“Where you going?” Sinister asked. His face plainly said he didn’t want to be left alone with Naomi. Not in his current state.
“The pack is leaving in a few hours.” He glanced at his sister. He wasn’t concerned for Naomi’s safety. Now Sinister’s safety was another matter.
As he left the cabin, he caught a snide remark from Naomi. “If your arm wasn’t hurt, I’d be stabbing you in the same spot I did last time…”
There was so much to be done and not much time to do it. All the munitions needed to be packed. Those would be packed last after food and other such belongings went into the cabs.
And then there was the prisoner. Damien had offered to take Vince out into the woods for a long walk, but Kaden declined.
Once they were on the road, he’d handle the problem himself. At one of their stops, he planned to leave Vince tied up in the back of a random truck heading south. The man would live to see another day—unlike a few of his hunting clan members.
He sighed and watched Rhys help Eva pack up one of the snow cabs. So much money would be lost. Countless hours freelancing as a physician to the most shady characters imaginable. Hours of backbreaking labor with Sinister to construct these cabins. The man’s engineering skills were put to waste, chasing werewolves across the countryside.
Time to accept what fate would bring and hope the Windham pack came through on the other side.
***
Traveling was nothing new for Cynthia. Time and time again, the McGinnis family had packed up their meager belongings to new safe houses or to places where their next assignment would take them.
Yet, no matter what the circumstances, leaving your home behind, as well as any of the new friendships or familiarities, was a bit hard.
The pack was now in its new safe haven, and everything should’ve improved. The pack had traveled to a lake about twenty miles west of Prince George. Even though they were safe, the cabins were spaced pretty far apart and the pack seemed fractured.
Kaden was still perched over Zach, who rested on the pull-out bed. Kaden’s eyes, with stark dark circles under them, were closed in concentration.
After they’d arrived a week ago, Cyn always watched the healing process, but today she couldn’t bear to look. Even the beautiful view of the lake didn’t help.
“Will you stop staring out that window and come eat?” Kaden asked from across the room. So he’d finished his task and she’d spaced out again.
How long had she been sitting there? The loose thread she’d been pulling out of her shirt was now pooled in her lap. Like a damn fool, she kept twirling her fingers until she had a gap big enough to stick her fist inside. Lovely!
Kaden had made two roast beef sandwiches, and some broth was warming on the stove for Zach.
She made her way to the table as Kaden shoved a big bite into his mouth. She’d never seen that many pieces of roast beef between bread at one time. Her stomach quaked, but the discomfort wasn’t from the food. It was from seeing the man she’d grown to love working his ass off to heal two people.
Make that three. Even when he thought she hadn’t noticed, he kept paying visits to Sinister. And any hunter with know-how knew an injured man.
As stubborn as her fellow hunter could be, he still grimaced every now and then.
Kaden washed the sandwich down with water and then made himself a protein shake. His third one today.
She sighed. No matter how much he ate, he always seemed hungry.
That bothered her even more.
Once he finished shoveling the food into his mouth, he cocked a grin her way. “I know this arrangement isn’t ideal, but…” he said this to her every day, “it’s okay. I’ll be gone most of the day to check on the other pack members.”
With the space between the cabins, Kaden had to keep up with everyone through periodic visits. It was just as well. She refused to leave her brother’s side, even though she longed to get some proper rest or take a walk to end her cabin fever.
He kissed the top of her head. “Get some sleep.”
“Of course.” She said that each and every time, but he probably knew why she didn’t rest.
There was no way in hell she was letting her brother get hurt again.
Chapter 8
Not more than an hour into watching over Zach, Cyn’s head drooped in exhaustion. She forced herself to get up and check the windows. The muscles in her thighs protested. Every day, the soreness came back, as well as an ache in her gut that told her the time Kaden had spent healing her wasn’t enough. What little she got, was like siphoning with a straw.
Which meant he was growing weaker.
She was killing him.
Tears welled at the corner of her eyes, but she tried not to cry, even as the guilt in her gut forced her to slump forward and suck in a breath. The weight of the lives of others was a burden she’d carried before, but now that someone held her life as a burden, she couldn’t take it anymore.
All this time, she’d thought nothing of a healing here or there. But as she looked at Zach, she truly knew, as of late, Kaden and Zach had given her everything, but what had she given in return?
Her love seemed too simple.
She closed her eyes. The right thing was never easy to do.
A knock on the door forced her to stand. She wiped off her face and realized her hand was wet. Good God, she had been crying. Her nose was a gooey mess.
At a second knock, she used a tissue to blow her nose, and she hurried to the door.
After she looked through the peephole, she gasped.
Damien glanced up and grinned. He knew very well she was standing there and his bright smile made her jump back.
“Good morning, Cynthia!” he said.
He’d said hi and the door was still shut.
Cyn immediately unlocked the door and let Damien inside. The bitterly cold wind from outside slapped her in the face, so she quickly shut the door once he entered. Damien strolled into the living room, as usual, wearing nothing more than a dark blue sweater and pants. He was all smiles, but the skin on his face was beet red and his crimson eyes bloodshot.
“Are you all right?” She peered at him.
“Just a bit of a burn. It will fade soon enough.”
She nodded and turned her head to sniff and wipe her eyes. Now wasn’t the time to show her weak side to this man.
“Kaden isn’t here,” she blurted.
“I know. He left the cabin I was staying in not too long ago.”
“I see…” Her words died a bit in her mouth.
Damien stood there as if the harsh weather outside was nothing and everybody just took a jaunt in the snow every once in a while.
“I’ve been checking on a few friends to see how they are doing,” Damien began.
Friends? Did that mean he thought of me that way?
She blinked. Do something, Cyn. “Can I offer you some coffee or tea?”
“That sounds lovely.”
She scrambled to pick up the clothes scattered across the only seat available. Zach was knocked out on the pull-out sofa. He lightly snored as Damien took a seat at the tiny kitchenette table.
Cyn blew her nose again, washed her hands, and went about preparing tea. She fumbled through the cabinets for moment, completely forgetting where she last put the teapot.
Every now and then, she glanced over her shoulder to see Damien no more than five feet from her brother’s head.
“How is your brother doing?” Damien asked.
“Recovering well.” She took a deep breath and let it out once she had the pot in her hands. The need to keep checking Zach bothered her. Sooner or later, you have to trust, Cyn, she told herself.
“His heart sounds nice and strong,” Damien said.
Zach shifted in his sleep and burped.
Cyn sighed. “Among other things.”
Soon enough, the teapot whistled and Cyn poured Damien a hot cup of tea. She added strawberry jam to a few English muffins and placed them on a plate. There
, hostess duties done. She took a seat across from him with her own cup.
“Please enjoy,” she began.
“Thank you.” He took a sip. “You don’t look well, Cyn.”
She stopped mid-sip. Damien never minced words. She should’ve been prepared for this question.
“I have cancer, Damien.”
“That’s not what I mean.” He sat with a straight back and his gaze leveled into her. Of all the people in the camp, she kind of wished it were someone else who asked her this question. Maybe for someone else, coming up with the answer would be easier.
“It’s all been an adjustment, but I’m coping.”
“Coping isn’t living.” He snagged one of the English muffins and took a hearty bite. Just seeing the red jam along his fingers pricked memories she didn’t want to see. In particular, the blood that had dripped off his hands after he killed several hunters in the dead of the night.
“In a week or two, Zach will be well enough to leave, and everything will be back to normal once we find a more permanent home.” Even after she said it, she didn’t believe the false confidence in her voice.
She expected Damien to call her on it, but all he did was nod.
By the time they finished their tea, fatigue touched Cyn’s eyelids again. By midday, it was always harder for her to stay awake.
“Cynthia,” Damien said simply, “go to bed. You’re practically ready to sleep at this table, girl.”
She forced a smile on her face. “I’m fine. Zach might wake up and need me.”
Damien rolled his eyes. “If you’re worried about him, I can sit with him a few hours and read a book while you rest.”
For a moment, she considered the idea, but one look at his stark white hair and strange red eyes made her blurt out, “No thanks, I can’t inconvenience you like that. But I do appreciate the offer.”
She’d told a boldface lie. On the inside, she cringed. Kaden had warned her that lying was easier to read on weaker humans, and, right now, she was about as strong as a dam held up with duct tape. If Damien had been disappointed though, his face never showed it.
After he finished another English muffin, he stood, and she did the same. “Then I’ll leave you two to your day. Get some rest, and thank you for the tea.”
The door closed behind him and shame made her head ache.
Smooth move, McGinnis. You just sent a kind man, with a skin condition, back out into the broad daylight because you can’t suck it up and let someone from Team Werewolf help your family. Someone who wants to help you and doesn’t care that you’re a human. Why can’t you accept Kaden’s pack?
Our pack, Kaden had said.
Even seasoned hunters could learn a thing or two.
She took a deep breath, opened the door and ran after Damien. More like quickly walked, but the gesture was the same. By the time she caught up with him, tinges of red had touched his cheek.
“Come back inside,” she squeaked. She sounded kind of crazy, but she didn’t care.
Damien frowned. “Cyn, it’s freezing out here, and you don’t have a coat on.”
She didn’t have shoes on either. In horribly cold snow.
Damien picked her up and ran back into the house. Once they were inside, he took one of the many throw blankets over Zach and wrapped it around Cyn’s shoulders.
“I’m so sorry,” she blurted.
Good Lord, she was going to cry again in front of this man and she really didn’t want to do it. “I’m really tired.”
He rubbed her shoulders and no matter how much she tried to fight it, her lip trembled.
“It’s all right, Cynthia.” Damien pulled her into a hug and she sagged against him. Just the comfort of feeling someone run their hand down the back of her head released the anguish she’d been holding inside. No one had held her like this since her father had died.
So she gave in and cried.
And it felt damn good because she missed her dad.
“I wanted to protect my brother, and I shut you out, but that was wrong.” Her voice broke.
Damien shushed. “Don’t feel shame, Cynthia. I would’ve done the same for my Luba.”
She sighed. “Why is trusting someone so hard?”
“It’s human nature. Whether you’re a wolf or a human, trust is earned. The moment I asked you if you needed help, you questioned whether I’d earned your trust or not.”
She nodded. He spoke the truth.
Now that she had time to think, she saw every moment she’d been with Damien. Even with his dark nature, he was a protector. Just like she was. He had tried to protect his wife. Also, he protected the pack when they were in danger.
She took a deep breath. “Uncle Damien, will you please stay with my brother while I get some sleep?”
He smiled at her words. This was the first time she’d called him Uncle. “You’re using your heart to see instead of your eyes. You’ll do well in this pack, Cynthia.”
Chapter 9
“Just take the damn pills, Sinister,” Naomi snapped. “You don’t get extra man points for enduring pain.”
All she got in response was a grunt.
Some men made the worst patients ever. Naomi fisted the two pills and the glass of water. It took everything she had not to smash the glass against the side of his head.
She growled for good measure. Her patient sat on the couch and didn’t so much as twitch. As frustrating as a man like Sinister could be, it was hard for her to be stern like this. Just seeing him seated in front of her was torture. Due to his shoulder wound, he didn’t wear a shirt. Just pants. As much as she tried to be nice about the situation, she caught herself staring at the hard muscles on his arms to the smooth brown skin on his face. When he wasn’t an asshole, he was rather handsome.
“I’m fine, Naomi.”
But he wasn’t fine. His scent radiated pain and practically filled her nostrils with his agony. The other signs were there. He had a line of sweat along his brow, and he hadn’t so much as moved his arm when he woke up from sleeping on the couch.
The moment they arrived a week ago, she tried to make him sleep in the bed, but he refused. As big as Sinister was, making him do anything was futile, even for someone as strong-willed as she was.
So she decided to be relentless. She cooked his meals, fed Captain Crunch bacon—much to Sinister’s displeasure—and took care of the litter box.
“Pups pull this shit,” she said evenly.
He didn’t take the bait and stayed straight-faced the whole time.
“Please take the pills?” There, she tried to be nice. Even though she wanted to cram them down his throat. She closed her eyes and sighed.
“I don’t like the way they make me feel.”
So he finally spoke, eh? “It’s oxycodone. Kaden said it would help you.”
She thrust the pills at him, but he caught her wrist. His touch made her suck in a breath and the wolf within her yearned for him to touch her more.
“They make me sleepy,” he grumbled. “That’s unacceptable.”
“Then take a nap.”
“If I sleep, I can’t protect you.”
Her stomach jumped for a moment, but she pushed thoughts of his chivalry aside. “You can’t lift your arm up.”
He stood, and yet hadn’t let her go. “My other arm works just fine.”
They’d stood like this before. So many times in the past. Two ships gathering at the same harbor, yet they never came to shore. Each time, her eyes devoured his lips and then she fixated on his eyes. They were always so intense, and she fell into them immediately.
She always was the first one to break the trance. This time, when he took a step toward her, she twisted out of his grip.
“Just do what you want.” She dumped the water in the sink and put the pills back into the bottle. If he wanted to be stubborn, he could sit on that couch, sweat his ass off, and then take his hour-long showers.
Something curled against her leg. Every time she got mad at Si
nister, the yellow tabby came purring. “Don’t try to make up for him this time.”
She stroked the cat’s back. The cat’s one eye almost winked at her.
“I’m getting more out of feeling you up than him,” she whispered to Captain Crunch.
She turned to see that Sinister had left the couch to go to the bathroom.
He hadn’t showered today so she left him to do what needed to be done.
But ignoring him was hard when she heard a few things tumble to the floor. What the hell was he doing in there?
She noticed the door was open a crack. Without a sound, she approached and peered through the crack.
Sinister had made an epic mess.
Watching a hulking hunter, almost as tall as the mirror in the room, fumbling with toothpaste was comical. By the time he rinsed out his mouth, he was panting and paused every once in a while.
She reached for the doorknob and paused.
Stubborn fool.
He reached for the elastic bandage on his shoulder and winced. Every other day, he changed it when Kaden didn’t come by to check on him or heal him.
Fury filled her each time he left the bathroom with a fresh bandage on. In the past, the result was always the same: By the time he got the bandage off, his face would be ashen.
“Let me do it.” She tried to snatch the bandage from him, but he swung out of the way.
“I can do it.”
“And you’re about to pass out before you can get it off.”
“It’s not that bad.” His lips formed a tight line as if he meant to not speak on the matter anymore.
“Clamming up when you’re in pain is dumb. Even I know that.”
“You’re hurting?” His anger faded a bit.
“No.” She sighed. “Not all pain is physical.” Longing caused pain.
He grunted.
“Just let me help. I won’t say anything.”
They stood there for at least a minute before Sinister let go of the bandage. She slowly rolled the material off his shoulder, enjoying the feel of his smooth skin. More bruised skin was exposed as she removed the bandage until something light blue appeared on the upper right side of his chest. She paused for a moment, but kept going and removed the old piece of gauze on his knife wound.
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