Page 27 of Wolf's Whisper

Rumble doesn’t need to be told twice. He’s already halfway to the front door, his playful grin replaced with a sharp focus that reminds me these guys aren’t all jokes and mutant squirrel farts. They’re dangerous when they need to be—and right now, I’m grateful for it.

I peer around Hatchet’s solid frame, my pulse quickening as the rumble of the motorcycle engine dies. The next sound is boots hitting gravel, deliberate and heavy. Whoever it is doesn’t seem in a hurry—or worried about being noticed.

“It’s Wolf.” Rumble calls back. “And she looks like she is as mad as a hornet in a tin can.”

The tension in my shoulders eases slightly at the mention of Wolf’s name, but it doesn’t dissipate entirely. I step around Hatchet, ignoring his muttered protest, and reach the door just as Wolf pushes it open without knocking.

Her blue eyes are blazing, her dark hair disheveled like she’s ridden through a storm—and judging by how her leather jacket hangs off one shoulder, she probably has. She looks like chaos incarnate, but she still takes my breath away.

“Wolf,” I start, but she cuts me off with a sharp wave.

“Don’t,” she snaps, her voice low and taut with anger. “Don’t even try to tell me to calm down.”

I blink, caught off guard by the fire in her tone. “I wasn’t—”

“He left another ‘gift,’ didn’t he?” she interrupts, her jaw clenching as she scans the room like she’s ready to take on an army single-handedly. Her gaze lands on me, piercing and unrelenting. “Where is it? What did he leave this time?”

“Wolf,” I say softly, trying to ground her before she combusts. “I was going to tell you when you came back, I didn’t want to distract you when you were gone.”

Her eyes narrow, and she might lose her temper. But instead, she takes a deep breath, although it doesn't seem to calm her down. "Distract me?" she repeats, her voice thick with disbelief."Janelle, do you realize how I felt when I arrived at the clubhouse to clean up before coming here and found out from the Battle Axe what was happening?"

I swallowed hard, and my throat suddenly dried. "I... I didn’t want to worry you." My voice sounds small even to my ears, and I hate it.

Wolf steps closer, her boots thudding against the hardwood floor like warning shots. "Worry me? Janelle, worrying about you is my full-time job now! You and those kids are all I think about, day and night." Her voice cracks slightly on the last word, making my chest ache.

Then suddenly, Wolf brings her hands to my face; her calloused hands cup my cheeks with a gentleness that seems at odds with the storm raging in her eyes. “Janelle,” she says, her voice softer now but no less intense. “You don’t get to decide for me what I can or can’t handle. Not when it comes to you. Not when it comes to this.”

I blink rapidly, her words sinking as my heart does a weird flip-flop. “I didn’t mean to—”

“I know,” she interrupts again, but there’s no anger in her tone this time. It's just raw emotion that makes me want to crumble right there in her arms. “But you’ve got to trust me, all right? I’m not going anywhere. Not until this bastard is six feet under, and you’re safe.” Then she leans in and places her lips on mine with a tenderness that catches me completely off guard. Her soft, deliberate kiss speaks volumes more than her words ever could. It’s not rushed or desperate, despite the chaos swirling around us—grounding, an anchor in the middle of the storm.

For a moment, I forget where we are. Forget about the looming threat outside and the weight of everything pressing on my shoulders. It’s just her and me, and this moment feels like it was carved out of time just for us.

When she pulls back, her forehead rests against mine, and I can feel her warm breath on my lips. Her blue eyes search mine, her expression softer now but still filled with determination. "You’re not alone in this," she whispers. "Not anymore."

I want to say something—anything—but my throat feels tight, and my eyes sting with the threat of tears. Instead, I just nod, hoping she can see the gratitude and relief written all over my face.

“Well,” Rumble pipes up from behind us, his voice cutting through the tension like a knife through butter, “that’s one way to declare your undying devotion.”

Wolf doesn’t even flinch. She turns her head just enough to shoot Rumble a glare so sharp I half expect him to start bleeding. “You got something to say, Rumble?” she growls.

He raises his hands in mock surrender, a smirk tugging at the corner of his mouth. “Not a thing, Wolf. Just enjoying the show.”

Wolf rolls her eyes and turns back to me, her hands still on my face. Her thumbs brush lightly against my cheeks, and for a moment, the room feels like it’s holding its breath. “Ignore him,” she murmurs. “He’s an idiot.”

“Hey!” Rumble protests from behind her.

I let out a shaky laugh despite myself, the tension in my chest easing just a fraction. “I noticed,” I say softly.

Wolf’s lips twitch, almost forming a smile, but the weight of the situation quickly pulls her back to reality. She drops her hands from my face but doesn’t stop, and she turns her head slightly, just enough to look at Rumble. “Don’t you have somewhere else to be?” she asks him.

Rumble raises his hands in mock surrender with a cheeky grin. “All right, all right, I’m leaving. But you two lovebirds might want to save the smooching for after we figure out how to keep Prince Charming from dropping more ‘gifts.’” He winks at mebefore retreating toward the front door, Hatchet following close behind with an exasperated shake.

The door shuts behind them, leaving just Wolf and me standing there in the quiet tension of the room. Her hands are still on my face, her touch grounding despite the whirlwind of emotions coursing through me. I’ve never seen her like this—so raw, so protective.

“Wolf,” I say, my voice barely above a whisper. “I didn’t mean to shut you out. I just... I didn’t want to feel like a burden.”

Her blue eyes darken, and for a second, she might growl. “A burden? Janelle, you’re not a damn burden. You and those kids—” She pauses, struggling to find the words. “You’re everything.”

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