backed down. But what would’ve happened if I hadn’t? Would you have held your ground?”
“I… don’t know. I think I would have fought.”
He nodded. “I think so too, but this way, you’ll feel like you can win. You won’t doubt yourself.”
Besh’s heart swelled. This was the sweetest thing anyone had ever done for her. He didn’t just want to make her feel safer; he wanted to give her the tools to do it herself. Before she could think better of it, she leaned forward and kissed him, only stopping when his lips stayed perfectly still.
Pulling back, she ducked her head. “Sorry. I wasn’t thinking. Just… thank you. This is a great idea.”
“You’re welcome.” His voice was strained, but Besh couldn’t look at him. “Let’s go.”
She stepped away and pulled on her jacket while Cael gathered the weapons and ammo. In the sunlight of morning, for the first time in a very long time, Besh felt like everything was going to be alright.
***
Fucking hell. That’s where Cael was. In fucking hell. Her lips on his…
She’d stunned him. He hadn’t expected her kiss, and the feel of her soft lips had seemed like a blow instead of a caress. He would let her beat the hell out of him, as long as it felt like that. Damn.
He led Isabesh into the field behind the cabin where he’d set up a few cans to use as a target. Cael spent the early morning hours running as a wolf, working off steam, in an attempt to clear his mind.
As angry as he’d been over Isabesh’s mistakes, it was becoming harder and harder to blame her for making them. They’d both been put in impossible situations and both had failed. It would take time for him to understand what she’d done and come to grips with the why of it. But one thing was for certain: she needed to feel safe before she could ever heal. And Cael wanted her well. Wanted her to feel whole. Needed it, or he’d go crazy.
She was his now, and he took care of what was his. Or he died trying.
He had noticed Magic’s stock of guns when checking out the cabin that first day. The idea to teach Isabesh to shoot felt like the right move, and he’d rushed back to the cabin to tell her.
Finding her in the throes of a horrible nightmare just reaffirmed his decision.
Besides…
He glanced at her hips as she walked, imagining the ways her body would change soon.
…giving her another way to defend their young was just smart thinking.
He’d hardly let himself think about it. How he was going to be a father soon. The responsibility was tremendous, but he’d never shied away from it before. In fact, the idea of having a cub with her gave him so much pride his chest felt like it could burst. He never imagined he’d feel this way.
Stopping several feet from the targets, he dumped the bag of weapons on the ground.
“Alright. We’ll start small and move our way up. Sound good?”
Isabesh nodded as he handed her a small .38 caliber he’d already loaded.
“You hold it like this,” he said, placing her hand in the correct position. “Don’t be afraid of it. Don’t hold it carefully. Get a good grip on it. Tighter.” He felt her palm squeeze the handle. “Good. Like that. Now you’re ready.”
He stepped behind, wrapping his arms around hers and guiding her aim. “Now, you just point at your target. Try that bigger one first. Look right down the middle of the gun. Do you have it in your sights?”
“Yes.”
Her hair smelled good. Like lilies and his mark. “Good,” he whispered in her ear. “Now gently squeeze the trigger.”
She jumped at the sound of the gun, which he’d expected. What he hadn’t expected was for her to hit the mark.
“I did it,” she said in wonder. Then her gaze flew to him. “I hit it, Cael!”
“You did, baby. You did.” He grinned at her excitement.
Her eyes turned sad. “I missed that. Your smile.”
It faded at her words. “Me too, Isa.” It hadn’t been present for most of the last seventeen years. “Let’s try
“I… don’t know. I think I would have fought.”
He nodded. “I think so too, but this way, you’ll feel like you can win. You won’t doubt yourself.”
Besh’s heart swelled. This was the sweetest thing anyone had ever done for her. He didn’t just want to make her feel safer; he wanted to give her the tools to do it herself. Before she could think better of it, she leaned forward and kissed him, only stopping when his lips stayed perfectly still.
Pulling back, she ducked her head. “Sorry. I wasn’t thinking. Just… thank you. This is a great idea.”
“You’re welcome.” His voice was strained, but Besh couldn’t look at him. “Let’s go.”
She stepped away and pulled on her jacket while Cael gathered the weapons and ammo. In the sunlight of morning, for the first time in a very long time, Besh felt like everything was going to be alright.
***
Fucking hell. That’s where Cael was. In fucking hell. Her lips on his…
She’d stunned him. He hadn’t expected her kiss, and the feel of her soft lips had seemed like a blow instead of a caress. He would let her beat the hell out of him, as long as it felt like that. Damn.
He led Isabesh into the field behind the cabin where he’d set up a few cans to use as a target. Cael spent the early morning hours running as a wolf, working off steam, in an attempt to clear his mind.
As angry as he’d been over Isabesh’s mistakes, it was becoming harder and harder to blame her for making them. They’d both been put in impossible situations and both had failed. It would take time for him to understand what she’d done and come to grips with the why of it. But one thing was for certain: she needed to feel safe before she could ever heal. And Cael wanted her well. Wanted her to feel whole. Needed it, or he’d go crazy.
She was his now, and he took care of what was his. Or he died trying.
He had noticed Magic’s stock of guns when checking out the cabin that first day. The idea to teach Isabesh to shoot felt like the right move, and he’d rushed back to the cabin to tell her.
Finding her in the throes of a horrible nightmare just reaffirmed his decision.
Besides…
He glanced at her hips as she walked, imagining the ways her body would change soon.
…giving her another way to defend their young was just smart thinking.
He’d hardly let himself think about it. How he was going to be a father soon. The responsibility was tremendous, but he’d never shied away from it before. In fact, the idea of having a cub with her gave him so much pride his chest felt like it could burst. He never imagined he’d feel this way.
Stopping several feet from the targets, he dumped the bag of weapons on the ground.
“Alright. We’ll start small and move our way up. Sound good?”
Isabesh nodded as he handed her a small .38 caliber he’d already loaded.
“You hold it like this,” he said, placing her hand in the correct position. “Don’t be afraid of it. Don’t hold it carefully. Get a good grip on it. Tighter.” He felt her palm squeeze the handle. “Good. Like that. Now you’re ready.”
He stepped behind, wrapping his arms around hers and guiding her aim. “Now, you just point at your target. Try that bigger one first. Look right down the middle of the gun. Do you have it in your sights?”
“Yes.”
Her hair smelled good. Like lilies and his mark. “Good,” he whispered in her ear. “Now gently squeeze the trigger.”
She jumped at the sound of the gun, which he’d expected. What he hadn’t expected was for her to hit the mark.
“I did it,” she said in wonder. Then her gaze flew to him. “I hit it, Cael!”
“You did, baby. You did.” He grinned at her excitement.
Her eyes turned sad. “I missed that. Your smile.”
It faded at her words. “Me too, Isa.” It hadn’t been present for most of the last seventeen years. “Let’s try
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