Read Online Dark Wolf Unbound (Heart of the Shifter #2) by Stephanie Rowe - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Stephanie Rowe
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to her. He needed to touch her, be with her, help her, and even claim her... except he had no right. He'd brought only hell and damnation upon her and her family. There was no way he was ever going to consider himself worthy of touching her the way he burned to.
But protecting her was different. That was what defined him: guardianship and preservation of those who had no other defenses, even if their most savage enemy was themselves. He'd fallen into the role of an alpha after rescuing assorted wayward shifters who were headed in bad directions. Killing Melissa had violated everything that mattered to him, and he owed everything to the woman in his arms.
Keeping his gaze on Abby's face, he gently clasped the hem of her shirt and tugged it upward. Her lips pressed together, but she didn't look away from his face, making his heart twist. She was looking at him like a cornered wolf pup, willing to trust him, but ready to fight back if she was proven wrong to put her faith in him.
"I'm not going to hurt you," he repeated as he pulled her shirt up to her breasts.
Her lips tightened, and she shrugged. "Whatever." Her nonchalance was superficial, hiding emotion she was determined not to share with him.
Damn. The damage ran deep in her, and it pissed him off. Gritting his jaw, he tore his gaze off hers and looked down at her stomach.
What he saw made fury thunder through him. Her skin was a mass of brutal, devastating scars that went from her breasts to below the waistband of her jeans. How was she still alive? "Son of a bitch, Abby. What happened to you?" But she didn't need to answer him. He knew. The crisscross of old scars were made by teeth, the deep, grievous injury of a wolf shifter trying to disembowel its prey. A fierce, white-hot rage burned through him, fury at what she'd suffered. His need to protect her deepened to a pulsating, powerful compulsion that radiated all the way from the depths of his soul.
He flattened his hand across the scars, as if he could shield her body from the attack that had happened so long ago. The skin was hard and ridged beneath his palms, stretched taut over the injuries. "Jesus, Abby," he said softly. "I'm so sorry."
She slipped her fingers through his hair, and he looked up. Tears were glistening in her eyes, tears that tore past his shields and plunged deep inside him. Swearing, he pressed his hand to her cheeks and brushed his thumb over a tear that trickled free. "I'm sorry," he said again.
A small smile flickered across her face, and she tightened her fingers in his hair. "The few times someone has seen my stomach, they've been repulsed by the ugliness of the scars, and by the horror of the incident that caused them. Everyone retreats, both physically and emotionally...but you didn't." She put her hand on his, which was still spread across her belly. "You touched me like you were trying to heal them and protect me. You poured warmth into me. You looked at me like...you still saw me ."
He frowned. "Of course I see you. I already know you're courageous and loyal. Your ability to forgive is unheralded. Those scars were someone's attempt to destroy you, and you didn't let them. You're tough as hell, Abby, but at the same time, there's a kindness to you that still burns brightly despite everything." A wave of regret washed over him. "You deserve so much more than what I did to your family," he said quietly. "I know I can't make it right, but you have my oath that I will stand beside you and fight until you don't need me anymore."
She searched his face. "And then you'll kill yourself, won't you?"
He shrugged, not even caring about his future. Right now, all that mattered was Abby. "My duty is to others. If I'm not safe to be around, then it's my job to address that fact."
She sighed, tracing her finger along his jaw. He closed his eyes, focusing on the sensation of her touch. As the pack alpha, he never showed weakness or softness, and no one ever offered it to him...until this
But protecting her was different. That was what defined him: guardianship and preservation of those who had no other defenses, even if their most savage enemy was themselves. He'd fallen into the role of an alpha after rescuing assorted wayward shifters who were headed in bad directions. Killing Melissa had violated everything that mattered to him, and he owed everything to the woman in his arms.
Keeping his gaze on Abby's face, he gently clasped the hem of her shirt and tugged it upward. Her lips pressed together, but she didn't look away from his face, making his heart twist. She was looking at him like a cornered wolf pup, willing to trust him, but ready to fight back if she was proven wrong to put her faith in him.
"I'm not going to hurt you," he repeated as he pulled her shirt up to her breasts.
Her lips tightened, and she shrugged. "Whatever." Her nonchalance was superficial, hiding emotion she was determined not to share with him.
Damn. The damage ran deep in her, and it pissed him off. Gritting his jaw, he tore his gaze off hers and looked down at her stomach.
What he saw made fury thunder through him. Her skin was a mass of brutal, devastating scars that went from her breasts to below the waistband of her jeans. How was she still alive? "Son of a bitch, Abby. What happened to you?" But she didn't need to answer him. He knew. The crisscross of old scars were made by teeth, the deep, grievous injury of a wolf shifter trying to disembowel its prey. A fierce, white-hot rage burned through him, fury at what she'd suffered. His need to protect her deepened to a pulsating, powerful compulsion that radiated all the way from the depths of his soul.
He flattened his hand across the scars, as if he could shield her body from the attack that had happened so long ago. The skin was hard and ridged beneath his palms, stretched taut over the injuries. "Jesus, Abby," he said softly. "I'm so sorry."
She slipped her fingers through his hair, and he looked up. Tears were glistening in her eyes, tears that tore past his shields and plunged deep inside him. Swearing, he pressed his hand to her cheeks and brushed his thumb over a tear that trickled free. "I'm sorry," he said again.
A small smile flickered across her face, and she tightened her fingers in his hair. "The few times someone has seen my stomach, they've been repulsed by the ugliness of the scars, and by the horror of the incident that caused them. Everyone retreats, both physically and emotionally...but you didn't." She put her hand on his, which was still spread across her belly. "You touched me like you were trying to heal them and protect me. You poured warmth into me. You looked at me like...you still saw me ."
He frowned. "Of course I see you. I already know you're courageous and loyal. Your ability to forgive is unheralded. Those scars were someone's attempt to destroy you, and you didn't let them. You're tough as hell, Abby, but at the same time, there's a kindness to you that still burns brightly despite everything." A wave of regret washed over him. "You deserve so much more than what I did to your family," he said quietly. "I know I can't make it right, but you have my oath that I will stand beside you and fight until you don't need me anymore."
She searched his face. "And then you'll kill yourself, won't you?"
He shrugged, not even caring about his future. Right now, all that mattered was Abby. "My duty is to others. If I'm not safe to be around, then it's my job to address that fact."
She sighed, tracing her finger along his jaw. He closed his eyes, focusing on the sensation of her touch. As the pack alpha, he never showed weakness or softness, and no one ever offered it to him...until this