Page 83 of Frank's Felon
“I can’t run anymore, Frank. All those months of stealing just to survive. . . I felt like a fraud every time I spoke to a person, lied about who I was, what I’d done. And in between, it was so lonely. No one to trust, no one who would even care if I got killed or was sick. In some ways it was worse than prison. I don’t want to be a lone wolf; I just can’t do it anymore.
“Being here with you has reminded me what I was missing. I can’t go back to a life alone, running from place to place. And I won’t endanger the shifters here. Tess, you, the kids. . . All those shifters who are out there, lone wolves like me, wandering from town to town, or hold up in some dark, dank cave in the mountains suffering that fate of being a lone wolf through no fault of their own. . . The shifter virus was only the start. There’ll be more lone wolves if something’s not done. This treaty’s a good thing, Frank. We need it. Not just this pack, but shifters as a whole need to start working with the government. The WSSO only wins if we give up fighting, if we turn away potential allies like the DSA. I can’t stay here and expect Damien or you or the pack to hide me and fight my battles.”
“That’s my job, Del. To fight for you.”
She cupped his cheek. The feel of her soft skin against his cheek only reminded him of what—who—he was about to lose.
“If you love me, you’ll give me what I need. This is what I need Frank. I need to take control of my destiny and not let others control it for me anymore.”
“Maybe I’m being selfish, Del, but I don’t know how to let you go.”
“Just don’t stop me,” she said as she snuggled into his arms.
Within a few minutes, her breathing grew soft and steady. Delilah had fallen asleep tucked safely against his side, with his arm wrapped around her. Frank lay awake for much of the night, holding her and struggling with the fact that there was nothing he could do, except give her what she asked for, and let her go.
* * *
When Frank woke,Delilah was gone from his bed. A moment of panic set in, but then he found the note saying she was having breakfast with Tess. Good, Tess didn’t want Delilah turning herself in any more than he did. Maybe Tess could convince Delilah to fight this or run.
Frank used the morning to do a spot inspection along the eastern perimeter, the direction through which the DSA would be coming. He didn’t want any surprises.
Delilah found him by the main gate.
“What are you doing here?” he asked.
“Looking for you. Can we walk?” She slipped her hand into his, which felt nice, natural, but it wasn’t enough, not when he knew she was leaving. He slid his arm around her waist.
“I’ve been talking to Tess all morning,” she began.
“Did she talk you out of this crazy notion of turning yourself in?”
“Not exactly. She stressed the importance of the treaty.”
Frank cringed. He had thought Tess was on his side.
“Don’t look like that,” Delilah said, playfully pinching his cheeks. “You’ll give yourself age lines earlier than necessary.”
“None of this is funny.”
“Do I look like I’m laughing?”
“You look like you’re not worried.”
“I’m not.”
“How can you not be worried?”
“Because for the first time in a long time, I’m me again, Frank. And more importantly, I have you.”
“Of course, you’re you. And you’ll always have me, even if you refuse to blood-bond.”
She didn’t flinch at the mention of the blood-bond this time because she had written it off completely. As she had the notion of running.
“I mean, I’m not as afraid as I was when I left prison,” she continued. “You’ve helped me face my fears and remind me of who I am and what I’ve always fought for.”
“You’ve fought for justice and your sister.”
“Exactly.”
