Page 38 of Wolf Tamer

People, I want to correct him. People, but not him. They are two completely different animals, and I’m only now just starting to realize it. Somewhere along the line, I’ve become way too emotional when it comes to him, and I’m not sure if his latest rescue attempt changed things or not. The only thing I know is that listening to him talk to me like I didn’t matter caused me damage.

“You were very convincing,” I hedge instead. “Thank you for stopping when you did. I appreciate it,”

He trails his fingers up my side now to cup my face, and for some reason, I let him.

“Hey, I’m sorry. I didn’t realize you were in actual pain. I should have known. I just got caught up in the pack mentality.” He inhales deeply, his nostrils flaring, and frowns. “With everyone in the room, egging me on, knowing how my father used to punish wrongdoers…I got caught up in the moment. I admit it. But it wasn’t for long. I snapped out of it.”

But the fact that he had gotten “caught up” in the first place worries me. It shows how deep his father’s claws are still buried in him.

“And here I thought I was a good actress.”

When I glance over at him, his gaze has hardened. “It’s my business to know when you’re hurting, Tash. I’m useless if I can’t sense when you’re in actual pain.”

“You can’t control everything,” I tell him.

“You want to bet?” He says it with an edge, and I’m not sure if he’s being serious or not. Reid strokes his hand across my forehead until I hiss. “Iamsorry.”

If I’m being completely forthright with myself, his kindness is way worse. Because I’m right back to thinking that every kind thing he’s ever done for me is a lie, an act he’s putting on because he wants something from me.

But what can he possibly want now? He’s got everything he can out of me. Unless he was serious about finishing what we started before.

“The pain will go away soon,” I finish. After everything with the witches and now this, I’m so tired. So, so, so tired. And I’m no closer to what I originally came to the Redcliff Pack for—stayed here for. Even the mental images of me and Carmen begin to shatter, disappearing like dust blown about in a light breeze. My mind goes blissfully blank, and suddenly I’m grateful for the exhaustion. Right now, anything is better than feeling too much.

The pain will go away…

Physically, at least. The emotional damage? I’m not quite sure.

ChapterThirteen

Reid

I’ve fucked up.

I’m pissed at Tasha, and I’m not sure if it really has anything to do with her or if it’s more about my own failure to protect her.

I gave her my word that this would all work out for the best. I assured her she would be safe, and nowthishappens? The red welts are raised and nearly bloody, and she’s shivering like someone left her out in the cold to die. It’s unacceptable. I’m the alpha for a reason, and all the people beneath me, wolves and witches alike, are my responsibility.

She got hurt and even worse: I held the whip. Or the branch, in this case, but it doesn’t matter. I’m responsible for the fear in her eyes even when she’s taken such great strides to hide it from me. If she hadn’t cried out at the last moment, I wouldn’t have stopped; that’s the worst part.

I was so caught up in the sensations and thoughts from the rest of the pack that I lost myself. The power was a corrupting thing. I practically felt their belief in me growing, doubling and tripling with each passing second.

Now Tasha flinches every time I try to touch her.

“You should have stopped me from going so far,” I tell her. “I wish you would have said something.”

She’s still shaking her head, with her face and nose buried in the pillow rather than looking at me. “It was too much of a risk. You did what you had to do,” she says through her teeth. “The spell failing was my problem.”

Wait a minute. The fucking spellfailed? When was she planning on telling me that? Did it fail the first time she tried as well? When we were alone?

“You felt everything? The entire time?” My voice drops, dangerously soft. “Why didn’t you tell me? Were you planning on it not working?”

“Never,” she answers simply.

“So you lied to me.”

She looks disappointed in me, and that makes me feel ten times worse about everything.

“I’m okay,” Tasha insists before she pushes up on her elbows. I catch another small glimpse of hurt across her delicate features and want to kick myself. “I can handle a little pain. It’s really not any of your concern. You don’t have to pretend to give a shit about me anymore.”

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