A Wolf’s Deception (Novella) (7 page)

The male could read her mind.

Besides her call for help, Tressa had given up trying to get through to her. Her father had all but exiled her and her mother had stood meekly by and allowed it to happen. From a cub, Tressa had known no one would protect her from her father’s rages. She’d kill for her son, do whatever it took to protect him from harm, and had turned Dan’s anger on herself the few times it looked like he might go after Sawyer.

Her mother had always looked the other way.

She carried the phone out to the small balcony and dialled the number for home.

The phone barely rang twice.

‘Hello.’ Her mother’s voice was soft, cautious and she almost felt guilty for her earlier thoughts.

‘Hey, Mom. It’s me.’

‘Oh Tressa, I’m so glad to hear your voice. I’ve been worried sick about you.’

And just like that, the old resentment reared up.

Really? You’ve actually given me a second thought?

She pushed it aside, hurting her mother would solve nothing, would change nothing.

‘We’re fine, thanks to Gabe.’

She dropped his name on purpose. She didn’t want to hurt her, but she needed to know that even after everything, he was the one who would bring her home.

‘Right. Yes, Fletcher dropped by to see me.’ She made a snuffling sound, followed by a muted sob.

‘I’m glad…I’m glad Gabe was able to get you to safety, sweetheart.’

She didn’t know what she expected her mother to say, but her easy acceptance of the man they’d forced her to abandon cut to the quick. She’d been sent away, her unborn child threatened because Gabe was the one who had gotten her pregnant. And now everything was all peachy keen?

Her temper flared.

‘Really?’ It came out a snarl and her mother’s indrawn breath was a sucker punch to the chest. Her mother was finally free from her father. She didn’t need someone else making her feel worthless.

Tressa knew first-hand how that felt, had her whole life.

‘I—I’m sorry, Tressa, for everything. I wish…I wish, I’d stood up for you more. I…’ Then her mother dissolved into tears and she felt like a bigger asshole than her father.

She dropped into one of the chairs on the small balcony. Her eyes stung and she tried to blink it away, but it didn’t work. The tears began to flow.

‘It’s okay, mom. We’re going to be okay.’

Chapter 6

Gabe couldn’t just sit there as wave after wave of pain flowed from Tressa. She clutched his phone so tight her knuckles had turned white.

‘It’s okay, Mom. We’re going to be okay.’

Her words were loaded with so much anguish and hurt.

All the time he’d known her, the McCrays had always seemed like a tight-knit family unit. So much so, he’d found himself envying what Tressa had. He’d craved what she seemed to take for granted. Now he knew better, he remembered what had Fletch had told him about Tressa’s father, about the guy’s true character, and realised she’d held back from him. She had kept a lot of things from him about her home life. That chafed more than it had right to.

She’d never trusted him, he already knew that. Still it pissed him off. He’d been in love with her and he’d probably been nothing more than a way to get back at her folks; to rebel against the tight hold her father had over her.

So the fact he was going to her, that he had no other option, frustrated the hell out of him. When he got closer, he saw the tears glistening on her cheeks and was powerless against the urge to comfort her. He placed his hands on her shoulders and she stiffened, just for a split second, then relaxed against his hold. It pleased his beast, the side that knew this female was meant to be his, even though the man knew it could never be.

For that one moment, he decided to indulge the beast. He needed to feel her under his hands, feel the warmth of her body against his palms.

It was so stupid, so foolish, but he didn’t let go when she ended the call with her mother. She turned in his arms and looked up at him with those dark, exotic eyes.

‘You were always there for me, Gabe. I never told you how much I appreciated you for that.’

Not love. Appreciation.

‘You’ll have to forgive me for not believing you.’

Though the words sounded harsh, he didn’t remove his hands. If anything he tightened his grip, pulling her closer.

She bit her lip and turned away, looking out over the quiet street below. When she looked back at him he tried to harden his heart against the pain in her eyes, the unshed tears making them appear like highly polished marble. Black, streaked with the darkest amber bursting through.

‘I never wanted to hurt you. I’ve regretted the things I said to you that day more than anything else in my entire life…I…’

He placed a finger over her lips. He didn’t want to hear anymore of her lies, afraid he’d believe them. He knew he couldn’t believe a word that came out of that pretty mouth. Shit, he wanted to taste her. Her trembling lower lip was dark pink and slightly puffy from biting and sent a shock through his body, straight to his groin.

He shook his head. ‘I don’t want to hear another damn word.’

Molten embers ignited in her eyes, bursting through. God, he wanted to punish her for what she’d done to him back then and how she made him feel even now. Before he knew what he was doing, he slammed his mouth down on hers.

Her hands flew to his shoulders and she made a strangled sound, trying to shove him back, then in the next breath pulled him closer. He nipped her swollen lower lip and when she gasped from the sting, he slid his tongue inside, demanding her surrender. The hands on his shoulders quit fighting, quit clawing at him, trying to pull him closer. She stilled, her nails biting into his skin and he knew, right then, she was his for the taking.

When he licked across her lower lip again, he tasted salt. The dampness of her cheeks registered. She was crying, harder than before, and he tried to step back.

She grabbed his face in her hands. ‘No, please don’t stop. I’m sorry…I’m so sorry…’

‘What’s going on, Tressa?’

She didn’t seem to hear him and tried to move closer, to kiss him again. He gripped her wrists and yanked her back.

‘Stop it, Tress.’

He held her away but she continued to struggle. He worried if she fought any harder he might hurt her.

‘Shit, stop!’ he said with more force.

She quit fighting suddenly, seemed to shrivel in on herself. Paling, she took a step back, and then heat hit her neck, moved up to deepen every bit of exposed golden skin.

What the hell was going on with her?

She shook slightly but he kept his hands to himself, afraid of what might happen if he touched her again.

‘What the fuck’s going on, Tress?’

‘Nothing…I…I’m…I don’t know. I’m sorry.’

‘Talk to me.’

She stood frozen, not meeting his eyes. ‘I ah…I’m going to sit with Sawyer, make sure he’s okay.’

She headed for the bedroom.

‘Fuck…Tressa, wait.’

She ignored him, racing from the room and shutting the door behind her. As much as he wanted to go after her, he let her go. There was no other choice, not one where he wouldn’t end up a sad pathetic mess at the end of it.

Grabbing the spare pillow and quilt from the cupboard he threw them on the couch and got comfortable. She wasn’t coming back out, not tonight. He’d made sure of that when he lost control. Jesus, he’d been so close, so close to shoving her against the wall, stripping her and fucking her. Releasing all that built up longing and pain. Forcing her to
see
what she’d done to him, what she’d left behind.

But what would be the point? Right now she was grateful for his help, confused. And he’d be stupid to go back there, certifiable. No this was for the best. Keeping his distance and leaving whatever shit was going on between her and her mother for the pair of them to sort out. He sure as fuck wouldn’t be her shoulder to cry on.

He lay back on the couch and forced his mind to shut the hell up. Forced the memories back where they belonged.

Buried in the past.

Gabe woke with the sun burning the backs of his eyelids. He’d forgotten to pull the curtains. He scrubbed his eyes with his palms and sat up, groaning when his side pinched. The couch was too damn small and he’d slept like shit.

The sound of Tressa murmuring in the bedroom was the next thing he became aware of. He still had on his jeans, so yanked on his shirt, and went to make them both a cup of coffee. Her voice was low soothing and though it wasn’t directed at him, it eased his frayed nerves. Sawyer was a lucky kid. Tressa was devoted to her son, loved him with everything she had.

He was adding milk to the mugs when the soft cadence of her voice changed, became louder, until she sounded almost frantic. Instinct took over and he was outside the bedroom before he remembered moving and burst through the door.

Tressa looked up at him, eyes round and terrified. Sawyer was in her arms, his little body shaking so violently she struggled to hold him.

‘What’s happening…what’s wrong with him?’

Sawyer’s eyes rolled to the back of his head, followed by baby growls that sounded raw and painful against his throat.

‘Help me. Please, help me.’ The fear on her face distorted her features until she was almost unrecognisable.

Sawyer’s scent become stronger, filled the room, and hit Gabe in the gut. He stared at Tressa, nausea hitting him thick and fast.

‘He’s shifting, Tressa.’

‘No. This isn’t how it happens. I’ve seen cubs change for the first time. It’s not like this, not this violent…’ she choked on a sob and aimed those pleading, deceitful eyes on him.

‘For hybrids it is,’ he growled.

She paled, looking as ill as he felt. She stared down at her son and stroked his face, whispered soothing words. Then his body stiffened. The sound of popping joints and tearing flesh filled the small bedroom and Tressa held on, holding him close until his body, his skin transformed, turning to pale golden fur.

Sawyer whimpered then lifted his head, looking past his mother’s arms. His face was concealed, except for those big blue eyes blinking up at him. He had wolf’s ears, tall and pointed. His tail was long and smooth all the way down to the short tuft of fur at the tip. That tail did not belong on a wolf, and when he lifted his head and Gabe got a look at his small face, he saw his stubby snout, shorter and broader than a wolf.

Sawyer was the perfect blend of wolf and lion.

He looked exactly like Gabe in shifted form, from the tips of his ears to the tip of his golden tail.

Gabe turned around and shoved back through the door because right then he was afraid of what he might do to Tressa. He wanted to wrap his hands around her treacherous throat and squeeze the life out of her. He wanted to demand she explain what the hell was going on, but he knew. He only had to look into Sawyers pale blue eyes—his eyes.

Sawyer was his son.

He spun around when he heard her coming after him. She was biting on her bottom lip again, eyes wide and panicked.

‘Don’t.’ He gritted his teeth, sucked in several steadying breaths before he lost his shit completely. ‘Do not say a fucking word.’

Sawyer squirmed in his mother’s arms and she carefully placed him on the ground. He was unsteady in his new body and swayed and wobbled. His paws were too big for the rest of him still, which would change as he grew. He tumbled over several times making small growls and yaps while he got used to walking on four legs.

He came over to Gabe and sat, looking up. Those big, baby blues aimed right at him, and he forced down his anger. This wasn’t Sawyer’s fault, and right now, he had to be scared as hell. Smiling at the kid—his kid, his son—he crouched down. Sawyer pawed at the carpet and whined.

‘I know, kiddo. It takes some getting used to.’

He ran his hand over his baby soft fur and scratched behind his ears. His son purred and Gabe scooped him up, wanting to comfort him.

‘Were you ever going to tell me?’

He didn’t look up, couldn’t look at her even if he wanted to, and kept his voice as even as he could.

‘Were you ever going to tell me I had a son?’

‘Yes,’ she rasped. ‘But I had to wait for the right time.’

‘When did you find out you were pregnant?’

‘The day before I ended it between us…’

Jesus.

He looked up. ‘That would have been the right time, Tressa.’

She flinched and a single tear streaked down her smooth cheek. Her chest rose and fell rapidly, eyes moving between him and her son…their son. ‘I wanted to…’

‘No more lies, Tressa. Give me the damn truth for once in your life.’

He said it as calmly as he could, but Sawyer stiffened in his arms.
Shit.

‘It’s okay, little man. I’m not going to hurt your mama.’

Gabe stroked his fur until he relaxed again and his eyes grew heavy. He huffed out a small breath then rested his head in the crook Gabe’s arm, close to sleep, exhausted from his first shift.

‘Will you sit down, Gabe? Will you let me explain? When I’m finished you can decide what you want to do, but please let me tell you my side before you judge me too harshly.’

Her hands trembled at her sides, her back stiff and straight. He was getting the truth, finally, and it was about damn time.

All he wanted to do was pace, climb the fucking walls, but he settled on the sofa. Sawyer was still in his arms, now sleeping soundly. Shifting took a lot out of cubs and they spent the majority of their time asleep when they weren’t playing or eating.

He kept is eyes on the small, warm bundle in his arms.

‘Go ahead. I’m all ears.’ He growled softly, ran his finger along the smooth edge of Sawyer’s pointed ears. ‘A bit like my son.’

Tressa didn’t sit. She crossed her arms, protecting herself, her body so tense she’d have sore muscles for days afterwards.

‘I’d always planned to…to come back to you, but I had to be careful. My father kept tabs on me, even when I was in Harlow. He’s done that my whole life. He…’ She straightened her shoulders, and he could almost see her drawing strength from somewhere deep inside. ‘…he was a cruel, violent man. I was terrified of him most of the time.’