Maybe it was the stress of everything that had happened in the past twenty four hours, or it might have been the pressure in her head from shifting into something entirely not human-but Presley broke.
Her bottom lip began to quiver as tears blurred her vision. Despite her best efforts to blink them away, the salty moisture leaked down her cheeks as she let out a trembling breath.
How am I supposed to talk about it? She wondered to herself as she lifted a hand to wipe beneath her eyes. It hurts to talk about it.
The truth was she hadn’t talked to anyone about it aside from Tim and the doctor. No one else knew. Two conversations, one broken heart. That’s how it happened. One person who said they were sorry for her loss and another person who told her to get lost.
She lifted her thumb to her lips, fully prepared to chew on her nail as she glanced towards her uncle and noted the look in his eyes. She could see the love he held for her, and the compassion he was trying desperately to give her-but it was hard. It was so hard to talk about it. It was difficult to go back to that night and to expose that emotional pain again. It was a wound she’d been nursing for weeks and she wasn’t quite ready to pull the band aid off. Maybe she’d never be ready to pull it off.
Could she really keep it to herself for the rest of her life? Could she keep something like that hidden away?
Uncle Arnold sure did a hell of a job at keeping a secret from me…
“No more secrets,” she whispered as she lifted her head to meet his gaze once more. “Uncle Arnold, I..”
Arnold was completely silent as he gazed at her, waiting for her to speak. He knew she was struggling with something. He’d known ever since he’d talked to her on the phone that night. The night when she asked if she could come back home for a little while. He’d practically raised her as his own child, and he had learned the tones of Presley’s voice. He knew the “I’m okay but I’m not okay” voice. The voice that implied she was trying to hold back the dam of tears that was threatening to burst open at any second. She was more like her mother than she realized.
Presley swallowed the painful lump that developed in her throat, licking her suddenly dry lips as she rested her hands against her knees. She felt like she was a little girl again. There had been so many confessions on this couch; everything from stealing a piece of bubblegum at the store to digging up Nana Hettie’s prized rose bush and tossing it into the Manor Lane creek because she’d been bored. The couch served as a confessional for her and Uncle Arnold was the priest who granted her absolution.
Her green eyes closed as she finally found her voice again and the words she wanted to say. “I was going to be a mom,” she whispered.
She felt as his arms wrapped around her then, pulling her into his chest as he buried his face against her hair. Any efforts to keep it together had been in vain, because the flood gates suddenly exploded as the sobs ripped from her aching chest. She turned her head, surrounding her face with the scent of his cologne as she allowed his shirt to catch her tears. She couldn’t keep it in any longer. She had to share this burden with someone else.
“I’m sorry, Pretzel,” Arnold whispered as he stroked the back of her head. “I’m so sorry, Baby.”
It could have only been five minutes that passed, or maybe even five hours; Presley clung to her uncle as if he were a life preserver keeping her afloat in the middle of the raging ocean. As long as she kept her arms tight around him, she wouldn’t drown.
Her sobs eventually died down, her eyes were swollen and sore from so many tears. She pulled back to gaze at him and she was surprised to see the moisture glistening in his eyes.
“One thing you should already know, that I never taught you,” He frowned, “is that two ursithropes of blood relation can feel each other’s pain.”
He lifted his hands to cup her face, pulling her back in until his lips could rest against her forehead.
“I love you so much, Presley, and I know you’re mad at me right now. I know you’re confused and hurt, and I know you feel so alone-but you’re not. I’m here.”
Presley could feel the stinging threat of oncoming tears as she pulled away to gaze at him again. “I’m not mad at you, Uncle Arnold,” she sobbed as she wiped at her eyes again. “I’m mad at my mom for leaving me and I’m mad that Liam’s dead. I’m angry that I couldn’t even carry my own child. I feel like a failure.”
“No,” He said firmly as his hands framed her face once more. “You are not a failure. I know that it’s hard and I know it hurts…I’ve been there.”
Presley sniffled, blinking a few times as she stared at him. “You-you have?”
Arnold frowned, his brows furrowing as he nodded slowly. “Yes. Meredith McClintock,” he smiled sadly. “She was my high school sweetheart and I loved her like no tomorrow.”
When he didn’t continue with the story, Presley tilted her head and frowned. “What happened, Uncle Arnold?”
He sighed, lifting his hand to rub at the back of his neck. “Ah, you know. I married her. I couldn’t imagine my life without her. I ignored the laws of our kind and we conceived a child.”
“You have a child?” Presley was shocked.
“No,” he shook his head, his eyes closing. “No, her body wasn’t strong enough. She couldn’t handle the child we’d created together. Ursithropes and humans don’t really mix…It was too much.”
Presley’s eyes widened as she moved her hand to cover her mouth. “Oh no,” she whispered.
“Meredith was only two months along when she died. Your grandpa warned me it was a bad idea all along, but I didn’t listen. ‘Okay to date, forbidden to mate’ he always said. It’s one piece of advice I should have taken to heart.”
Presley could see the tears glistening in his eyes and it felt like her heart was breaking all over again.
“Uncle Arnold, I’m so sorry.”
“It’s not your fault, Presley,” he glanced at her. “It’s mine. I knew better, but I did it anyway. I thought that my love for her would bend the rules somehow. I thought it would be okay. But I was wrong,” he moved his hand out to rest over her knee before he gave a gentle squeeze. “Just like I was wrong for keeping the truth from you. Maybe if you’d known what you are you wouldn’t have gone out into the world so blindly. You would have known that the little baby you were trying so hard to create couldn’t survive in your belly,” his lower lip quivered. “If I’d told you sooner then you would’ve known that you can only procreate with another ursithrope.”
Presley felt the pressure on her chest again, weighing her down as she tried to keep her breathing paced. Her stomach was churning from the story her uncle shared with her. So it wasn’t really her fault, but in a way it was still her fault because her baby couldn’t survive due to the bear within? She wasn’t sure if she hated it more or appreciated her uncle’s honesty. There were too many emotions running through her to be sure which one was stronger.
“So, hypothetically speaking, even if Tim and I had stayed together,” she toyed with a loose thread on her shirt. “It wouldn’t have mattered. I could never have a baby with him, could I?”
Arnold frowned again as he slowly shook his head, shifting to straighten up as he rested his hands on his knees. “No, I’m sorry. Ursithropes were never intended to mate with humans. Urseth never wanted the magic in our blood to be diluted.”
“Diluted?” Presley scoffed as she wiped at her eyes again. As much as she wanted to have a snide comment over the “ursithrope laws” and “the Great Urseth”, she really didn’t know what to say about any of it. All she really knew at the moment was that her body had betrayed her, someone she cared about was dead, and there were real life werewolves putting all of them in danger.
Don’t forget the changing into a bear bit, she thought as she trapped her bottom lip between her teeth. She gnawed gently at the tender flesh as she sighed.
“There is so much more to learn,” her uncle continued as he leaned forward to pick up the mug of tea. “But I’
m afraid we don’t have time for lessons right now. There’s a bigger threat we’ve got to focus on and it’s something we’ll have to solve together. Do you understand?”
This time, Presley did accept the mug of tea. She sipped at it quietly as she nodded her head. She knew he was talking about the wolves. She knew that this was a waging war between two species that didn’t get along, but what she didn’t get was how it ever escalated to this state. The world was such a big place. Why were the wolves even worried about a tiny place like Kadenburg?
A knock sounded on the door and Uncle Arnold immediately pushed himself up from the couch to answer it. “That would be Lorcan,” he stated.
As much as Presley wanted to ask how he knew who it was without actually opening the door, she had a feeling that this was a bear thing and she just didn’t know about it yet.
She was all right with sitting on the couch as Lorcan entered. She didn’t care if he saw how red her eyes were from crying, or even what a mess her hair was. She hadn’t been too worried about fixing herself up after transforming back into her human self. In fact, the only thing she’d done was put on some proper clothing while Uncle Arnold kept his back to her. She’d learned the hard way that an ursithrope didn’t change back fully clothed, and some warning would have been nice.
It was only upon seeing the red haired male who followed behind him that Presley jumped to her feet. The cup of tea fell to the carpeted floor, the mixture of alcohol and honey absorbing into the fabric as Presley made a bee line for the kitchen. All three men froze mid-step as they watched her.
Presley wasn’t entirely sure what she was thinking in the moment. All she knew for sure was that her heart was hammering painfully hard against her ribcage and the pressure in her head felt like every blood vessel was about to burst open. She jerked open the drawer nearest to the sink, grabbing for the largest knife she could as she held it up.
“What is he doing here?” she quaked, fingertips trembling as they tightened around the handle of the knife.
Uncle Arnold frowned as he watched her, opening his mouth to say something but Lorcan beat him to it.
“Presley, put that down,” he requested in a calm voice, taking a step closer to her. “He’s not here to hurt you.”
“He is a wolf!” Presley declared as her eyes widened. “He’s the bad guy.”
“Excuse you,” Dimitri frowned. “I’m on your team.”
Uncle Arnold rubbed at the back of his neck as he watched Lorcan cross into the kitchen. He kept his hands out in front of himself and his eyes stayed on Presley.
“Look at me, Presley,” Lorcan demanded in a gentle tone. “Look. At. Me.”
Presley’s eyes darted back and forth between Lorcan and the wolf-guy. She could feel the energy surging through her body as goose bumps rose on her flesh. It felt like her organs were being twisted in every direction, her pulse was racing. Her left eye began to twitch as she frowned.
“Presley,” Lorcan said more firmly. “He’s not here to harm you. You believe me, don’t you?”
Presley blinked, finally lifting her eyes to his. She didn’t get it. Why was he trying to protect the monster that had tried to kill her only hours before? Wasn’t this the wolf Uncle Arnold had been talking about?
“Presley,” Lorcan repeated.
She was surprised to see that Lorcan was suddenly right in front of her. His fingers were curled around her wrist as he gazed at her with those gentle brown eyes. He was trying to pry her fingers from around the thick wooden handle and for whatever reason, her fingers were complying.
“It’s okay,” Lorcan whispered as he took the knife from her, tossing it into the sink as he wrapped his muscular arms around her. “Everything’s fine. You’re not in danger.”
His gentle tone was comforting to her, and she didn’t get it. She didn’t get any of this. One minute she was angry, the next she was confused, and then she was ready to drive a blade through a man’s chest because she knew he wasn’t really a man at all!
She relaxed in Lorcan’s embrace. He was warm and surprisingly soft to be so burly. She kept her eyes on the red haired male as she felt Lorcan’s fingers moving through her hair.
That feels so nice, she thought to herself as her heavily lidded eyes threatened to close. And he smells good, too.
Lorcan did smell good. His scent reminded her of a warm summer morning after a light rain fall. He was like the first whispers of the day as the fog evaporated into thin air and the sunshine kissed a person’s skin good morning. He was strong and rugged; gentle and soft. He was a security blanket in the form of a man.
Every fiber of her being began to knit together, blanketing over reason and fact as the bear within her made an impassioned plea for Presley to accept what she was.
He is yours, the bear whispered. He calms the storm in your mind and brings you great peace. He is the one.
It didn’t make much sense in Presley’s mind as she relished in the feeling of Lorcan’s fingers tangled in her hair. The soft strokes of his fingertips against her upper back easing her into a state of tranquility. Her eyelids, which had previously felt as heavy as anvils, slid closed as she finally gave in to the comfort Lorcan was trying to provide.
“That’s it,” Lorcan whispered as his hot breath tickled against the side of her neck. “No one’s going to hurt you, Presley. I wouldn’t allow it.”
I believe you, she wanted to say. I know you’re different because you’re not even fully human. You wouldn’t toss me away like a broken toy like he did.
The words were right there, ready to spill from her parted lips, but she knew she couldn’t. It didn’t matter what had happened in the last few days. It didn’t matter what she’d seen, or heard, or experienced. What mattered was what she was feeling because of Lorcan’s embrace and the sheer terror that followed close behind. He was a man, sort of, and he was just as capable of breaking her heart as Tim.
“I’m fine,” Presley finally said as she forced herself to snap out of the trance-like state she’d been in. “I’m not going to stab anybody.” She lifted her gaze to the redhead who was looking at her in bewilderment.
Uncle Arnold tried to push past the awkward silence by clearing his throat, and then he turned his attention to the red haired male.
“I don’t suppose you’re here to inform me of a truce from your alpha, are you?”
“No, Sir,” Dimitri immediately replied. “I’m actually here to discuss the opposite.”
“I figured as much,” Arnold muttered as he looked back to Presley and Lorcan. “We’ll just step outside to have a chat. Will you be okay, Presley?”
Presley’s fingertips curled into the fabric of Lorcan’s shirt as she focused her attention on her uncle. “Yeah,’ she nodded. “Yeah, I’ll be fine. I am fine.”
“Good then,” Uncle Arnold said as he glanced out the open door and quirked a brow. “Well ain’t that perfect timing?” He asked.
Presley felt as Lorcan’s body tensed beneath her touch and she quickly brought her attention back to him. “What is it?” She asked quietly. “What’s wrong? Is it the wolves?”
Lorcan’s jawline tightened as his brows joined together on his forehead, a frown appearing on his face as he stared at her. “No, it’s worse,” he responded in a lower voice. “My parents are here.”
Twelve
Lorcan wasn’t even sure if he wanted to be present for the conversation that was about to take place. He knew what Dimitri was determined to do, but he was raised to believe timing was everything. Now was definitely not the time for the wolf to pull Liam out of the closet. It also didn’t help that he still had his arms wound around Presley’s body and her scent was scrambling his thought process.
Damn it, he thought as he watched Dimitri and Arnold exit through the front door. He could already hear his father’s grunt of disapproval at the fact one of them was in his presence and he knew, he just knew this conversation wasn’t going to be pleasant.
“Why is it bad that
your parents are here?” Presley asked as she peered up at him with her big emerald eyes.
It took a full ten seconds for her question to register in his mind before Lorcan could respond. “Because they’re not going to like what Dimitri has to say to them.”
“Dimitri,” she repeated. “That’s his name?”
“Yeah.”
“So, you’re friends with him?” Presley took on a defensive tone as her eyes narrowed.
Lorcan hated that she was giving him that look. He could practically see the walls building up around her and he didn’t like that she was guarding herself against him.
I’m not your enemy, he wanted to say. I’m trying to protect you and believe it or not, so is Dimitri.
He watched as her eyes darted back and forth between his. He knew that she was questioning everything all at once and he couldn’t imagine how confusing it was for her. He knew what he was from day one. His introduction to the ursithrope ways of life had been steady and nurtured; she was practically shoved into it without warning. It wasn’t fair.
Then again, neither was the fact her scent was taunting him at the moment. How cruel life could be.
“We’re not what you would call ‘friends’,” Lorcan said hesitantly as he relaxed his grip on her. “It actually makes for one hell of a story if you want to hear it.”
Presley sighed as she stepped away from him, hugging her arms around herself as she shook her head. “I’m not sure I want to hear any more stories today,” she admitted. “Uncle Arnold’s already told me a few doozies and my brain needs to time to process them.”
“Among other things, I’m sure,” Lorcan offered. He couldn’t stress it enough; how much he wanted to be there for her. He needed her to know that he understood and he was trying to help her through it, but it always led back to the same dilemma he’d been dealing with for years: she didn’t see him as anything more than a sandbox friend.
The Truth About Kadenburg Page 10
