and got down on all fours. The shift washed over her and rippled through her muscles. Her inner wolf howled in delight. Dakota locked down her mind and concentrated on the one thing she'd focused on for over six years when shifting. Griffin.
His image broke into her mind as her arms and legs shortened. The pain washed through her, like an old friend. She studied his eyes and strong jaw as her body trembled in agony. The color of his hair. His laugh— all consuming and contagious. The strong feel of his arms about her as they slept. But thinking of him brought up emotional pain that rivaled the physical agony. With the sprouting of long body hair, the shift finished and the pain receded. She lay on her side and panted for a moment before getting to her feet. Some wolves, like Griffin, could shift in an instant, if needed, but she had yet to master that feat. Sucking in a deep breath she forced back a howl. She was still in the neighborhood.
She spotted Bowgie in the corner of the yard and barked at him. He jogged forward.
With her wolf spurring her on, and Bowgie at her side, she hopped over the fence and dashed down the street toward the hills. It was time to let go.
* * *
Griffin opened the front door at three thirty, surprised to find the lights on in the hallway. He dropped his bag and froze when he saw Dakota's clothes on the floor. She wouldn't dare bring another man into his house. He sniffed the air, but smelled no one.
His gut twisted as he walked to the master bedroom. He pushed open the door, his heart pounding, but no one was in there.
"Dakota?"
There was no answer.
He checked the closet and the bathroom. Still no Dakota. Dammit where was she?
He walked into the kitchen and found her bra and panties laying by the back sliding door.
No. She hadn't.
He opened the door and his wolf leaped to its feet. The scent of Dakota's wolf had his body rippling with the need to shift.
Dammit! Why couldn't she just stay in bed like a normal person?
The shift coursed through him, his wolf wanted out. It'd been two years since he'd run with Dakota but their bond was strong enough to pull him over the edge— without his consent. He hastily ripped off his clothes. His nails lengthening and slashing at his shirt buttons. His legs buckled, his feet tightened and thinned, and hair sprouted all over his body. He slid out of his pants, underwear, and shoes easily, barely registering the pain before it was over. He sniffed the air and took off, heading north.
Like his own brand of perfume, her scent called to him and he raced down the street, through yards and over hedges. He crossed roads without even looking, following her scent like a ribbon in the air. He ran until her scent grew stronger. He sprinted up Bogus Basin Rd., past the houses and the Mormon Church, the elementary school, and the bomb shelter. A car sped toward him and he ducked into the underbrush, letting it pass before continuing on. At Simplot's abandoned house, he took a left into the hills beyond.
Dakota knew
better than to run through the neighborhood but at least she'd made it to the hills without getting hit or caught. Hell, if he hadn't been so out of control, he would've driven up and shifted in the hills himself. She was so reckless. Putting not only herself in danger but him as well.
Their bond remained though, strong as ever, despite them being apart for so long. He even dared to say the pull was stronger because they'd been apart.
He crested a ridge and spotted her in the moonlight. Running below, in the valley. She and Bowgie jumped, turned and chased a rabbit back and forth. Relief and joy washed over him. She was all right.
His wolf wanted to go down and join in her fun, but he held back. He didn't belong down there with her. Not anymore. Despite what their wolves felt, they were no longer one. She wasn't his. And he wasn't hers. He'd moved on, with Cassie.
His wolf whined and his heart crumbled as realization hit him. Cassie would never run with him in the moonlight. She'd never know or understand the need for him to be with his family once a month. She'd never feel the pull of the wolf or the restraint it took to hold back the anger or the shift. So much of his life she would never understand.
Bowgie caught wind of him and ran up the slope, barking and growling.
Dakota's head whipped up.
"What are you doing here?"
"You think I want to be out here at three in the morning?" he asked.
"Then leave."
"Do you know how dangerous it is for you out here by yourself? Running through the neighborhood and across the streets? You could have been hit."
She started up the ridge toward him and stopped next to Bowgie. "You have no clue how many times I came out here by myself while you were gone."
"And do you know how stupid that was? What if someone had seen you?"
"Is that what this is really about? You're afraid I'll be seen and that my actions will once again complicate your life?"
"Yes."
She shook her shaggy head and bumped him with her shoulder. "Always thinking of yourself. Doesn't matter what other people might need. Only Griffin."
Reclaimed From The Moon (Wolf River, ID. Book 3) Page 5
