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Ten

L
orcan was silent as he walked alongside of
Presley, appreciating the calming effect the sound of the rushing water had on
him as they made their way along the riverside. He glanced at her
occasionally, watching the way she hugged her arms around herself and kept her
gaze on the ground. He desperately wished he could read her mind. He wanted to
know what she was thinking; feel what she was feeling, but he couldn’t do that
until she gave herself to him completely. Until they completed the coupling
that so many generations had before them, they would remain frustratingly
distant.

He was beyond happy about what had happened earlier in
the evening of that fateful night. Even though he wasn’t a big fan of what
came after, he had faith that they could pick up where they left off when
things got back to normal.

Things will never be back to normal.
He
reminded himself as he stepped over a large rock and reached his hand out to
help her. He was quick to react when she seemingly lost her balance, catching
her in his arms as she gasped.

“I’ve got you,” he whispered, offering a small smile.

“Thanks,” she replied before straightening up and
smoothing a hand through her unruly blond curls. God, he loved her hair. He
loved everything about her. He loved her.

They weren’t far away from his house now. He knew they
were a safe distance away from the wolves because their stench was fading.
That god awful ammonia smell was finally out of his system, as were the drugs,
and Lorcan was hopeful that he would feel much better by the time the sun came
up.

No, he wouldn’t feel much better. Greg was dead, and
he wasn’t sure how he was going to explain that to the boy’s family. He’d let
them down. He’d failed at keeping the younger ursithrope safe. He felt guilty
for it.

At least Presley is safe,
he reminded himself.

But what about Dimitri? His brother’s mate had been
left behind to face his demise, and all Lorcan could think about was Presley’s
safety? Had he really become so selfish?

The muscle in his jaw tensed and relaxed over and over
again as his brows drew together on his forehead. He was so disgusted with
himself. Everything was a mess…..

“I’m tired,” Presley said softly.

“I know. I am, too,” Lorcan admitted as he lifted his
eyes to gaze at her. “We’re almost there. I’m pretty sure that after my mom
hugs the living daylights out of us, she’ll fix us some food and send us to bed
for a week straight.”

He chuckled, and he was relieved to hear the small
laugh escaping her lips. He was glad she could still find humor in something,
even after all of this.

What will we do now?
He wondered, reaching his
hand out to carefully take Presley’s. He felt as her tiny fingers curled
around his and his heart did a backflip. He lifted her hand to brush his lips
against her knuckles, giving it a gentle squeeze as he pushed the thoughts
away. They could worry about that tomorrow. Right now he needed to focus on
getting them back home, where they belonged.

Taking another step, Lorcan instantly froze. He felt
Presley still beside of him as his eyes searched the darkness surrounding
them. “Did you hear that?” He asked quietly.

“Uh huh,” Presley nodded as her fingers tightened
around his. “I did.”

Despite how tired he was, Lorcan became surprisingly
alert as the alarms sounded off in his head. Could the wolves have followed
them? Natalie promised to keep them distracted long enough for Lorcan to get
Presley to safety. Did she go back on her word?

He inhaled deeply, taking in every scent he could,
trying to sift through them as he pulled Presley closer to himself. Deer,
rabbit, raccoon, opossum, and skunk were prominent; but he could smell
something else, too.

He felt his skin heating up as the bones in his body
hummed in preparation. His head felt like it was going to explode as he turned
to gaze at Presley. “You need to hide,” he instructed gently. “Don’t come out
until I tell you to, okay?”

Presley stared back at him with wide eyes, nodding.
“Be careful,” she whispered back.

“I will,” he promised, watching as she ran towards the
trees and disappeared.

Turning his attention back to the bank, Lorcan’s eyes
darted back and forth, ready and waiting for his enemy to come into view.

Come on,
his inner bear roared eagerly.
Come
out and fight!

While Lorcan usually wasn’t one
for violence, he’d taken as much as a person could possibly take over the last
few days. Being held captive by the werewolves and learning of Breslin Connor’s
intentions with Presley had definitely pushed him over the edge. Having his
only brother killed by that son of a bitch kick started the hatred in his
heart, and knowing that Dimitri and Greg were both dead because of that bastard
made the idea of killing something tonight that much more enthralling.

Bracing himself for whatever was about to happen,
Lorcan cast one final glance in the direction Presley had disappeared in. As
long as she stayed out of the way, everything would be all right. He couldn’t
imagine seeing her get hurt after her aunt’s sacrifice to free her; to free
them
.
He wouldn’t let anyone else get hurt.

As two figures emerged from the trees, Lorcan released
a roar of warning, darting forward with vindication and anger flowing freely
through his veins. The claws burst forth from his fingertips as he swiped at
the first figure, missing entirely as it darted out of the way. Damn it!

He turned his attention to the second figure, feeling
the fur sprouting up on his arms as his body finally shifted into the massive
beast that had been kept at bay by force for days. It felt good to bear out
again.

“Whoa! What the hell?”

Lorcan snarled, chomping his pointed teeth together as
he stalked towards the male. He couldn’t make heads or tails of what was
happening. All he could focus on was the
need
to kill. It was a hunger
he wasn’t used to experiencing, but he knew it was best to give such urges an
outlet. Who better to release them on than the enemy?

A loud howl sounded in his head then, and Lorcan turned
his attention to the massive wolf jumping towards him. He felt a small nip
against his neck and that only infuriated him further.

Kill the wolf!
His bear screamed.

Gladly,
Lorcan replied as he stood on his hind
legs, reaching his paws out to shove the wolf away before snapping his teeth
again. At least he would get to kill one wolf tonight.

“Lorcan! Lorcan, stop!”

Jerking his head in the direction of Presley’s voice,
Lorcan stared in horror as she came into view. No! She was supposed to stay
hidden!

“Lorcan!” She called out again.

He could see the look of fear on her face as she ran
towards him. Why was she running out of the woods? Didn’t he tell her to stay
put?

Just then, he was knocked to the ground and the weight
of the wolf crushed against his chest. It hardly hurt, but it managed to piss
him off as he released a deafening roar.

“Stop it!’ Presley repeated, and somehow, he managed to
listen to her. He wasn’t sure
why
he was listening, especially when a
wolf was pinning him to the ground, but he did as she asked.

He listened to the sound of harsh air leaving the
wolf’s nostrils and he turned his attention back to it, watching as its
hazel
eyes began to glow.

Shit…..Dimitri?

––––––—

It all happened so fast. Presley was grateful that her
senses were still intact when the two males came into view. It was weird,
really. She couldn’t explain it, but as Lorcan lost control over his bear,
hers was incredibly calm. She had time to register the scents and faces and
was able to prevent Lorcan from killing them.

It was a good thing, too. She was in a state somewhere
between crying and dramatic splendor as she recognized the red wolf currently
sitting on top of Lorcan’s chest.

“Dimitri!” She called out, reaching them within
seconds. She rested her hands against her thighs, panting for air as a smile
graced her lips. “You’re alive!”

The wolf turned its head to look at her, cocking its
head to the side before yipping in response. She smiled again, shaking her
head. “I thought you were dead.”

“I might be,” the second man replied from his position
on the ground. He was sprawled out upon the bank, his hands resting above his
head as he stared at the sky. “I think I’ve shit myself.”

Presley’s smile slowly faded away as she remembered one
of the laws Lorcan had told her. It made her feel nauseous as she straightened
up and rested a hand over her stomach.

We never let humans in on our secret.

It took everything in her to
keep herself from going into shambles as she turned her back to them. She knew
Lorcan and Dimitri would shift back into their human forms and they would be
naked, but that wasn’t necessarily why she couldn’t face them at the moment.

The tears blurred her vision as she recalled the entire
conversation with Lorcan in her mind.

“What happens if you break the rules?”

“Most are punishable by death.”

“Oh god,” she whispered,
clutching her stomach as the bile rose in her throat. She didn’t even have
anything to throw up, honestly.

“Presley,” Lorcan, the human Lorcan, was at her side in
an instant. He pressed his hand against the small of her back as he pulled her
closer. “Are you all right?”

“No,” she replied, shaking her head. “No, I am not all
right.”

“What’s wrong?” Dimitri asked as he appeared on her
other side. “Did I frighten you? I’m sorry, Presley. I really didn’t have
any control over it. I thought he was going for Rutley and my wolf freaked
out.”

“No, no,” she sobbed. The hot tears streamed down her
cheeks as she glanced up at Dimitri, sniffling. “No, I’m so relieved you’re
okay. I just-”

She was interrupted by the sound of footsteps approaching-and
they were coming fast. She felt two sets of arms wrapping around her,
attempting to shield her from whoever was arriving, but she knew it wasn’t
necessary once she heard the voice.

“Lorcan!”

It was Mr. Bamey. She sighed in relief, though the
grief still ate at her soul. Even if they made it back home now, the truth
would surface. Lorcan had revealed himself to a human.

“We’re down here, Dad!” Lorcan called back before he
turned his head to gaze at her once more. “We’re going to be all right,” he
smiled. He had such a beautiful smile…..

“Lorcan!” Mr. Bamey exclaimed as he appeared on the
other side of the river. He didn’t seem to have any regards for the icy water
rushing by as he jumped in and made his way towards them. “Lorcan!”

She watched in silence as father and son embraced on
the riverside, and it made her heart break. If only Mr. Bamey realized how
much trouble Lorcan was going to be in. If only anyone could realize the
heartache she was experiencing over the fact of knowing what all of it meant.

Too much was happening all at once. Perhaps it was
because of the small being she was carrying, or trauma the last five days had
caused her; all Presley knew was that enough was enough, and everything was overwhelming
her.

As her Uncle Arnold’s excited voice pierced the night
air, Presley felt the world around her growing rapidly dark. As she fell
backwards, two strong arms caught her, and the last thing she saw was Dimitri’s
concerned face.

Eleven

T
ension was growing thicker by the second as
Rutley watched different people swarm past him like eager little worker bees.
He still wasn’t grasping what happened in the woods, and hell, maybe he never
would; but he’d definitely made a promise to himself that he would
never
let his family’s truth serum into his system again.

“Move, move,” Mrs. Bamey ushered as she hurried down
the hallway. “Somebody get me a wash cloth!”

The Goult girl fainted by the river, and Dimitri
insisted on carrying her all the way back to the house. While Rutley knew he
needed to keep a close eye on the wolf, he got the feeling that Dimitri would
be far too distracted with her wellbeing than to make a run for it.

Don’t treat him like a suspect, Rutley,
he
chided himself as he lifted a hand to rub the back of his neck.
He’s
different.

But just how different was
Dimitri? It was obvious that he was a bit more level headed than the
werewolves Rutley had met before, but how could he be so sure he could trust
him?

Well, he was dating Liam,
he speculated.
Liam
was always a great judge of character, wasn’t he? Surely the guy can’t be that
bad…..

“Here,” Mr. Bamey grunted as he
thrust a cup of coffee into Rutley’s face.

Rutley’s upper lip curled back as he shook his head.
“No…..no, thank you,” he glanced up at the older man. “I’m really trying to
cut back on my caffeine intake.”

“Uh huh,” Mr. Bamey eyed him suspiciously. “Boy, I
reckon you’ve been through a hell of a lot tonight. You better drink up; you’re
gonna need it.”

“No, really. I’m fine,” Rutley insisted. “Can I get
some water instead?”

“Water?” Mr. Bamey quirked a brow. “What is wrong with
you, boy?”

“Oh, Richard!” Mrs. Bamey scolded as she returned.
“What’s wrong with
you
? If Rutley wants some water, get him some
water!”

Mr. Bamey muttered under his breath as he turned to
move back into the kitchen, leaving Rutley alone with the sparkly eyed female
he’d grown to love like a mother over the years.

“Oh, Rutley,” she said softly, reaching out to touch
the side of his face. “Thank you so much for finding my son.”

Rutley smiled gently, taking comfort in her caress.
Mrs. Bamey was the closest thing he’d ever had to a mom since his own died.
She was kind, loving, and she always treated him like part of the family. He
briefly wondered if she treated Dimitri the same way, but the thought passed
quickly.

“I didn’t really find them, Mrs. B.,” He admitted. “We
sort of bumped into them along the way.”

“Well, it doesn’t matter,” She insisted with a shake of
her head. “They’re safe now and I owe a lot of thanks to you. You were going
to try to save them, weren’t you? That counts.”

I was going to make Dimitri take me to them until I
screwed myself over with my family’s truth serum,
he thought. He didn’t
voice it though. Instead he simply smiled and returned the hug she was giving
him. Jesus H. Christ, she really enjoyed bear hugs, didn’t she?

“Presley is resting well now, and Lorcan probably won’t
be too far behind. Would you like to have something to eat? I’m fixing Dimitri
a plate right now, but it would be no issue to make something for you, Dear.”

“I would
love
something to eat,” Rutley replied
as he pushed himself up from the couch.

––––––-

Arnold was relieved to have his niece back. The night
had taken a strange turn in events, but he would forever be grateful to having
supernatural hearing that allowed him to pick up on another ursithrope’s cry of
distress. No sooner than the sound touched their ears, he and Richard Bamey
had been out the door without a second’s hesitation. It was a damn miracle
that they were able to pick up on so many scents at once, too. It was odd…..

Everything happens for a reason,
he reminded
himself as he gazed at Presley’s sleeping form. She’d only been back for an
hour, but already Arnold was planning out ways to keep her indoors for the rest
of her life. He would never let her out of his sight again.

His green eyes watched as Presley’s chest rose and fell
with steady breaths, his ears listening intently to the calm beating of her
heart; she had his heart within her own, and she didn’t even know it. Presley
was more like a daughter for him than a niece. The past five days had been
pure torture for him. Had anything so agonizing ever happened to him?

His mind wandered back to Meredith McClintock then.
She was the only woman he’d ever really loved, and his love for her had cost
him everything. He’d been so stupid to think they had a future together, and
not a day passed by when he didn’t feel regret for how things played out.
They’d gotten married despite his father’s warning, and when Arnold found out
they were expecting a child…..well, he was on top of the world.

He learned the hard way that Urseth intended for their
bloodline to remain pure, and it came at the price of Meredith and their unborn
child dying because of his selfishness. It wasn’t fair.

He lifted his hand to wipe at his eyes, blinking a few times
while trying to regain his composure. With Caroline leaving them behind so
many years ago, Presley was all he had left. She was his family. She was his
girl, and he’d be damned if he let anything happen to her ever again.

“I’m glad you’re home, baby,” he whispered, reaching
out to touch her hand gently. “I’m so sorry I couldn’t protect, but I promise
I won’t let him near you again. Rest easy.”

He pushed himself up from her bedside, heading for the
door before he turned to gaze at her a final time. “I love you,” he added, and
then opened the door.

He was surprised to see Lorcan Bamey standing there,
and he quirked a brow in curiosity. “Shouldn’t you be in bed?”

Lorcan lifted his eyes to meet Arnold’s before he
shrugged. “The key word is shouldn’t, huh?” He asked as his eyes wandered over
Arnold’s shoulder to peer into the room. “How is she?”

“Sleepin’,” Arnold replied with a small frown. “Which
is what you
should
be doing. You need to get some rest.”

“I’ll rest when I’m dead,” Lorcan stated as he took a
step forward. He only stopped when he realized Arnold wasn’t moving. His lips
anchored downwards as he met his gaze again.

“I want to know what your intentions with my niece
are.”

Lorcan gave him an expression that said ‘are you
serious right now?’ and yes, Arnold was very serious. Mrs. Bamey had mentioned
that there might be a possible coupling between them in the near future, and
while Arnold had promised he would be completely okay with it as long as his
niece was returned safely; he was now beginning to question that promise.

Sure, Lorcan was a good kid and he’d grown into a fine
young man; but it was
Presley
they were talking about. His girl.
Arnold had a lot of conflicting feelings about the situation, and he wasn’t
overly fond of anybody ‘coupling’ with her.

Tim hurt her,
he thought as he tilted his head
to the side.
If I ever have a chance to meet that little son of a…..

“I love her,” Lorcan
proclaimed, pulling Arnold out of his thoughts. “And she loves me, Mr. Goult.
I may not be everything you expected for her, and I may not have an impressive
job like Liam had, but I will take care of her. I’ll protect her and make her
happy. I know I am capable of that. I can give her a comfortable life.”

Arnold crossed his arms over his chest, staring as
Lorcan sternly as he pursed his lips together in thought.

“And this has nothing to do with the fact your parents
and Pierce Carroll had high hopes of their children coupling in the future?”

Lorcan rolled his eyes. “With all due respect, Mr.
Goult, what I feel for Presley has nothing to do with anyone else’s influence.
I’ve known her since the day she was born and I have loved her since the first
time she smiled at me. What I feel in my heart has no regards for what other
people wanted. She is what I want and I’m pretty damn sure I’m what she wants,
too,” he exhaled lightly before nodding. “So if you’re dropping a hint that I
need to receive your blessing before pursuing her…..then I’m asking for it,
Sir.”

Arnold lifted his hand to scratch his chin, studying
Lorcan for a moment before he shook his head. “Son, I don’t reckon you ever
needed my blessing to be with my niece. You abided by the laws of Urseth and
waited for her to show interest, which I’m assuming has already happened. I
just want you to know,” he narrowed his eyes. “If you hurt her, I own a
shotgun and a shovel. I’ll put you where they will never find you. Got it?”

Lorcan grinned, nodding his head eagerly as he thrust
his hand forward to shake Arnold’s. “I got it.”

–––––––-

It was a moment in time that Dimitri didn’t want to
forget, but at the same time, he wasn’t sure he wanted to deal with the
emotions he was inflicting upon himself by accepting Mrs. Bamey’s offer to let
him sleep in Liam’s bedroom. Upon entering the small enclosed space, he was
okay; but the longer he stood there, gazing at the pictures and memories that
belonged to his late boyfriend, it suddenly became the hardest damn thing he’d
ever endured.

He swallowed the agonizing lump of emotions gathering
in his throat, forcing them back into his chest as he turned his gaze from one
item to another. A framed picture of Liam with his mother rested on the dresser.
He couldn’t have been more than eight or nine. Mrs. Bamey had her arms wrapped
around him, smiling wide for the camera as her first born pressed a kiss
against her cheek.

The next photograph was taped against the mirror. It
was of Liam and Lorcan on a hot summer day, dressed in their ridiculously
bright swimming trunks while having fun in the pool. They were flexing their
nonexistent muscles as they cheesed it up for the camera. They seemed much
younger in that picture, but it was easy to tell who was who.

Trophies and medals were placed neatly beside one
another on the back of the dresser. Liam had won first place in the science
fair in 1999. That made a lot of sense actually; Liam was incredibly smart.
Dimitri had been drawn to his intelligence from day one. He bit his lower lip,
smiling gently as his hazel gaze dropped to another trophy.
Most Valuable
Player, KHS Baseball Team, 2003.

He felt a sense of pride as he
gazed at his boyfriend’s awards, wishing they could’ve shared this moment
together. If only Liam could be by his side, explaining every memory and
exciting play in detail.

Then his eyes settled on a picture of Liam with another
male in their baseball uniforms. Liam had his arm wrapped around the boy’s
shoulders, giving a thumbs up to the photographer as he smiled. Dimitri
swallowed hard, leaning in to get a closer look.

He knew that face.

“Liam had a shot at the major leagues.”

He didn’t even have to look up to know who was
talking. He sensed Rutley’s presence even before he entered the room.

“He was the best damn baseball player I ever met and he
really could’ve made it, I think.”

Dimitri lifted his head then, turning to gaze at
Rutley. The other male rested his eyes on the photograph Dimitri had been
gazing at, and the look on his face was exactly how Dimitri felt at the moment;
sad.

Rutley stepped closer, stopping only a few inches away
from Dimitri as he shoved his hands into the pockets of his jeans. He sighed,
lowering his head.

“We played ball all throughout middle school and high
school. Lorcan was into the track and field gig, but we knew where the real
fun was,” he managed a small grin, lifting his eyes to meet Dimitri’s gaze.
“There are a lot of memories on this dresser.”

Dimitri licked his lips, unsure of what he was supposed
to say now. He’d accused Rutley of lying. He’d said that Liam had never
mentioned the other male before, but truth be told, he had.

Liam’s fingertips traced over Dimitri’s as he smiled,
turning his head to gaze at him. “Have I ever told you about the time me and
Chip experimented with cherry bombs? God that was a mess.”

Dimitri grinned, nudging his nose against
Liam’s cheek before shaking his head. “No, you haven’t told me that one
before,” he said softly, pressing a kiss to his lover’s jawline. It was the
best way to spend a relaxing afternoon in this little lazy town. Lying on the
bankside with Liam in his arms was the most incredible feeling in the world.
“But I want to hear it.”

“Okay, well,” Liam chuckled. “Chip somehow
managed to get his hands on a few and we decided to try them out on Nana
Hettie’s mailbox…..”

Dimitri understood now. His
brows furrowed as he stared at the male, watching as Rutley fidgeted nervously
with a loose thread on his shirt. He shifted his weight from one foot to the
other, occasionally glancing up at Dimitri before dropping his gaze again.

“Why did he call you Chip?” Dimitri asked quietly.