Conquer Me (Sawtooth Shifters, #4) (11 page)

I’d argue with her assessment of me, but she nailed it. “I don’t like it when people make up their minds about me before they’ve given me a chance. I’d be willing to bet you don’t like it when it happens to you, Trina.” I paused, and she shook her head. “Maybe I’m not such an asshole. You met me at the absolute lowest time of my life.  I did what I needed to do to survive. If it wasn’t Archer who died, it would’ve been me.  I’m not perfect and I don’t claim to be. But you know what? I bet Delaney would agree with us. That looks pretty close to rock bottom to me. She’s hanging on, trying to get through it.”

“I look at you and I can still feel Archer take his last breath in my arms.” Trina shook her head, her voice cracked. She’d rescued all of us from a dog fighting ring. My family and the Channing pack had been imprisoned in our wolf form, and it was kill or be killed. She’d been too late for Archer. “If we do the wrong thing with Delaney, we might not be able to undo it. I’ve been through this before. I know you’re trying to help, but follow my lead. Please.”

Trina headed up the stairs, her hand on the doorknob, waiting for my answer, or apology, or something. At one point I would’ve told her to take her job and shove it up her ass, but the fights changed all of us. For the first time in a long time, I cared about someone besides myself.

Delaney.

She needed someone to fight for her.

“I’ll try.”  It was the best I could do. My brother Xavier waited for me in his truck, my ride for the barn. He could wait a few more minutes. I went back in the shelter. I had to see Delaney one more time, but I’d never tell Trina why.

Trina smiled. “Good. I’m actually glad you’re here, Shea. The barn is in amazing shape already. I want this to work.  For all of us.”

I sat beside Delaney on the couch but she didn’t notice, trembling even harder now. It resonated deep inside me. She was braver than me, letting her fear out. I kept mine buried deep inside. I’d done so many shitty things to shield it, and I never knew what was coming next. I was caught in a culture I’d helped create and grown to hate. Fighting, blood, fear, uncertainty. Chaos. For now it sustained my brothers and I, but at some point, it would be our downfall. We’d be the weak, relying on someone to take care of us. Would they?

Delaney and I weren’t that different.

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