Emmitt's Treasure: Judgement of the Six Companion Series, book 2 (15 page)

“Is it just my scent that’s hard to mask, or any person’s?”

I wasn’t sure how to answer that.  If I admitted her scent called to me like no other, would she panic?  Would she look at me with fear again?

“Am I asking something I shouldn’t?”

“No, you can ask anything.  I just don’t want to upset you with the answer.”

“If I’m asking, please just answer honestly.  I need the truth, not the dance around it.”

“Everyone’s scent is as difficult to mask, but their scent wouldn’t be as compelling to follow.”

“What do you mean?”

The words were like an invisible command.  I stepped close and gently ran my hands down her arms as I leaned in to inhale deeply.  A tremble ran through her, and I reminded myself to keep it as general as possible.  If she knew just how much her scent called to me, my testicles would never survive the kneeing she’d give.

“Your scent calls to our kind.  Remember Nana mentioning a certain scent calls to a Mate?  Yours teases all of us.  Calls us closer to test it, to see if you really might be a match for us.”

I nuzzled her cheek, and her breath caught.  The flavor of her scent deepened, growing richer.  My canines lengthened, and need clenched in my gut.

“And when you do that, it just about brings me to my knees,” I said softly against her ear.

Her embarrassment told me I’d said too much.  She pulled away and retreated to the kitchen.  I let her go, but followed closely behind.

“If my scent is hard to mask, and you can smell my trails crisscrossing the apartment, why would one of your kind need to lean in close to scent me?”

A shudder of fear ran through her, making me regret saying so much.

“I’m sorry for upsetting you.  I didn’t think you—”

“Oh, no, not you,” she said quickly, turning to face me.  “I just meant—”  She exhaled heavily.  “I don’t want to talk about it.”

“Fair enough.  You know I’m here when you do.”

“I’m sorry, Emmitt.  I’m just not ready to divulge all my secrets yet.”

“I understand.”

“Will you show me again how you shift?”

I studied her for a moment.

“Are you sure?”

Since the morning after I’d revealed what we were, her moments of fear and panic had decreased.  Yet, each time she felt either emotion, it worried me that I’d finally pushed her too far and she’d leave.

“I’m sure.”

I led her out into the heat, waving at the boys as they called to us.  Winifred and Jim were playing baseball with them.  Winifred had probably joined to keep Jim in check.

She’s testing my abilities so keep the boys back here.

We will.  Don’t show her too much.  She’s taking a lot in very quickly.

She wants to see me shift again.

It might be better to hold back on a full shift.

Agreed.

The heat pressed in on us as we walked along the porch to the front.  In the shade, it wasn’t too bad, but it would be hot in the sun.  The front was an ideal place, though.  Branches from the trees surrounding the space extended over the lawn by several feet, creating cool pockets.

Michelle stepped off the porch and walked to the center of the lawn.  The sunlight glinted off her dark hair as she inspected the clearing.

“Nana said no full shifting.  She doesn’t want me upsetting you.”

“Um, okay.”

I didn’t need her scent to know she was disappointed.

“Nana mentioned that the benefits of both forms differ.  What are the attacking benefits of each form?”

She wanted to know how we fought?  I wanted her to know everything, but found it odd that was the first thing she wanted to know.  Well, maybe not odd.  She was afraid of Blake and probably needed assurance that we could handle him.

She seemed to read my hesitation.

“I want to know the strengths and weaknesses of each form.  Like speed, for example.  How fast can you move?”

Speed was easy.  Sprinting, I made it to the other side of the clearing in a second.

“Can you move as fast carrying someone?”

I grinned and ran toward her.  Before she could focus on me, I had her in my arms and we were running the perimeter of the yard.  Her breath caught from the wind, and she turned to bury her face in my neck.

I swallowed hard at the feel of her exhale on my skin.  Her fingers clenched at my shoulders as I continued my sprint, waiting for her to signal she was done.  The signal I got wasn’t one I expected.  Her lips brushed the crook of my neck, the place where a Mate bit to establish a Claim.  Too many emotions exploded in me for me to maintain control.  Hope, lust, and aggression clouded my reasoning as I quickly set her on the ground and stepped away.  In a crouch, I struggled to pull back the change that fought to burst forth.

My teeth crowded my lips and fur rippled up and down my arms.  Closing my eyes, I focused on my human form.  Jaw level with my cheeks and eyes.  Nose long, not elongated.

“What is it, Emmitt?”  She scrambled close, clinging to my right arm.  “Did you hear something?”

Her fear cut though my change, along with the realization that she didn’t fear me, but that something might be coming for her.

I took a slow breath as my mouth returned to normal.  Then, I opened my eyes.  Hers were wide and frightened and staring into mine.

“What?  What just happened?” she demanded.

“I had to set you down.”  I gently smoothed my hand down her arm.  It didn’t seem to reassure her.

“Yeah, the fur gave that away.”  She arched a brow at me.

“I was taken by surprise, that’s all.”  I stood and offered her a hand up.  Her fingers wrapped around mine.  She never took her eyes from me as she stood.  She didn’t let go, either.  I liked it.

“By what?” she asked.

“You were just a little close, and I wasn’t expecting it.”

Her mouth dropped open just the tiniest bit. “You picked me up, remember?”

Seeing she wasn’t going to let it drop, I tried to find a delicate way to tell her she’d just about made every dream I’d never had come true.

“Michelle, Claiming is pretty serious stuff, equivalent to getting engaged in your world.  If a guy would give you a small, velvet box, your first thought would probably be ‘it’s a ring.’  Turns out, it’s tickets to a ball game.  Guys know girls associate those little boxes with rings, so it’s cruel to use them for anything else, right?  Claiming is a quick, hard bite to the neck.  We grow up knowing a werewolf’s neck is a special area that you don’t go near lightly.  It’s the small, velvet jewelry box.  Do you understand?”

She paled and glanced away.  Strange expressions crossed her features, swiftly changing along with her scent.  Confusion, revulsion, then arousal.  I wasn’t sure how she could go from one to another like that.

“But you said you thought of me as a friend.”

“If that’s all you can give me, then I’ll respect your choice.”

Michelle looked away from me uncomfortably, but didn’t let the emotion hold her for long.  She shook it off and returned to meet my gaze steadily.

“Stay away from werewolf necks.  Got it.  Sorry.”

“No,” I said a bit forcefully.  “You can get as close as you want to mine.  Just avoid anyone else’s.”

She blushed and cleared her throat.  Adorable.

“How strong are you?”

That made me grin. “Strong enough that any display would catch the attention of Liam and Aden.”

“So, how do you fight a werewolf?” she said as if to herself.

“With another werewolf.”

She turned away from me, and her lack of amusement over what I’d meant to be a joke worried me.  Had I pushed too much information at her too quickly?

She remained quiet as we walked to the front of the house and joined the rest.  Jim had just set up the sprinklers for the boys.  Liam was in the process of bringing Winifred over to the starting line when he saw us.

“Emmitt, you too!” he said, waving me over.

“Go ahead.  I’m going to sit this one out,” Michelle said.  She settled onto the front steps and watched as we raced through the water.

How Winifred managed to avoid most of the droplets was beyond me.  Jim and I plowed right through everything with the kids.  They giggled and squealed, their happiness a direct contrast to Michelle’s solemn expression.

Did it not go well?
Winifred sent to me.

I think it did.  She’s struggling with something, though.  Not fear of us.  I think she’s past that.  Something else.

When she’s ready, she will tell us.

After a few more minutes, Winifred went to sit by Michelle.  Their conversation was easy to hear no matter how loudly Aden laughed.

“Everything okay?” Winifred asked.

“Could we talk?”

I glanced up at Michelle, and she blushed slightly as she lowered her voice even further.

“In private?” she asked.

“Of course.  Let’s go inside.  I saw you did a load of laundry.  I’ll help you fold.”

Michelle nodded, and they walked inside.

As much as I want to respect her wish for a private conversation, I’d feel better if you shared whatever you can.  We both want to help her, and my ignorance doesn’t accomplish that.

Spoken like a true leader,
Winifred sent back. 
She’s asking about Claiming.

I waited for more but Winifred remained quiet.

“I’m going to go get us some towels,” I said after a few minutes.

Jim grinned knowingly at me.  Ignoring him, I walked inside.  From above, I could hear Michelle’s accelerated pulse.

What’s wrong?

I took the steps at a sprint.

Something about the Mated bond seems to have upset her.

You were talking about mating?

Don’t be silly.  Just the bond.  She paled when I mentioned Claiming would give the pair a sense of each other’s locations, but the idea of communicating with our minds seems to have been the piece that sent her into a panic.

I knocked on the door.  Michelle called for me to come in, her voice tight with emotion.

As soon as I opened the door, the scent of her fear flooded me.  Annoyed with Winifred, I shot her a glare.

“She’s fine, Emmitt.  We’re asking her to take in a lot of information at a frequency that I would imagine makes it hard to assimilate everything.”

Winifred placed a stack of folded clothes into the basket that sat between them on the couch, then rose.

I waited until she left the apartment before crouching in front of Michelle.

“I can smell your fear.”

“I don’t know what to do.”

Gently, I touched her chin, nudging her until her gaze met mine. “About what?” I asked.

She looked so miserable and lost and in need of comfort.  I ran my fingers along her jawline, giving what I thought she might allow. She closed her eyes with a heavy sigh.

“I want to tell you.  I start thinking I should.  Then I learn more, and I can’t.”

Frustration flared then died.  She wanted to trust but didn’t know how.

“I don’t know what else to do to prove you can trust me.  I’ll wait forever if you need me to.  There’s nowhere else for me to be, but by you.”

Her eyes popped open.

“That’s part of what I don’t understand.  You talk about my scent.  Nana talks about a pull.  I see—well, never mind about what I see.  But Nana said that humans and werewolves don’t work, so why are you talking like I’m...that you and I...”

I tilted my head to study her increasingly red face.  Did she really not know how much I wanted her?  Needed her?

Perhaps I should come back,
Winifred sent me.

It was your talk on the beach that confused her.

Just ask her.

“Do you want Nana to come talk to you some more?” I asked softly.

Embarrassment poured from her as she miserably looked away. “No, that’s not necessary.  I’m sorry I misunderstood.  Like Nana said, it’s a lot to take in.”

I growled in frustration, and her pulse spiked.

Emmitt,
Winifred warned.

Calming myself, I focused on reassuring Michelle. “You’re getting me in trouble.  Nana is scolding me for growling.”

Michelle glanced at the door.

“And I’m frustrated that we keep misunderstanding each other.  May I please explain myself clearly?”

She gave a half-nod.  Moving closer, I threaded my fingers in her smooth, dark hair.

“I saw you in the diner and felt an instant recognition.  When you walked in, you flooded my senses until only one word beat through my mind.”  I leaned in until my lips brushed her ear.  “Mine.”

She shivered.  The action only made me want to pull her closer and devour her.

“So, when I say I’ll wait forever to earn your trust, I will.  My heart is yours.  My loyalty, yours.”

I dipped my head so I could scent the sweet spot where her neck met her shoulder. “If all you can give is friendship, I’ll take it.  For you, I’ll take anything.  Do you understand?”

She nodded, but the scent of her confusion told the truth.

“Liar,” I whispered, tugging her up off the couch.  “What don’t you understand?”

“Nana said humans and werewolves...”

Taking my hand from her hair, I traced my finger along the curve of her neck.  She moved ever so slightly, giving me room, and permission, to explore.  I wanted to growl and take.  Instead, I let my fingers glide along her collarbone.  She shivered.  How long until my lips could trace her skin?  Not much longer.  I almost grinned at the thought.

“You’re different,” I said, pulling myself back to our conversation.  “Special.  That rule doesn’t apply to you.”

She stiffened slightly.  “Different?”

I used my fingers to sooth the skin over her other collarbone.  After a few seconds, she softened again.  She liked when I touched her.  This time, I couldn’t completely stop my triumphant grin.  She didn’t notice because her eyes had fluttered closed.

“There’s nothing wrong with being different.  My mom’s different.  Human like you.”

I scented her eager hope.  She opened her eyes and considered me as I drew lazy patterns with my fingertips on the side of her neck.

“I’ll make you a deal.  You tell me a little bit about your past, whatever you
can
trust me with, and I’ll tell you about my mom.”

Stilling my fingers, but not removing my touch, I waited.

“I think my mom was killed.  My stepdad, too.  If they catch us, they’ll hurt one of my brothers.  Bad.  To teach me a lesson.”

Anger surged at her words.

“Their safety kept me there, a willing prisoner, until I realized the boys were only useful while young.  Their lives would end like my mother’s and their father’s as soon as they were no longer useful.”

Her pain and fear crushed my own feelings of rage.  Pulling her into my arms, I held her close.  No one would hurt her or her brothers ever again.  My body was her shield, and my heart her home.

She leaned into me, taking what I offered.

“I have two big secrets.  One will test the sincerity of what you just said, and the other will give you power over me.”

She fisted her hands against my shirt, her fear enveloping her.

“Then tell me the first one.  Test me to see if I’m worthy of the second one,” I said, softly.

“I want to, but what if you’re wrong.  You’ll hand me back over—”

“Never.”  The word escaped with more anger than I’d intended.  Didn’t she understand?  I would never betray her.  I couldn’t.

“Mine,” I said, tightening my hold.

She took a bracing breath. “Blake killed them.  My mom and Richard.” She trembled. “He’s one of you.”

Her barely audible words fell like the sharp tip of a claw, cutting me open and leaving me in agony.  I lurched out of her arms as the change took over.  There was no stopping it.  I fell to my paws.  One of us had kept my Mate prisoner and hurt her brothers.  Hurt her.  Her unexpected questions about scenting and biting made sense now.

My shout of rage was one long howl.  What had they done to her?

Winifred and Jim rushed in.  Winifred moved to block me from Michelle’s sight as Jim picked her up and ran with her from the apartment.

“Control is essential to who we are,” Winifred started with real anger.

One of us, Winifred. 
Agony ripped at me, and I swore long and loud.  I wanted to know who.  I wanted a name, and I wanted to make her past disappear.

“What are you talking about?”

She was held prisoner by one of us.

Winifred eyed me with shock. “Are you sure?”

She is sure.  Her fear... 
I yowled again.

“Emmitt, stop.  Pull yourself together.  If it was one of us, you’re giving her more reason to fear.  You need to be calm.  Rational.  Not a wild beast.  Now, shift back and tell me what she said.”

She waited as I pulled the shift in.  Bones cracked and crunched as my spine condensed and my legs and arms elongated.

“You heard everything.  She only whispered the last four words.  ‘He’s one of you.’”

Winifred looked troubled. “She needs to tell us more.”

I ran a frustrated hand across the back of my neck.  I’d just told her I’d be patient.  Now, I’d need to press for more.

Winifred held the door for me as I walked out.  Jim heard me on the steps and encouraged Michelle onto the porch since I’d ripped my clothes to shreds with my spontaneous shift.  Winifred was probably picking up the pieces for me.

As soon as the way was clear, I jogged down the steps and grabbed some clean clothes from Jim’s place.  Michelle was talking to Jim outside.

“You really didn’t know?” she said.

“Nope.  That’s a bit of a shocker.  It will take Nana some time to figure out who Blake is.”

“No!”  Michelle’s panicked word was loud enough that even her brothers had probably heard it.  I yanked on a pair of shorts, ready to go out and reassure her.

“No one will do anything without talking to you.  I promise,” Jim said.  Hopefully, Winifred would keep his promise.

Winifred walked into the apartment just then.

“We need to be careful.  I don’t want her trying to run,” I said, pulling the shirt over my head.

“Of course.  We both want to know who it is, but none of this makes sense.  When we first discovered your mother and her compatibility, we made it a law that if any of our kind should come across another human potential Mate, they needed to immediately contact an Elder.  That’s how we learned of Gabby.  A wolf had come across her scent and reported it.  As soon as Michelle was discovered, we should have known.”

That one of our kind broke a law was unheard of.  A law was beyond just a compulsion to obey.  There was no choice.  We all obeyed the laws set by the Elders, just as the Elders held our interest above their own lives.

Jim’s voice drifted in to us.

“Emmitt’s talking to Nana now.  I can hear some of what they are saying.  We understand what’s at risk.”

Winifred remained quietly thoughtful for a moment.

“We can’t begin to question our men until we know more.  This is bigger than we could have imagined,” Winifred said.  “Come.  You need to talk to her and see what more you can learn.  And, Emmitt, we need to tell your parents.  Soon.”

We walked out onto the porch.  The boys looked nervous and not their happy selves.  Guilt and shame had me sitting on the top step.  I’d done that.  Put that look on their little faces.  My actions had scared already traumatized children.  Right then I swore that I would never lose control around them again.

Winifred stepped off the porch and went to Michelle.  The boys watched the pair, but Winifred kept her tone low so they wouldn’t hear.

“We need to know more to understand how to best protect you.  Would you mind talking to Emmitt on the porch?”

Michelle nodded and slowly made her way to me.  I remained seated and relaxed.  When she stood before me, I reached out, gently taking her by the fingertips and tugging her to join me.  When she sat, her scent was a confused mix of fear and interest.

I sighed.

“I apologize for losing control.  It will never happen again.”

She turned to look at me.

“Did my secret change anything?”

“Not the way I feel.  But it does change how we need to deal with Blake.  Will you tell me more?  How did he find you?”

“Remember when I told you Richard and my mom married and then things changed?  Blake changed everything.  I don’t know how Richard got involved with him, but one day, Richard brought Blake home.  He spoke smoothly.  Salesman-nice is what my mom called it.  She didn’t like Blake.

“Looking back, I think that’s why she died after Aden was born.  I think Blake knew she would be a problem.  She would have tried to stop what he had planned.  So, he killed her.  With her gone and two little boys to worry about, Blake had Richard on strings, dancing to his commands.  Suddenly, I wasn’t allowed to leave the house anymore.  Disobedience wasn’t tolerated.”  She looked out at her brothers.  “I tried to run once.  When they caught me, Blake slapped Liam.  Hard.  His handprint turned into a bruise that covered Liam’s little face from temple to jaw.”

I was beyond angry.  My skin wanted to shift to fur.  I closed my eyes and clenched my jaw, pulling the change back.  Michelle’s worry grew, and I knew she was watching me.