Page 43 of Unwilling Wolf

“You’ll forgive her,” he barked out. Oh, he knew he was using an Alpha’s order on her. He could see it in the way Lenny’s pupils blew out, making her eyes look black. “Whatever feelings you have for Eliza knowing you’re a werewolf, you’ll forgive her. You’ll be a good friend to her. You won’t make her pay for what she knows.” He spun Rooney in a tight circle because his stallion was panicking under the heaviness of Garret’s anger. “You’ll be her friend!” he barked, and then swung out of the saddle and led Rooney to the turnout corral. He pulled his saddle, blanket, and halter off, then slapped his backside and sent him flying.

Lenny was still standing there dumbly, holding her horse, and he knew he’d done that to her. He knew she was trapped by that order.

“Fuck!” he yelled, throwing all of his tack into the side of the barn hard enough to drill a huge hole straight through it.

He paced, ran his hands through his hair and threw his hat, then knelt down because his heart felt like it was in his throat.

“Boss?” Burke asked low.

“I don’t know what I’m doing,” Garret rushed out.

“Okay,” Burke murmured, approaching slowly. “How about you let Lenny go, and we’ll figure it out.”

Garret exhaled deeply, inhaled. Three more times he huffed steadying breaths before he stood and told Lenny, “You didn’t do nothin’ wrong. Neither did Eliza.”

Lenny’s pupils constricted again, and she looked upset. That’s all he did to women—upset ‘em. “Can you be her friend? I think she needs it.”

Lenny nodded. “Where is she?” she whispered in her language.

Garret felt like dirt. He ran his hand down his jaw and pointed. “Back with the cows.”

Lenny re-mounted her horse and took off at a trot. She looked back once, and Garret could see the stubborn set to her jaw. If she hated him, well…get in line.

“Boss?” Burke asked softly.

“I can’t do this.”

“Can’t do what?”

“Be good for her. I know this. I know leading y’all. I know not feeling. I know not giving a damn about someone’s feelings. I know tough people!”

“Eliza isn’t like what you know.”

“You don’t think I’m figuring that out?” he yelled. “Fuck! I know!”

Burke nodded. He nodded and nodded, watching Garret as he paced. Garret hated it.

“I read her journal.”

Burke stopped nodding. “You what?”

“I read the stupid book she’s been journalling in. And it’s…” He hooked his hands on his hips and looked toward where Lenny had disappeared. “It’s good writing, but I can tell it’s the things she wants, and I know I can’t give her that. I can’t give her that life, Burke! I’ve been trying all day to forget what I read, but I’m out there working the cows and my head is on her pretty words of some fantasyland that don’t exist here!”

Burke didn’t say a word, just sat down on an old, moldy bale of hay and waited. For what, Garret had no idea.

“She deserves better,” Garret said, leaning on the fence.

“You know how many times I slept with my wife, and didn’t Turn her?” Burke asked.

Garret slid a glance over his shoulder, but Burke was just staring at the ground. “How would I know that?” Garret muttered, irritated.

“She’s human. Still human. I didn’t hurt her. Didn’t want to, and neither did my wolf.”

Garret cracked his knuckles and watched Rooney buck around the back part of the corral.

“She wrote about making love?” Burke guessed.

“Fuck off.”