by Liv Brywood
Boom!
The blast punched her in the stomach. She fell backward and knocked her head against the hard ground. The rosy sky faded in and out of focus.
“No!” Ryker screamed.
Stryde dove for the gun and flipped onto his back just as Zane jumped toward him. He fired. Zane jerked like a dancing marionette before falling to the ground.
Diana clenched her teeth and waited for the horrible pain to come, but after sucking in a breath, nothing happened. She stared at the place on her shirt where she expected to see blood, but it was only covered in dust.
Ryker dropped to his knees alongside her. His hands yanked up her shirt and roamed her torso searching for the bullet hole.
He didn’t find one. She hadn’t been shot.
“Oh thank you, thank you.” He pulled her into his arms and squeezed her tight against his chest.
“Can’t breathe,” she gasped.
Ryker released his grip. “I’m sorry.”
Sheriff Watkins trained his gun on Stryde and approached him slowly. “You’re under arrest. Put your hands up.”
Diana scrambled to her feet. “No, Sheriff Watkins. He was just defending me. Zane tried to kill me and Luna.”
As if she’d been summoned, Luna ran around the corner. “I heard shooting.”
Behind them, Zane groaned. Diana jumped. She’d thought he was dead.
Zane’s garbled words came out a whisper. “Kill the werewolves.”
“What werewolves?” Watkins kept his gun pointed at Stryde as he inched back toward Zane.
Diana stepped between Zane and the sheriff. “He’s insane. He tried to kill us.”
Watkins glared at Stryde. “Move a muscle and I’ll shoot you.”
Diana hurried to the sheriff’s side. “He’s still alive?”
The sheriff put two fingers on Zane’s wrist and studied the wound on his stomach. “For now, but there’s no way emergency services will get here in time. Zane, you need to confess before you die. What do you have to say for yourself?”
Zane sputtered. “I only did what the good Lord wanted. What he told me to do.”
The sheriff scowled. “God wanted you to kidnap these women?”
“He speaks to me. I’m an instrument in the holy war with the wicked.” He lifted a shaky finger and pointed to Ryker. “These things are pure evil. They stalk the woods waiting to eat our women and children. I know; I’ve seen it.”
“That’s a lie,” Diana exclaimed.
The sheriff silenced her with a look. “You’ve seen the werewolves eating children?”
Zane coughed. Droplets of blood sprayed the ground. He gurgled for a second before his head lolled to the side. Diana knew he was finally dead by the blank look in his eyes.
As Sheriff Watkins lowered Zane’s eyelids, the man who’d driven Ryker and Stryde to the farm stepped out from behind the side of the house.
The sheriff motioned for him to come closer. “Hank, dispatch called me after you called the station. What do you know about this?”
Hank scowled. “They are werewolves. I’ve seen ‘em change with my own eyes. I don’t know anything else but what I seen.”
The sheriff turned his gaze on Luna. The look he gave her seemed more than just friendly.
His tone softened. “Luna, what do you think? Are these dangerous creatures like Zane claims?”
Her sister shifted uncomfortably and looked at her. Diana pleaded with her eyes. Please don’t say anything to make the sheriff want to kill the wolves.
Luna nodded stiffly. “The werewolves seem harmless to us. But I don’t think they should be allowed in town.”
Diana groaned. Couldn’t her sister stick to the facts and keep her opinions to herself for once?
A deputy rounded the corner with his gun drawn. The sheriff motioned to Zane and the deputy holstered his weapon. “Get a bus down here. Zane’s dead.”
Relief flooded Diana. The nightmare was finally over.
“Thank you for believing us.” Diana wanted to leave before the sheriff could arrest Ryker.
The sheriff held up a hand. “Hang on, Diana. Hank claims your friend’s a werewolf. I find it hard to believe, but if it’s true, I can’t have dangerous animals roaming the woods attacking humans. When I left the office, I had a whole lobby full of men saying werewolves attacked them and rounded them up. I thought they were playing a joke on me.”
“We don’t attack humans,” Ryker said. “Those men were trying to kill my family. I had every right to defend my territory.”
“Territory? You really do think you’re a werewolf.”
Ryker snorted. “I’ll prove it to you.”
“No.” Diana pulled Ryker to the side and whispered. “Just tell him you made it up. Who knows what they’ll do if they find out the truth.”
“What could they do that they haven’t already done? Maybe we can come to some sort of agreement if I prove to them that werewolves exist and that we’re not dangerous unless provoked.”
The sheriff said, “If werewolves actually exist, I don’t want them in my town. I don’t want any deaths on my watch and I don’t want werewolves roaming my streets.”
Diana pleaded with her eyes, but Ryker ignored her and shifted.
The sheriff’s hand flicked against the butt of his gun. His jaw dropped. “I’ll be damned.”
As Diana pet Ryker’s thick coat of fur, he nuzzled her hand with his cold nose. Luna snorted in disgust. Diana ignored her.
“That’s all the proof I need. Don’t ever step foot in my town. If I catch you there, I’ll shoot to kill.”
“He can’t talk when he’s in wolf form,” Diana snapped.
“Too bad, that would be a hell of a thing to see.” The sheriff continued to stare at Ryker.
Ryker shifted back to his human form. “You’re not afraid?”
“When I was in the Army, I saw things you wouldn’t believe. I’ll believe anything that someone can prove to me. What you just did, that’s proof enough for me.”
“So now what?” Diana asked.
“I think I made myself very clear. Werewolves are not welcome in my town.”
Ryker eyed him warily. “We don’t want to be in your town, but we also don’t want you roaming around the woods hunting us.”
“I don’t negotiate when my town’s safety is at risk. But I don’t want a war between humans and werewolves. I’d like to come see where you live. You said there are others like you?”
“Three packs in this area. I could call a council meeting and we could discuss ways we can all live together. I think we both want peace. Maybe we can come to an arrangement,” Ryker said.
The sheriff rubbed his jaw reflectively. “You have council meetings? Interesting. If you’re as organized as you say you are, we might be able to come to an agreement. When can you get the council together?”
“Give me a few days. I’ll go into town to let you know when we’re meeting.”
The sheriff shook his head. “No. I’ll give you two weeks from today and I choose the meeting place.”
Ryker’s jaw clenched. “Agreed. But keep your people out of the woods until we meet.”
“I’ll do what I can.” The sheriff tipped his hat and walked away.
Chapter 18
Diana watched the EMTs zip Zane’s body into a black bag. She took a deep breath and let it whoosh out through her teeth. She couldn’t wait to get home to take a hot bath and sleep in her own bed. Luna stood on the sidewalk watching her with suspicious eyes.
Ryker gave Diana an awkward smile. “So I guess you’re headed home?”
“Yes, home.” As soon as she said it, Diana realized she didn’t know where home was anymore. She immediately thought of Ryker’s room in the den. In the time she’d spent with him, his room became home for her. But it wasn’t really her home. She needed to remember that up until a few days ago, she lived in town, alone.
“Can I walk you home?” Ryker asked.
“Sure.”
There was so much she wanted to ask, so much she wanted to say. But she couldn’t forget her sister’s accusation that she only cared about Ryker because she’d depended on him for her safety. Now that she didn’t depend on him, could she walk away? Maybe in a few days, the feeling she had for him would fade.
Ryker spread damp kisses across her face and cheeks. “I never should have left you.”
“You didn’t know.”
“I’m so sorry. I swear I’ll never leave you again.”
His lips found hers but she pulled back slightly. She wanted to believe what they shared was something magical, something real and good, but how could she know for certain until she spent some time away from him?
As if sensing her change in mood, he asked, “What’s wrong?”
Diana stepped out of his embrace. She needed time to figure out if what she felt for him was real. Maybe her sister was right and she’d only fallen for him because of the extraordinary circumstances.
She gave him a weak smile. “I’m just… really tired. I need to get some rest.”
Luna stepped in. “It’s time to say your goodbyes.”
Ryker shot her a look. “Can we have a minute?”
Diana sighed as Luna walked away. She hated the hostility in her sister’s tone.
“I’m sorry, she’s just really protective.”
Ryker searched her face. “I don’t want to say goodbye. Come back with me. Come back to the den.”
She looked away. “I need some time to figure things out.”
“What things? You know there’s something between us. I’ve never felt so…”
“So what?” She leaned forward, hoping he’d say the words she needed to hear.
“Never mind, I just thought you’d want to come back with me.”
Diana sighed. “Go home, Ryker. Go back to where you belong.”
Ryker hung his head as he backed into the forest. He watched her from the tree line for a moment before shifting and leaving.
Exhaustion pulled on every muscle in her body. She didn’t want to deal with Luna’s inevitable interrogation.
“I’m tired. I need to sleep.”
Luna balked. “I’m glad you got rid of him. I think we need to talk about what happened. I don’t want you wandering off into the forest in search of that werewolf. That’s not the kind of man you get married to and have children with. Zane may have been totally insane, but he was right about one thing. Werewolves are unnatural creatures. Stay away from him and you’ll forget this whole ordeal in no time.”
“Why do you hate him so much? He saved my life. If he hadn’t stopped Zane from attacking me in the woods, I’d be dead right now.”
Luna grabbed both of her sister’s hands. “What kind of future do you really think you can have with him? What about the big wedding you always wanted? Or kids? Who knows if you can even have kids with a werewolf? And if you did, you’d be shunned by the entire town. No one would accept your children. They’d be bullied and ridiculed their entire lives.
“He saved me twice. He cared for me and made sure I was safe and comfortable the entire time I was in his den. I love him and I know he loves me too.”
Luna dropped her hands to her sides. “Has he told you he loves you?”
Diana shifted uncomfortably. “Not exactly.”
Luna smirked. “You might want to get that figured out before you set up house in his damp, bug-infested cave. He might not even want you to live with him. I can’t imagine the other werewolves like having a human around.”
Diana frowned. “I’m sure he can convince the others to let me live with him.”
“You’re clutching at straws. You can’t honestly tell me you’re going to give up all the comforts of modern life, watching television, going to the movies, telephone calls with me, microwave mac and cheese? And coffee? Really? You’re going to trade that all for him?”
Diana didn’t care about those things. Luna didn’t understand that the magic of the forest made city life pale in comparison.
The soothing sound of the wind as it whispered through the trees, the gurgle of water cascading over river rocks, the hoot of the owl at midnight, and the scent of fresh, clean air did more than soothe her frayed nerves, they awakened a spark of magic in her soul.
Diana didn’t feel like arguing. “I’m tired and need a good night’s sleep.”
“I’ll come and check on you in the morning.”
Diana stepped into her house and closed the door. She sagged against the wall. The anxiety and stress of the last few days finally caught up with her.
She took a long, hot bath filled with lavender-scented bubbles. The warm water relaxed her aching muscles. As the water cooled, she ran through every moment she spent with Ryker. Every touch, every kiss, every time he’d taken her to his bed replayed in vivid color. What they’d shared felt so real, so right. Her sister meant well, but Diana couldn’t help but think she was completely off-base.
She reluctantly left the bath, toweled off, and then climbed into bed. Wrapped in silence, she missed the sounds of the raging river and the wind through the trees. But most of all, she missed the way Ryker wrapped his arms around her and held her close.
***
Ryker flinched. He’d never expected her to reject him. Then he realized why. She probably hated him now. He never should have left her. What kind of a protector was he? He’d failed to protect Trista, Leah, and now Diana. No wonder she’d turned away from him.
Ryker took the longest route to the den. He couldn’t imagine going back without her, but maybe after she rested she’d change her mind.
As he approached the den, he spotted Stryde standing at the edge of a clearing. Great, the last think he wanted to do was talk to him. Anger still simmered in Ryker’s gut. How could Stryde have hidden such a huge secret about Trista’s killer from him all these years?
Stryde shifted from one foot to the other, then lowered his gaze to the ground in a display of submission. “I want to clear the air.”
“Now’s not a good time.”
Stryde held out Trista’s rumpled dress. “I went to your den and asked Trent to bring it out.”
Ryker snatched the dress. “What the hell gives you the right to go to my den and ask for my property?”
Stryde’s shoulders slumped. “I made a huge mistake not telling you about the dress. I thought I was helping, but I…”
“You were wrong. I lost Diana because of you,” Ryker blurted.
“What are you talking about?”
“She thinks I can’t protect her. None of this would have happened if you hadn’t stolen this dress years ago.”
“Did she tell you that?” Stryde asked.
“No, but she didn’t have to. Why else would she leave? If I had been a better protector, she would have stayed.”
Stryde shook his head. “I doubt that’s why she left you. She knows humans aren’t welcome in the pack. Maybe you should break another rule and bring her home. I saw the way she looked at you. She loves you. Don’t be stupid. Don’t let her get away the way I let Leah get away.”
“Did you bury her?” Ryker asked.
“I made a tomb on the mountain in a place where no one can disturb her. I didn’t want some stray to dig her up.” Stryde’s shoulders slumped forward.
For a moment, Ryker felt the other wolf’s pain as if it were his own. Stryde had made a bad choice years ago, but before Trista died they’d been like brothers.
Ryker didn’t want to hold onto the past anymore. He stepped forward and clasped Stryde’s shoulder. “I forgive you.”
Stryde looked up at him. “I swear I won’t keep secrets from you ever again.”
Ryker embraced him, then slapped him on the back. “Let
’s move on. I miss our old hunting trips.”
“And fishing in Silver Creek.” Stryde grinned.
Ryker smiled as he remembered watching Diana swimming in the river the first day after he’d brought her to the den. He still had a chance to win her heart. He just had to stop being such a coward and go to her.
Stryde glanced at the dress. “Bury the past. You only get so many chances before fate twists you into a new path. Don’t miss this chance with Diana.”
As Ryker watched Stryde’s retreating form, he held Trista’s dress against his chest. He’d always remember her, but Stryde was right.
Ryker shifted to his wolf form and clawed at the ground. He dug deeper and deeper into the cold earth until he couldn’t see over the edge of the small pit. He jumped out and took Trista’s dress in his teeth. He dropped it into the hole and kicked dirt onto it. As each clump of earth hit the ground, the heaviness in his heart lifted.
With the dirt back in place, he picked some branches up with his mouth and dropped them to hide the uneven earth. Covered in dirt, he hurried to the river. He wanted to be clean when he returned to her house.
Chapter 19
The creepy sense of being watched woke Diana. Startled, she glanced around her dark bedroom. She’d fallen asleep late in the afternoon, but must have been out for hours. Night had fallen and darkness pressed against the windows.
As her eyes slowly adjusted to the gloom, she spotted a naked man standing at the foot of her bed. She opened her mouth to scream.
“It’s me,” Ryker whispered.
“You almost gave me a heart attack. What are you doing here in the middle of the night?” She dragged the covers up to her neck.
He ran a trembling hand through his hair. “I just came to talk to you.”
“Don’t get me wrong, I’m glad to see you, but couldn’t you wait until morning?”
He perched on the edge of the bed. “I couldn’t wait. I needed to see you because I need to tell you… I don’t know how to say this.”
Her breath caught in her chest. “Whatever it is, just say it.”
Ryker fidgeted on the bed. “When I met you, I never thought I’d care about anyone the way I cared about Trista. But something about you stole my heart. From the minute I met you, I couldn’t breathe without knowing you were safe. When Zane kidnapped you, I almost went out of my mind trying to find you. If he’d killed you… if you’d have died, I never would have forgiven myself.”
