Howl My Name (BBW Paranormal Shapeshifter Romance) (Grayslake Book 5) Page 6

  If it wasn’t for the fact he knew Terrence was big on early mornings and demanded his bears be the same, he’d be worried about who crested the hill. But he knew who drew nearer.

  Reid gave Evie’s leg a gentle squeeze and encouraged her to stand as he did the same.

  Asher burst through the front door, wide grin on his face and cell phone in his hand. “Just talked to Terrence. Looks like he sent these guys early, but said the love of your life is throwing a bitch fit about you not answering her calls and being denied permission to come to Brookfield.”

  Two things happened then. Evie stiffened, her surprise and hurt coating him in a disgusting wave that had his stomach cramping and wolf howling. He also decided Asher was better off dead.

  Evie stepped away from him, putting space between them, and he hated it. He reached for her, growling low when she eased just out of reach. “Evie—”

  “I bet Terrence won’t be able to keep her away for long and she’ll be here by nightfall.”

  Dead. The male was dead.

  Chapter Nine

  Other than getting in and out of the SUV, Reid hadn’t released Evelyn since they’d left the den. Just as the two SUVs rolled to a stop, he grabbed her hand and hauled her toward the first large vehicle. Then he’d basically ripped a male out of the passenger seat before doing the same to the driver. The other bear managed to scramble from the truck before Reid peeled down the driveway.

  Now he tugged her down Main Street toward the local diner. He’d heard it was a favorite among the bears, the owners serving mostly meat with occasionally a side of hash browns at breakfast or French fries at lunch. Nothing green crossed the threshold of Come and Get It. Ever.

  “Reid?” She tried to snare his attention, but he just grunted in response. “Reid?” She spoke louder and tugged against his hold, trying to get him to stop or slow or something other than pull her like he was three and she was his favorite red wagon.

  “Reid,” she yanked herself free of his strangling grip and he spun to face her, yellowed eyes out in full force. His expression was just short of a snarl, but she wasn’t afraid of him. He was frustrated and angry but not at her. “Reid, what’s going on?” She tried for gentle and she wasn’t sure she was successful. Not when she realized she had her own fangs filling her mouth. Apparently her bear didn’t like his glare and was letting Evelyn know.

  Great.

  He jerked back, eyes still narrow but some of his rough anger receded and he turned his attention to their surroundings. A glance around them had him changing direction and he pulled her toward the alley between the diner and hardware store.

  Then she was in his arms, his massive hands pulling and tugging until she found her back flush with a brick wall and Reid surrounding her with his presence. He caged her, enveloping her in his body and scent, and her bear rumbled in approval. It liked this Reid, liked him tugging and pushing her as he desired; asserting his dominance without demanding her subjugation. He didn’t taunt or tease or hurt her for no reason. He demanded and her bear was more than willing to give over to his desires.

  “He…” Reid growled low and she immediately stroked him, hands reaching for his skin and mentally wincing when she found fur. “I don’t love her. Don’t like her. She’s a necessity and I need you away from that and if she tries to get close and you pull away because of her…” He shook his head. “She won’t make it to morning. I won’t let anything hurt you. Not ever.”

  “Who? Who is she to you? To me?” She readily admitted Asher’s words cut deeply, slicing her to her core.

  …love of your life…

  Reid pressed his cheek to her neck, burying his face in her hair as he drew in a deep breath and then released it slowly. Another inhale and gradual exhale, each one stirring the strands. “Not here. Not now.”

  “Where then? When?” She needed an explanation. Her bear craved the words. Not because she didn’t trust in this driving force shoving them together, but to protect her own heart. She slowly accepted they belonged together, but if his heart was tied to another.

  She wasn’t sure how she’d survive.

  Another wheezing inhale was followed by a soft sigh. He crowded her closer, one thigh slipping between hers and she easily moved with him, moving as he desired until she found her legs lifted and wrapped around his waist. She slipped her arms behind his neck and clung to him as he continued to breathe through whatever anger—and fear?—plagued him.

  Something sent him running. Something about that woman, and Evelyn’s bear resolved to kick the female out of Brookfield the moment she could. What they had was built on violence and death, but she hoped to continue creating something that didn’t involve blood and gore or… heartache. She wasn’t sure which was worse, the killing or the crying she saw on the horizon.

  “Evie…” he whispered her name and she didn’t bother correcting him. She wouldn’t admit that she liked the nickname from his lips. Ever. “I need a day, an hour, just time without them. Without the fight, without the bears.”

  “I hate to state the obvious,” she drawled. “But I’m a bear.”

  He shook his head. “No, you’re so much more. You don’t expect me to lead your ass around like a young one.”

  That made her feel good and hurt at the same time. “Is that what you think of my clan?”

  Hers. Hers since she took a punch for them. A kick for them. A claw for them. Scars littered her body and they were for each one of the souls in the Brookfield clan.

  “Right now? They’re so beat down, Evie. They are like pups. Lost. Scared. And I understand, but I need five minutes with you. With your scent and touch. Need it like air before we talk about my bullshit.”

  “Reid?” The deep baritone was familiar, but she couldn’t place the male’s name. All she knew was he invaded their space and destroyed the moment between her and her mate.

  Unfortunately for the newcomer, Reid took the interruption worse than Evelyn. She only groaned. Reid roared. Louder than a bear, hell, scarier than any shifter she’d heard. The sound reminded her of a lion yet so much more.

  The scuffle of a boot on asphalt drew her attention to the street and the pale bear who’d dropped to his knees, neck bared. The man’s breathing came in heavy pants and the wind brought the stench of fear to them.

  Evelyn sifted her fingers through his hair, fisting the strands and giving them a soft tug to grab his attention. “You realize I’m spending more time calming you than I do just talking to you.”

  Reid grunted and she realized it was his go-to response when he didn’t have anything to say.

  She tugged again and he drew his gaze from the kneeling bear to her. “What’s his name?”

  He glared at her, a quick look of possessiveness crossing his features as he curled his lip. “Carter.”

  “I don’t recognize him. Who is he to the clan?”

  “From Grayslake. One of the bears I hauled outta the SUV. Wants to be a guard in Brookfield.”

  “And your first thought when he interrupted?”

  Reid’s attention drifted back to the kneeling bear, and he bared his fangs fully. “Mine.”

  Evelyn sighed and pushed back her arousal. His near-violent possessiveness was sexy. And dangerous. She saw some of what others whispered about, but she recognized it for what it was. Reid wasn’t insane. Her uncles—her father—were crazed. They did things for the fun of the pain and nothing more.

  Reid just had a very black and white look at life. His emotions were fierce, fast, and unforgiving. And when he made a choice, he reveled in it. It was the reveling that squicked people out.

  “And he won’t challenge that. Do you think anyone would try to take something you claimed?”

  Reid froze for a moment and took a slow breath. Fur receded as he released the air in his lungs and his muscles lost some of their tenseness. “No. If they tried, they’d die.”

  “I’m pretty sure Carter didn’t wake up this morning looking to be dead by breakfast.” She foc
used on the bear. His neck was still exposed, but some of his fear lessened. “Am I right?”

  “Yes, Ita—” Reid’s growl cut the bear off.

  “You could let him finish.” She poked Reid.

  “I could also kill him for looking at you.”

  And there went the male’s fear again.

  “We need to talk about this. I won’t be silenced because your wolf gets pissy.”

  Once again she was the focus of his glare. “People don’t argue with me.”

  Evelyn raised a single brow. “Really? Good thing I’m not people. I’m your mate.”

  He grunted. “At least you know and admit it.”

  “I admit you’re being a jerk, too.” She tilted her head toward the end of the alley. “He’s still kneeling and I know from experience it’s not a comfortable position.”

  Another grunt.

  “Let him up.”

  “He’s weaker.”

  “Doesn’t mean you have to be an asshole about it.”

  He pressed his lips together. “Did you just call me an asshole?”

  “No, I said you’re being an asshole. There’s a difference.” Not much of one, but there was. Of course, she’d tried explaining that to her father and the first time she said it to anyone in the clan was the last time. That was when she’d learned the pain of kneeling on rocks and asphalt. For hours. Not the worst punishment, it didn’t involve blood, but one she remembered clearly.

  “You gonna be like this the rest of our lives?”

  “You mean call you on your bullshit and keep you from flipping out for no reason?”

  The look she received was fierce and filled with an urgency and determination she hadn’t seen from him. “There is always a reason. No one may understand them when the time comes for action, but there’s a reason.”

  And she believed him.

  “Okay,” she easily agreed. “I’ll always support you, Reid. You just may need to stop and explain things now and again.” She tilted her head toward the still kneeling Carter. “Your bear came to check on you. To make sure we were okay after we tore out of the driveway. Because that’s his job. He’s meant to take care of the clan and that includes you. So he’s got your back and when he thinks you need help, he’s gonna step up.”

  He didn’t say a word, so she kept going. “And if that’s not what you want, you need to explain it. Snarling won’t solve the problem. It instills fear. When you need him next, he won’t know if he should come forward or hang back and that could end up with you dead.” Reid snorted so she upped the stakes. “Or me.”

  That had him reacting with a rumbling growl, the sound deep and threatening as if danger and death stood before them. “Never.”

  “Then tell him why he should have stayed back. You say you have to lead the clan as if they were children. Well, act like a damned parent, then.”

  “I don’t like your tone.”

  She rolled her eyes. “And I don’t like that you’re being a dick, so we’re even.”

  Carter, god love the male, snorted.

  So not a good idea, Carter.

  “Reid?”

  “What?” he snapped, glare still on the kneeling bear.

  “Tell Carter to get the hell out of here because I’m hungry. You can explain things to the guards later.”

  He huffed and finally spoke. “Fine,” he grumbled. “Carter, you can go. If I’m with Evie and you scent pain, fear, or violence, you interrupt. Otherwise, I will gut you where you stand and send a letter of apology along with your body when I return it to your family. We clear?”

  Carter’s swallow was audible. “Yes, Itan.”

  Reid grunted and Evelyn felt the need to translate. “Thank you, Carter. We’ll see you later.” The male immediately rolled to his feet and disappeared from sight, leaving them alone once more. And… that was about the time her stomach growled. “Feed me, Reid. Then explain why the love of your life is itching to come to the den and could show up at any second.”

  He curled his lip, disgust replacing the anger in his scent. “Love her? I hate her. Would have killed her a long time ago if I didn’t need her.”

  “Who is she?” Evelyn raised her eyebrows, hoping he’d answer.

  Another grunt. Then a sigh. “My therapist.”

  Chapter Ten

  Evelyn didn’t look at him like he was crazy. That was always a plus.

  She also kept him from gutting Carter for interrupting, which meant Clary wouldn’t come down hard on him for killing someone. Again. He already had three strikes against him, and then when he found Ezekiel…

  Unfortunately, telling Evie about Clary meant he had to explain other shit. The thought of that, of revealing himself to her, made his skin itch and the wolf pressed forward. It wanted to talk even less than him.

  Evie wiggled, reminding him he had his mate wrapped around him all warm and sexy and he really wanted to get to know her… intimately.

  And he wasn’t talking about talking.

  Her stomach grumbled, reminding him she was hungry. He might be an asshole but he wasn’t negligent. Wolf wanted to feed her more than he wanted to hide.

  “C’mon,” he grumbled. “Lemme get some food in you.”

  Hating every second of it, Reid lowered her to the ground, carefully easing her legs from his waist and holding her tightly until she took her own weight. She was still pressed intimately against him, those curves snug to his body, and he absorbed her heat, basking in their closeness. And her scent. So sweet and musky, it consumed him, aroused him, and gave him a satisfaction he’d never known.

  He had plenty of women in his past but Evie was everything they weren’t—his.

  Forcing himself into motion, he stepped away and put some space between their bodies. Otherwise he’d pin her to the wall once more and take everything she offered. Hell, if she was game, he’d claim her then and there. Take her in front of every male in town so they’d know she belonged to him.

  He didn’t do that sharing shit.

  Grabbing her hand, he led them back to the street and resumed his path, pulling her toward the only diner in town. All reports said the food was decent, if simple, but a shifter just needed meat to be happy, so he figured Come and Get It was good enough for now. Later he’d wine and dine her, give her everything she deserved.

  Like, after he destroyed the last threat and slit Ezekiel’s throat. He’d tear the male into tiny pieces first. Clawing his flesh from bone seemed like a good idea. Maybe—

  A light tug on his hand had him abandoning his ideas and focusing on Evie once more. He met her gaze and raised a single eyebrow. “Yeah?”

  She rolled her eyes. “We can’t eat unless we go inside. Funny how that works.”

  Evie wasn’t afraid of him. At all.

  And he loved that shit.

  Reid just snorted and snagged the door, pulling it open so she could go ahead of him.

  “Brat,” he murmured in her ear as she passed and got a smile in response.

  “And?”

  He shrugged. “And nothing.”

  “Hmm…” She strode into the diner and waved at the woman behind the counter.

  The woman first smiled widely at Evie in welcome until she met his gaze and then that grin vanished as if it’d never existed. That earned him a flick on the arm from Evie. “What?” he grumped. “Not my fault your bears wanna piss themselves when they meet me.”

  “Yeah, it is.” Then she softly patted his chest. “But don’t worry. I’ll fix it.”

  “What if I don’t want shit fixed?”

  Midnight eyes met his gaze and her voice dropped. “You do. I know you do. Even if you won’t say it out loud.”

  He wasn’t saying shit out loud. Ever. Not around these people.

  Instead of answering, he nudged her toward an empty booth at the back of the diner. “C’mon. Need to eat.”

  The diner quieted as they made their way through the building to the table he’d chosen, conversations going silent and no
t picking up until they passed. Evie seemed to think that kind of shit would end eventually.

  He didn’t want to tell her she was wrong, it’d never happen. When she smiled at him, those plump lips parting with joy and happiness filling her eyes, he decided he wouldn’t tell her anything for a long while.

  Eventually they found their way to the booth and Reid slipped in, his back to the wall and eyes able to see the whole diner. If someone came at him, he sure as hell wasn’t gonna make it easy.

  Evie didn’t seem to notice—or pretended not to notice—that the diner was a hell of a lot quieter now than when they’d arrived. Nope, she snatched up her menu as if everything was normal and skimmed the list of available food.

  Meanwhile, Reid kept his attention trained on the room at large, gaze drifting over the open area as he searched for any threat. His bears—a couple from Grayslake that filed in after them and a few Brookfield natives—filled over half the place while the rest were humans. Humans who sensed enough to be wary.

  Smart.

  “What do you want?” Evie’s soft question brought him back to her.

  “What?”

  “Food? What do you want? This is the shifter menu, but I can ask for the other if you’d like.”

  “Beef.” Deer in a pinch, but Reid was a sucker for a cow. Screw chicken. They were a pain in the ass to hunt and bland when compared to a nice steak.

  “Burger? Fajitas? Tacos?” She raised her eyebrows and he finally glanced at the menu. Damn, the Brookfield bears cooked their beef in more ways than he could count. Hell, they had a nice deer menu, too.

  And duck. Well, at least duck wasn’t chicken and it had some nice fat on it.

  Then he got to… “The fuck?” He curled his lip and met Evie’s stare. “Fruit?”

  “You’re mating a bear, Reid.” She rolled her eyes. “We do enjoy more than one food group.”

  A high-pitched squeak followed by an equally high-pitched “mate?” had both of them looking at the newcomer. A woman, all curves and curls that would have drawn him before he met Evie, stood nearby. Her stained apron and nametag had him pegging her as their waitress.