you?” He’d been in a human prison, spent years isolated from the pack. Maybe he really did understand how damn hard all of this was.
“I’m still getting used to it. It takes time.” He paused then faced her. The intensity in his gaze demanded her attention. “You’re safe here. You may not be pack yet, but you have our protection. If someone does attack you, we will deal with it.”
Someone like Linc? She didn’t ask the question because that one had already been answered. Guilt pricked her. She didn’t want to be the cause of dissension between the brothers. “I’m sorry about the fight.”
A.J. chuckled. “Maybe you missed how often the three of us used to beat the shit out of each other when we were kids? The only thing that changed is our ages. They’ll get over it, they’re brothers. You focus on you, and whether or not you can do this.” Layer upon layer of meaning. Do this as in—Ty or pack? Maybe both?
“I didn’t want to hurt him,” she said. “I know I was selfish. I know I did hurt him, but it wasn’t my goal.”
With excruciating slowness, A.J. raised his palm then, holding her gaze, cupped her cheek. The action was both familiar and reassuring, if utterly unsettling. “If I’d thought for a moment you’d truly wanted to do him harm, you’d already be dead.”
“Okay.” She accepted the touch and the statement. “That makes me feel better.”
He grinned. “Good. Now let’s get you some meat and let you escape before we run into another matron who wants to hug you to death.”
Shuddering at the thought, she nodded eagerly. A.J. ran interference for her because they did indeed run into a couple of other mothers who’d known hers. Though her heart raced and her shoulders were tense, she wasn’t in a fighting rage when they walked out of the store.
By the time A.J. pulled into the driveway of her house, she almost felt…normal. Then movement on the porch caught her eye, and her breath caught. Standing at the top step, Tyler was a feast for hungry eyes. He’d dressed in a cotton t-shirt that molded to his musculature and jeans that emphasized the strength of his thighs. With a half-frown, he jogged over to the car and pulled open her door.
She tensed. Was he going to be pissed because she’d gone out? Would they end up fighting after she’d found some semblance of equilibrium? But all he said as he leaned down was, “Do I smell cookies?”
----
T he past two days had been torture of the very best kind and yet far simpler than Tyler would have expected. After arriving to find A.J. returning Claire from a shopping trip, he’d helped her unload the car and then pestered her until she threw a box of cookies at him.
Since she’d thrown them, he declared them fair game and ate three. Catching her smiling at him, the hint of laughter in her eyes had been the sweetest treat of all. Leaving her that morning had been a different kind of torture. She’d been soft about his presence and, instead of taking advantage of her, he’d made himself go to work. Cars still needed repairs, and he owed his father a hell of an apology.
Later, he would make it up to his mother. He hadn’t gone near the Buckley house or Linc since the fight. In fact, he’d made himself go to A.J.’s so he would keep his distance. His wolf chafed at the enforced separations, yet when he did come to see Claire, she welcomed him.
For two days, he’d given her space and let her dictate the terms. When he offered to help her with her parents’ things, she’d looked relieved. They’d spent hours sorting through closets and boxing items to be distributed to others in the pack. Willow Bend was healthy, but they had their share of families who struggled financially or with other burdens.
By the third day, however, he needed to get Claire out of the house and the memories it kept waking in her. Twice he’d caught her crying, and it cut him to the bone when she wiped away the tears and buried her emotions.
“I’m still getting used to it. It takes time.” He paused then faced her. The intensity in his gaze demanded her attention. “You’re safe here. You may not be pack yet, but you have our protection. If someone does attack you, we will deal with it.”
Someone like Linc? She didn’t ask the question because that one had already been answered. Guilt pricked her. She didn’t want to be the cause of dissension between the brothers. “I’m sorry about the fight.”
A.J. chuckled. “Maybe you missed how often the three of us used to beat the shit out of each other when we were kids? The only thing that changed is our ages. They’ll get over it, they’re brothers. You focus on you, and whether or not you can do this.” Layer upon layer of meaning. Do this as in—Ty or pack? Maybe both?
“I didn’t want to hurt him,” she said. “I know I was selfish. I know I did hurt him, but it wasn’t my goal.”
With excruciating slowness, A.J. raised his palm then, holding her gaze, cupped her cheek. The action was both familiar and reassuring, if utterly unsettling. “If I’d thought for a moment you’d truly wanted to do him harm, you’d already be dead.”
“Okay.” She accepted the touch and the statement. “That makes me feel better.”
He grinned. “Good. Now let’s get you some meat and let you escape before we run into another matron who wants to hug you to death.”
Shuddering at the thought, she nodded eagerly. A.J. ran interference for her because they did indeed run into a couple of other mothers who’d known hers. Though her heart raced and her shoulders were tense, she wasn’t in a fighting rage when they walked out of the store.
By the time A.J. pulled into the driveway of her house, she almost felt…normal. Then movement on the porch caught her eye, and her breath caught. Standing at the top step, Tyler was a feast for hungry eyes. He’d dressed in a cotton t-shirt that molded to his musculature and jeans that emphasized the strength of his thighs. With a half-frown, he jogged over to the car and pulled open her door.
She tensed. Was he going to be pissed because she’d gone out? Would they end up fighting after she’d found some semblance of equilibrium? But all he said as he leaned down was, “Do I smell cookies?”
----
T he past two days had been torture of the very best kind and yet far simpler than Tyler would have expected. After arriving to find A.J. returning Claire from a shopping trip, he’d helped her unload the car and then pestered her until she threw a box of cookies at him.
Since she’d thrown them, he declared them fair game and ate three. Catching her smiling at him, the hint of laughter in her eyes had been the sweetest treat of all. Leaving her that morning had been a different kind of torture. She’d been soft about his presence and, instead of taking advantage of her, he’d made himself go to work. Cars still needed repairs, and he owed his father a hell of an apology.
Later, he would make it up to his mother. He hadn’t gone near the Buckley house or Linc since the fight. In fact, he’d made himself go to A.J.’s so he would keep his distance. His wolf chafed at the enforced separations, yet when he did come to see Claire, she welcomed him.
For two days, he’d given her space and let her dictate the terms. When he offered to help her with her parents’ things, she’d looked relieved. They’d spent hours sorting through closets and boxing items to be distributed to others in the pack. Willow Bend was healthy, but they had their share of families who struggled financially or with other burdens.
By the third day, however, he needed to get Claire out of the house and the memories it kept waking in her. Twice he’d caught her crying, and it cut him to the bone when she wiped away the tears and buried her emotions.
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