Page 30 of In The Shadow of The Wolf

Terry jumped to his feet and began furiously pacing the room. “When I saw him yesterday on the porch, everything was so right. He looked at me and smiled, and I could feel it, you know, the pull, the need to be closer. I know that he felt it too.” He suddenly turned and dropped into the nearest chair as if defeated. “Then last night after . . . everything, he looked at me as if he didn’t know me and definitely didn’t trust me. I had to beg for a second chance. Henry was prepared to end it right there. He believes I’m a straight man who is just interested in experimenting.” Terry moaned and again rubbed his hands across his face. “Why do I do this to myself? It could have been so easy.”

“You’re scared, Terry. You’re scared your friends will find out you’re gay and start treating you like they treat others. Throw on top of that the fact that Henry is human, and you get the double whammy of bigotry.” Jamie’s answer was right on the mark. Terry knew he was weak, but he never realized how weak he was.

“You’re going to have to decide what is more important, your friends or your mate. It’s as easy as that.” Jamie came over and squeezed his shoulder in a show of sympathy and support. “If it were me, and mind you, I am damn jealous that you get Henry, I would beat feet to my mate and never leave.”

Terry spent the remainder of his shift thinking of ways to come out of the closet. Henry had given him another chance, but it was with reservation. It almost seemed like Henry didn’t expect him to overcome his faults. He didn’t expect to be chosen. Terry would keep his mate; he wouldn’t fuck this up.

It was just past three when a large man with coal-black hair and an authoritative gait and attitude walked into the office. He introduced himself as Ivan Rand, a Detective with the State Police in Michigan out of Traverse City. He reached out his hand to Terry, who took it in a loose yet firm grip. The sudden realization that the man sent to town to take custody of Randall was himself a wolf shifter had Terry raising his brows in shock and surprise.

“You know what I am,” Ivan spoke candidly.

“Yes,” Terry responded. “He doesn’t know?” Terry jerked his head towards the cell at the back of the room that currently held ADA Jordan Randall of Traverse City, Michigan.

“No.” It was just a single word spoken tightly, with his stare speaking volumes regarding his relationship with Randall. Terry surmised that there was no love lost between the two of them.

Terry indicated a chair in front of his desk for him to sit down. “Have a bit of paperwork for you, and if you’d like, I can have one of the officers take you to see the Mayor. I’m sure he would be happy to put you up for the night.” Terry was confident that Ivan understood Pack dynamics and understood the request to meet the Mayor and to stay at the Pack House was not a request. Ivan nodded his understanding and sat down.

“How long will you be staying?” Terry asked as he shuffled through his desk and came up with the transfer paperwork.

Ivan leaned back in his seat and regarded the officer intently, weighing and measuring him and his possible place in the pack before answering his question. “I will probably be here no more than two days, however long it takes to complete the transfer and get a flight out with the prisoner.” Ivan then glanced around the room speculatively. “I didn’t realize there was a pack in this area.” He spoke softly so only Terry could hear him.

Terry nodded. “Been here about hundred and fifty years. Our Alpha is Lance Hendricks. He recently mated Ronan James.” With that said, Ivan instantly smiled, and a soft satisfied chuckle followed.

“So that cocky bastard tried to come between an Alpha and his mate?” He asked and laughed outright when Terry returned his smile and nodded affirmatively. “Serves him right; we’ve been investigating him for several months now following several complaints of abuse of power. We couldn’t get the goods on him, but we now have him dead to rights, thanks to you all. He won’t be bothering anyone again for a long time.”

Ivan took the offered paperwork and began filling it out. Terry strolled to the back of the office to inform Jordan Randall that he would be transferred back to the authorities in Michigan and that Detective Rand was there.

“Ivan, Ivan!” Randall yelled, but Ivan ignored him and continued with his paperwork.

...

Henry went to town with Molly, who wanted to shop for a new dress for her commitment ceremony to Aaron, better known as a wedding. Henry hadn’t gotten a chance to see much of the town proper, so he agreed to accompany her.

They were combing through the racks of a local boutique when Molly began her questions. “Are you sure you want to start something with. . . Terry? Ronan told you how he treated us. He isn’t a very nice man.” She turned to regard him squarely. “He’s a bigot, a homophobe, and a bully.”

“He’s my mate, or at least he said he was. I don’t know. I feel drawn to him in a way I’ve never felt before, almost obsessively so.” He glared at the floor and pushed his fists into his pockets.

“Oh, sweetie,” Molly patted his shoulder sympathetically. “I’m so sorry.” He noticed tears present in her eyes, which did nothing for his confidence.

“I have to give him a chance.” He explained. “If we’re mates, as he claims, I have to try.” He didn’t sound convincing, even to his own ears.

Molly just stared at him, pity filling the space between them. “Mate or not, don’t take shit from him.”

‘I won’t.”

…

Ivan completed all the necessary paperwork and stood looking around the room once again as if he were looking for something specific. “I’ll get one of the officers to take you to the Ranch in just a minute.” Terry was dealing with a walk-in complaint regarding trespassing. Ivan walked over to one of the adjacent desks and ran his fingertips over the surface as if caressing the wood.

“Whose desk is this?” He asked offhandedly, or so it seemed.

“Jamie McCormick. He’s one of the officers here, but he was called away this morning on a case regarding cattle theft up north. You probably won’t meet him if you’re only staying a couple of days. Those calls usually take a while to sort out.”

“I look forward to meeting him.”

Terry wasn’t sure what he meant, considering it was unlikely that Jamie would be back within the week, but he didn’t give it much thought. Terry’s mind was consumed, as it had been all day, with the image of his mate Henry Grange. Once he had the trespassing report completed, and Ivan was on his way to the Ranch, he decided to give his beautiful mate a call.

It was only late afternoon, but it seemed like he hadn’t spoken with Henry for days. “Hey, Henry.” He gushed as soon as Henry answered. “What are you doing, baby?” He leaned back in his chair and listened to the dulcet tone of the most gorgeous man alive.

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