Page 69 of Wolf Tamer

“They’re my pack. And they trust me to protect them. Why should I not give them the same benefit?”

“Um, because you’ve already been double crossed.”And your brother is probably in on it.“I just don’t believe anyone anymore.”

“Clearly,” he says dryly.

“Well, you can see why. After everything that has happened so far? I’m astounded that you actually still possess even a shred of trust for these wolves,” I continue.

“I have no choice.”

“There’s always a choice.”

“Then I’m asking you to do what you should have done until this point: trust me. Going forward, from here on out, trust me, Tasha. I can handle this and find a way out for all of us.”

“Even me?”

I think back to what Julius said about me not being a part of this pack. And it is true, on some level. On the level I rarely like to admit to. I know I’m invested because of Reid and how I feel about him. Because of this undeniable draw between us. The one I would rather pretend doesn’t exist.

Except when he’s determined, like he is now, to take everything on his shoulders? I can’t help but respect him for that. For how empathetic he is toward everyone, even after being kicked while he’s down.

“If you choose not to trust anyone, then I understand,” he continues. “Just stop lumping me in with the rest of them.” He steps back enough to hold out his hand to me for a shake. A way to seal the deal.

I stare at it for a moment before making up my mind. I clasp our palms together and use the momentum to drag myself up to him. To plant my lips on his and kiss him, to show him just how sorry I am for everything.

And the man proceeds to kiss the heck out of me right back.

ChapterTwenty-Two

Reid

Okay, so I know two things:

One, I know that Tasha loves me, even if she hasn’t said it outright. The day’s coming when I’ll hear her say those words to me in the same way I’ve said them to her. I just need to be patient with her.

And two, I know it’s crazy to take her out on a patrol with me, and it will have jaws wagging before we’re even out of the house, but I’m doing it anyway. It’s unorthodox in the worst possible way and it cements, in front of everyone, that she is much more important to me than just a sacrifice. Or a sexual partner.

But her attack on me earlier in the day did nothing if not show me that it’s better for the truth to be out there than to continue lying. We put on a front for the rest of them in hopes of solidifying my position. Now it’s finally time for me to act the part by being true to myself.

Tasha is my mate.

She might be a witch. She might be a killer. But the fact remains that my wolf claimed her the moment I saw her, and there is no going back for me. I have no plans to reject such a precious gift. It isn’t every day that men in my position are given such a rare opportunity. Or men in any position because I don’t know of a single other wolf in the area who has had the pleasure of connecting with his or her mate.

Outside of… my father.

Maybe knowing about my parents’ bond should have made me warier about stepping forward with Tasha, but I’m at a point now where I refuse to look back and allow my life to be tainted by his madness any more.

Tasha is strong. She is caring. She is stubborn in the best of ways, and the spark between us is undeniable.

Including her with me and the pack while checking the boundaries is a first step toward cementing her new position with my people. As an equal, not an outsider. It’s risky, but better now than never.

Walking along the well-trod trail with Tasha, Liam, and Bullet, I sense multiple sets of eyes on my back. Instead of giving into the sensation, I draw my woman closer to me, looping her hand through the crook of my arm to keep her in close contact. She’s bundled up in one of her jackets with her footsteps heavy in her boots, almost as though she’s stomping harder on purpose.

At first, I wasn’t sure I’d be able to forgive her for trying to kill me. The wound at my neck has disappeared, thanks to my rapid healing, but I still feel the bite of that blade while she tried to dig it deeper. I still feel the fury pouring off her in waves and, beneath it, the pain. The gut-wrenching pain of betrayal like salt in a wound that she hasn’t been able to heal from entirely.

And I understand.

Fuck it, but I understand more than she knows, more than I’ve let on until now.

“This way, boss. There’s something you’ve gotta see over here.”

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