Page 8 of Healing His Darkness
“You’re right, it shouldn’t have happened.” She turns toward the parking lot.
“Just take me home Rooster. I’m done with the games of cocky assholes.” I want to apologize, but it’s better if she hates me. There is no way I’m going down that rabbit hole again, even for her. I nod and lead her over to my dad's truck and open the passenger side door for her to get in. Before I can shut it, she grabs the door and slams it closed in my face.
Mate.
Not our mate asshole. So, stop trying to make it happen. We had a mate, she left us in the dust when someone better came along. She’s human, she’s the daughter of my dad’s best friend, and we already had a mate. He whines, pacing back and forth inside.
Hopping up into the truck, I crank it up. George shivers, huddled up against the door, looking out the window. Turning the heat up to full blast, I pulled an old blanket dad always keeps in the truck just in case. Instead of just handing it to her, I tuck the blanket around her body, any reason to touch her again.
“Thanks.” She mumbles but doesn’t look at me. Hurting her was for the best, she may not see it that way now, but she will. I’m not good enough for her, I’m not even a good guy. She was pissed right now, but she’d look back and realize this was for the best. Hating me was better for her, safer for her, and safer for me.
Coward.Our mate!
There were days that I loved having my animal, and then there were days like now that I hated having him in my ear. Clearly, he’s lost his damn mind, or maybe I’m losing my mind. I’ve heard of mates who lose their mates going crazy before. Maybe it’s finally hit and I’m losing my shit. My animal huffs out an annoyed breath, and I could swear he rolls his eyes at me. Fuck you asshole, nobody asked you.
“We’re over by your dad’s place. If you head that way, I’ll give you directions from there.” Her voice is soft, almost a whisper. I want to grab her and drag her over to my side of the truck just so I can feel her against me again. But that’s a bad idea, a very bad idea. Instead, I grip the steering wheel so hard I can hear it creak, and ask the question I probably shouldn’t.
“So how did you become Clay’s daughter?” I ask before I start to pull out of the parking lot. She doesn’t have to answer me, but now that the option of escaping back into the bar is out, I’m hoping she will.
“Lillian wanted a little girl. When they had Dom and found out she couldn’t have any more children they adopted me.” It’s such a simple and true answer, but I feel like there is so much to that story than she’s comfortable telling me.
I shouldn’t want to know everything about her, but I do. All the little things, her favorite flower, her favorite color, does she like action movies or romantic comedies. I don’t have the right to ask those questions though. Those questions are for the guy who’s going to make her happy someday. The guy who will sweep her off her feet, marry her, and give her lots of babies.
Mate. Mine.
There’s an ache in my chest just thinking about her with someone else. The pain radiates out from my heart and feels like my entire body is in agony. Reaching up I rub the spot over my heart, but it doesn’t seem to help. That’s when I know I’m well and truly fucked when it comes to George. This woman has the power to destroy me, and there’s nothing I can do about it.
6
GEORGE
Why does he make my heart beat faster? Why does he make me want things from him I can’t have? Why do I feel drawn to him like a moth to a flame? I thought I had it bad for Rodney when I met him, but it’s nothing like this magnetic pull I feel for Rooster. Of course, he had proved to me why being with him was a bad idea by being a complete asshole.
“It’s just up here on the right.” When he pulls into my driveway, I don’t see them at first, but as soon as Rooster’s headlights hit them, I see them.
“Fucking Rodney,” I growl out.
“What the fuck is this? Who the fuck is this Rodney asshole? Is he responsible for...this?” He points out the window at the pack of coyotes pacing back forth in front of my house.
“Stay in the truck Rooster, I’ll handle this.” Of course, just like you expect from a cocky bastard, he doesn’t listen to me and jumps out of the truck when I get out.
“The hell with that George, I’m not letting you walk through that.” He flings his arm out encompassing the pack of coyotes.
“Rooster, please get back in the truck and go.” I look over at the coyotes and I pick him out of the pack. His eyes are narrowed on us; if I don’t get Rooster out of here, they’ll shred him to pieces.
“No fucking way George. Who are they?” He leans into me, gripping my arms.
“Please, just go Rooster. They won’t hurt me, but I can’t say the same for you.” I’m pushing him towards the driver’s side door.
“Fuck this shit.” He starts pulling his shirt off over his head and I get a look at his chest and his abs and I realize I could look at them for days. His muscles rippled and I was so transfixed on them that I don’t even realize he’s taking his pants off ‘til they’re gone.
“You might want to turn around, unless you want to get an eye full of dick babe.” He winks as he reaches for the waistband of his boxers. Boxers that cradle his, holy shit I swallow audibly, package.
“No, no, no Rooster. Put your clothes back on.” I turn around to face Rodney and his pack.
“He’s leaving, don’t you dare hurt him!” I scream at all of them. When I turn back around to make sure Rooster gets in his truck there’s the biggest fucking leopard, I’ve ever seen staring back at me.
“Shitstacks Rooster! Why didn’t you listen to me? Oh my god men are such fucking idiots the whole lot of you.” Rooster prowls in front of me, swishing his tail, emitting a low growl in warning to the coyotes in front of us. I’m going to kill Rooster, I mean Rodney’s pack will kill him first, but then I’ll revive his dumbass so I can kill him again.
