by Becky Flade
“I love you.” She whispered against his side, knowing Aidan could hear her. Gealach whined softly and she pulled her head back so that they were nose to nose. “I know that wasn’t fair. You can pretend you didn’t hear it; I don’t expect you to say it in return. I want you to say it when, or if, you feel it, too.”
The wolf retreated a few steps and when she nodded her head he bound off into the dark forest. Maggie leaned back against the tree and waited for Gealach to return. She was trying to decide how best to deal with her apartment in Philadelphia, already knowing the only way she would return would be if Aidan didn’t love her. She felt sure he did, whether he was ready to tell her or not. He wouldn’t have shared his secrets with her if he didn’t love her. She didn’t feel herself drifting off, but within minutes she was asleep and dreaming.
Maggie groaned quietly in frustration as something tugged her out of slumber. She stared, uncomprehending at first, at the dark stain growing on her jeans, but when the odor hit her, she screamed and leapt to her feet. Gealach sat at her feet, his eyes patiently watching.
“You son of a bitch! You peed on me. Gealach, you fucking peed on me. You hear me in there, Aidan, do you? Just you fucking wait ’til morning. Son of a bitch!” Maggie turned and stormed out of the forest, hollering back over her shoulder, “We are so not friends anymore!”
With anger fueling her, Maggie nearly ran across the meadow, slammed into Aidan’s bedroom, toed off her shoes and socks, tossed her t-shirt and bra on the floor, and stepped into the shower still wearing her soiled jeans and panties. When she could no longer smell the pungent odor of urine, she stripped out of the sodden denim and cotton, pushing them into a ball behind her with her feet, and washed her body. As the cabin boasted only icy water, she’d been bathing here at Aidan’s, so she had her soap and shampoo and a clean change of clothes. All of which she availed herself before hopping in her car and driving back to the Black’s land.
After she’d parked and began the short hike to the cabin, Gealach appeared at her side, nudging her thigh with his muzzle. She ignored him. He tried again, and again she pretended not to notice the enormous wolf beside her. When she reached the steps, he leapt onto the porch before her, blocking her path and whined pathetically. Maggie felt her heart tug a little, but she wasn’t ready to forgive him yet.
“Just get out of my sight for a little while, Gealach,” she grumbled. She instantly felt petty and, softening slightly, she ran her fingers through his pelt as he passed so he’d know she wouldn’t hold the peeve long. She took the few rickety stairs quickly and was glad to be inside the tiny cabin. She’d allowed herself very little time to work or balance her checkbook or keep up with friends she knew were worried about her. Thinking about her finances made Maggie grimace. Keeping the rental car was getting prohibitively expensive—she should see about getting a used car locally and wondered how much that would hurt her already maimed savings.
She changed into a nightgown, made herself some hot chocolate, and sat down with her laptop. She couldn’t email or check her bank’s website, but she could write, and she needed to quickly sell some freelance articles. Maggie pulled out her checkbook and made a few more credit notations, feeling saddened by the lack of deposits. Her resolve renewed, she opened the word processing file and began a short article on Chengwatana Forest from the research she’d done when she’d still planned to write about Gealach, before she’d met the wolf and the man who had stolen her heart. She wondered, absently, if Aidan would mind if she brought her laptop over and used his wireless to get some work done. She suddenly realized she hadn’t heard Gealach in a while, though she had heard him occasionally pass the cabin or clack his paws on the porch earlier.
Maggie went to the door, opening it and peering out into the darkness for any sign of the recalcitrant lupine. She couldn’t see him, and Aidan had assured her that Gealach wouldn’t wander far. Slipping into a pair of canvas sneakers she kept near the door, Maggie headed out onto the porch for a better look. She heard what sounded like a gunshot somewhere to the left inside the woods. Terror filled her as she thought of Gealach wounded, of losing Aidan, and she streaked toward the area where the shot had echoed from.
She passed a strand of trees and ran straight into a small clearing. Arms, seeming to come out of nowhere, grasped her firmly around her waist. She screamed, truly scared, for both herself and her lover. The arms released her; she whirled and saw the two men who must have been standing behind the patch of trees she’d passed. They looked drunk and mean. She saw two rifles sitting against the tree they’d been behind.
“Check her out, Leeroy,” the one who’d grabbed her said. The one called Leeroy leered at her, a nearly empty six-pack ring and its lone remaining can dangling from his fingers. Maggie felt her hot chocolate churn in her stomach. She was in trouble and she knew it. The two stepped closer, and Maggie took a step back, her gaze shifting toward the cabin that was just out of sight. Leeroy saw her glance towards safety and moved himself between Maggie and her escape route.
“Oh, I’m looking, Mikey. And I thought it was just going to be some boring, old wolf hunt.” Maggie’s eyes flitted between the two men and fury coated the fear like a shield. She lifted her chin; she’d be damned if these two half-wits were going to cow her.
“Back off. Where’s the wolf you shot at?” The two men laughed at her and moved closer, backing her up another step. “I said back off.”
The one named Mikey reached out and grabbed at her breast, squeezing hard and laughing when she tried to pull away. Enraged, Maggie pulled back a fist and punched him, hard, in the face. He screeched, released her, and grabbed at his nose. “She made my nose bleed, Lee. Bitch damn near broke it.”
Leeroy moved faster than Mikey, and with a closed fist he backhanded Maggie before she had a chance to block the blow. She fell to the forest floor, her ear ringing and her face in flames. A growling, snapping, blur of silver streaked over Maggie’s head and she watched as Gealach bit down on Leeroy’s forearm. The man hollered for his friend, who went straight for his rifle. Maggie scrambled across the ground, unmindful of the fact she was scraping her knees, and beat him to it. She stood pointing the rifle at Mikey, keeping herself between him and the other weapon.
“Gealach, let him go. I’m okay; let him go.” She watched as the wolf tried to look at her without releasing the man’s arm. “Please, Gealach. I’m okay. Come, see for yourself.” The wolf released Leeroy’s arm and slinked over to Maggie’s side. She looked at the two men, one with a bloody nose, the other a bloody arm, and cocked the rifle, proving she knew how to use it.
“You’ll find your guns at Red’s Press in town by lunchtime tomorrow. Now get out of my forest and don’t come back.” The two men stared at her and Gealach for a minute, appearing to silently debate the wisdom of taking on an armed woman and an angry wolf, before turning and disappearing into the trees, in the general direction of the road.
Maggie picked up the other rifle, slung it over her shoulder, and, keeping the other cocked and at the ready, she slowly backed out of the glen, Gealach by her side. Once the cabin was within sight and Maggie was confident the two drunkards weren’t doubling back, she slumped down onto a fallen log, shaking. Gealach nudged her until she stood and they crossed the last few yards together. Maggie locked them both in the small cabin, wet a washcloth, and, sitting on the raw wood floor, cleaned the blood off Gealach’s fur. It looked so obscene on him. Guilt, fear, revulsion sent Maggie running for the tiny bathroom, retching.
The wolf lay there watching her with sorrowful eyes as she crossed to the sink to wash the taste of vomit from her mouth. She got a look at her face in the mirror over the sink and gasped. Her eye was going to black and purple, her lip was split right at the edge, and the cheek itself was starting to swell. Maggie lifted the hem of her nightgown and saw the damage to her knees. Thankfully, it was nothing some Bactine and a couple of Band-aids wouldn’t cure.
“I think we came out on the better end of
that tussle. What do you think?” She turned to Gealach, who puffed out his chest and huffed out his signature chuckle. Maggie’s responding chuckle became a sob that she swallowed quickly. She went into the small bedroom, stripped off the dirty nightgown, tossing it to the floor under the bed, and curled up into a ball on top of the covers, shaking with adrenaline and fear. She felt the mattress shift as Gealach climbed up onto the bed with her. She wrapped an arm around his soft warmth.
Gealach licked her face as he rubbed his furry body all over her. She felt comforted, which she was sure was his intent, and the shaking slowed. Eventually, the shaking stopped and Maggie drifted off to sleep, hugging Gealach tight.
Chapter Twelve
Maggie woke slowly as the mid-morning sun filled the room and realized Aidan lay beside her, his arms around her. She wiggled against the warmth of his body, enjoying the feeling of being held. “Did you shift in the bed?”
“Quit it, rock star, unless you plan on making this a really good morning.” His breath on her neck made her smile, as did his words. She could feel him stirring against her backside. She wiggled one more time for effect before rolling over in his arms, her mouth searching for his.
“Son of a bitch.” Though spoken quietly, the anger behind it was evident, even without feeling his arms tighten around her. Maggie’s eyes popped open and the rage in his eyes made her hesitant.
“Aidan?”
“I’ll kill them. I swear to God, I’ll kill them.” She realized why he was so angry, and now that she thought about it the entire left side of her face ached. He leapt from the bed, naked, rifling through her drawer for the spare clothes he’d been keeping there.
“Aidan, baby, it can’t be that bad. I nearly broke that asshole’s nose and Gealach took a chunk out of the other one’s arm. Just let it go.” She sat up and the blanket he’d covered her with fell to her waist. He turned to say something, but the words died on his tongue when he saw the big, ugly bruises on her breast. The look of pure horror on his face made her glance down at herself and she gasped when she saw the marks the one named Mikey had left on her. Gingerly she pressed a finger to one; the bruises were more like welts and Maggie sucked in breath when it hurt. Aidan, barely able to contain his emotions, crossed to her and very gently pulled her into his arms, holding her.
“They hurt you.” His voice was so pained, her instinct was to soothe.
“It’s okay, baby. You saved me from the worst of it.”
“No. I didn’t. Gealach did.” He released her and continued getting dressed. “I should’ve let him rip out their throats like he wanted. Damn it, I don’t have shoes. Fuck it. I don’t need ‘em.” He stomped from the room. Throwing on her clothes from the night before as she went, Maggie followed him out of the room.
“Aidan, where are you going?” He was already part of the way to her car before she caught up, dangling her keys in front of him. His eyes flashed with impatience but he obviously realized those he did need.
“Red’s. That’s where you told them they’ll find their rifles. What they’re going to find is me.” Maggie thought quickly and came up with a plan.
“Okay, wait. I’ll get their rifles and go to town with you.”
“You get their rifles, but you’re not coming with me.”
“Then you’re not taking my car, buster.” She pushed her finger into his chest. “Bossing a woman around may fly in these parts, but I’m a big girl and I’m not going to sit at home mewling while a man, any man, takes care of my problems for me.” Maggie went back to the cabin retrieved the guns and stomped to the car. A fuming Aidan only several steps behind her.
“Are you coming to town with me or am I dropping you at your place?”
“I’m coming with you.” He sulked. “But I have to get shoes.” She took him home first but as soon as he’d buckled up a second time, she hit the accelerator and the loud, angry voice of Amy Lee filled the tiny car. When they were halfway to town, he muted the music and quietly asked her to pull over. She did as she was asked but refused to look at him.
He hit the release on her seat belt and pulled her into his lap, wrapped his arms around her and said, “I’m sorry.” Then he buried his face in her hair and whispered, “They hurt you.”
Maggie pulled her head back resting one palm against the side of his face and with a sweet smile, said, “You’re forgiven. But if you ever touch my radio again, you’ll pull away a bloody stump.”
Aidan laughed and gently kissed her mouth, careful of the side that was split and swollen. He put her back in her seat, belted her securely and they finished the ride into town, hands clasped. Maggie pulled into the first available spot she could find, about three shops down from Red’s Press.
“What time is it anyway? I’m starving.” Maggie was interrupted when she heard a familiar voice shout, “That’s her!” She turned toward the voice, and her blood chilled when she saw Mikey, Leeroy, and some other strange men she hadn’t seen before hurrying across the street toward them. Mikey had a small bandage on the bridge of his nose, and Maggie wondered proudly if she’d managed to break it after all. Leeroy‘s arm, on the other hand, was heavily bandaged and in a sling. To Maggie’s horror, Aidan strode out into the street and buried his fist in Mikey’s face.
The big man crumbled to the street and all but Leeroy backed away from Aidan. “Look, mister, we ain’t got a problem with you. Only problem we got is with that bitch and her guard dog.” Aidan reached out and grabbed Leeroy by his injured arm, making the man cry out.
“I have a problem with how you treat women.” Aidan pointed at Maggie’s bruised face before burying his fist into Leeroy’s stomach. “And how you talk to them.” Aidan hit him again. “Call her a bitch one more time; I dare you.”
Maggie cried out a warning, running toward the fight as Mikey lurched at Aidan’s back. Aidan swung around, catching the big man with a blow to the kidney. A small crowd had gathered and the sheriff was hustling over, hollering, “Break it up. Damn it, I said, break it up! Aidan Gael is that you?”
“I want to press charges,” Leeroy managed to gurgle.
“Now hold on, hold on. What the hell is this about?” the sheriff blustered.
Maggie stepped beside Aidan. He put his arm around her and pulled her close, and Maggie imagined the local cell towers were on overload. “I can explain, Sheriff Teague.”
“Jesus Christ, Miz O’Connell what happened to your face?” Teague asked, his eyes sliding over to Aidan.
“That one,” Maggie pointed to Leeroy, “did this to my face last night in the woods, after I punched that one,” she pointed to Mikey who was now vomiting along the curbside, “in the nose for sexually assaulting me. I have more bruises I can’t show you out here in the street, sheriff.” Maggie blushed. “They were out on Jake Black’s land, drunk, shooting at God only knows what, and I ran out to help because I thought someone could be hurt. And they attacked me.”
“She’s a lying bitch.” Aidan would have gone after the man again, but Maggie held tight to him and the sheriff stepped in the way. Leeroy backed away but still hollered, “Ask her about the wolf that damn near tore off my arm. It went to heal when she called to it like a trained pet.”
“Sheriff, I’m telling you the truth. Those two men attacked me. I got away from them after getting knocked to the ground; I crawled to the rifles they’d left sitting idle after they decided I’d be better sport than hunting; and I made sure they knew I’d use it. Then I told them I’d bring their rifles here for them to pick up and ordered them out of the forest.”
“Aidan?” Teague asked, “What’s this got do to with you?”
“If it had been your wife? Or your daughter? She’s about Maggie’s age.” Aidan asked. Teague looked at them standing arm and arm for a second before nodding his understanding. “I got to the cabin this morning and found her beaten and bruised. Mags told me what had happened—she doesn’t get good cell signal out there, sheriff; she couldn’t even call for help. What if she hadn�
�t gotten to the rifle first? What if they’d come back in the night? I lost my temper, but I’m not apologizing. They attacked her. They hurt her.”
“Miz O’Connell, do you want to press charges against these two men?” Maggie shook her head. “Well, then I’m thinking you fellas leave town, now, without pressing charges against Mr. Gael and we’ll all call it even. What do you say?”
Mikey was nodding his head eagerly, but Leeroy protested, “She’s lying, ask her about the wolf.” Mikey shoved Leeroy hard in his back and the other man relented, “Fine, sheriff, that’s just fine, we were leaving anyway.”
Aidan stepped forward, obviously unsatisfied with the outcome. “Either of you come anywhere near her again, I’ll kill you both. Understand?” Without waiting for an answer he walked over to Maggie’s car and retrieved their rifles, turning them over to the sheriff. “Do you need to see the other marks those bastards left on her?”
“No, Aidan, your word and the word of Miz O’Connell are good enough for me. I’m going to escort these gentlemen out of town, but stick around. I want to talk to you both before you head out of town.”
Maggie checked Aidan’s hands. They looked red and maybe a little swollen. She lifted his knuckles and kissed them gently. “My hero,” she teased.
“Don’t think I didn’t notice you running out into street, and don’t think I don’t know you intended to jump in that fight.” He slung an arm over her shoulder as the whispering crowd quickly thinned. Maggie guessed everyone was looking for someone to tell.
“Oh, so you can hit dumbasses in defense of me, but I can’t hit them defending you? Talk about a double standard.” Maggie wrapped her arm around his waist as they turned toward the diner.
