Read Online Lone Wolf Pack 06 - A Future for His Werewolf Warrior by Anya Byrne - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Anya Byrne
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happened with Peter and Teresa, too easy to see Mathias go through with a similar betrayal.
Ward had survived the humiliation and pain once. He didn't think he could do it again, not if Mathias was the culprit.
Despite all this, he couldn't help but wish Mathias was the one coming to see him. He was both disappointed and relieved when the car he spotted in the distance turned out to be a different one. It also confused him—again—because he hadn't bothered to meet up with any of his neighbors and he didn't see why anyone would be visiting him.
It was only when the car stopped that Ward finally got his answer. A slender man with chocolate brown hair slid out of the vehicle, looked around and inhaled deeply. For a few moments, he didn't speak, but he didn't have to, because Ward instantly knew who he was.
One look at the new arrival's face propelled him years back, when he used to sit with his grandfather, looking at old albums with faded black and white photos. There was one photo in particular that his grandfather had both loved and hated, taken weeks before his brother's disappearance, at a dance of sorts. It had been the last time the four brothers had shown up in the album together, and afterward, Will's absence from the pictures was like a jarring hole that left everyone looking either hurt or angry—or both.
Looking at his unexpected guest, Ward saw that very same image, of a young man smiling awkwardly with his larger brothers crowded around him. He supposed he should have expected the visit since Mathias had mentioned his great-uncle, but somehow, it hadn't occurred to him that it would happen.
"Well then," the man finally said after a long pause, "this place's changed very little. Brings back so many memories."
The words snapped Ward out of his trance, and that was fortunate because the little blast from the past stepped forward, smiling warmly. "You must be Ward Bennett. I'm Will Orwell, but you might know me as Will Mulligan."
Ward nodded dumbly. "I've seen some pictures, yes..." He cleared his throat, trying to gather his wits. "Of course, I didn't actually expect to ever meet you in person, at least not before coming here."
"The world's a stranger place than you'd ever dream, Mr. Bennett," Will replied not unkindly. "Believe me, I know. But all things considered, I think you suspect what I'm here to talk about."
It was still a little surreal to stand here with a man he knew from childhood stories, but he supposed that if he could get used to the idea of werewolves, having his great-uncle come back from the supposed dead wasn't that odd. "Mathias, I'm guessing."
Will nodded, but he didn't immediately speak. It occurred to Ward that they were still standing outside the house, and this was one conversation they probably didn't want to have in the open. "Please, come inside," he said, gesturing toward the door.
"Thank you," came the reply.
As Ward guided his guest into the house, he was more aware than ever that the man with him had more history here than he ever would. He couldn't hope to guess how hard it must be for his great-uncle to revisit those memories. Nonetheless, Will didn't show any further reaction to revisiting his family home. Ward didn't know if he was disappointed or not. Maybe it would have made things easier, or less awkward? Then again, maybe not.
Fidgeting, Ward turned toward his great-uncle. "Would you like something to drink? Tea? A beer?"
"Thanks, no. I'm fine. I really just dropped by to talk, and I don't want to inconvenience you."
They sat together on the living room couch, and Ward wished he'd brought tea anyway, if only to have something to do with his hands. Thankfully, Will didn't let the silence stretch for too long. "First of all, I'd like to thank you."
"Thank me?" Ward repeated, puzzled. "Whatever for?"
"For giving me my friend back," Will answered. "I'm sure Mathias explained the situation between the two of us, and our history. Recent developments— mostly
Ward had survived the humiliation and pain once. He didn't think he could do it again, not if Mathias was the culprit.
Despite all this, he couldn't help but wish Mathias was the one coming to see him. He was both disappointed and relieved when the car he spotted in the distance turned out to be a different one. It also confused him—again—because he hadn't bothered to meet up with any of his neighbors and he didn't see why anyone would be visiting him.
It was only when the car stopped that Ward finally got his answer. A slender man with chocolate brown hair slid out of the vehicle, looked around and inhaled deeply. For a few moments, he didn't speak, but he didn't have to, because Ward instantly knew who he was.
One look at the new arrival's face propelled him years back, when he used to sit with his grandfather, looking at old albums with faded black and white photos. There was one photo in particular that his grandfather had both loved and hated, taken weeks before his brother's disappearance, at a dance of sorts. It had been the last time the four brothers had shown up in the album together, and afterward, Will's absence from the pictures was like a jarring hole that left everyone looking either hurt or angry—or both.
Looking at his unexpected guest, Ward saw that very same image, of a young man smiling awkwardly with his larger brothers crowded around him. He supposed he should have expected the visit since Mathias had mentioned his great-uncle, but somehow, it hadn't occurred to him that it would happen.
"Well then," the man finally said after a long pause, "this place's changed very little. Brings back so many memories."
The words snapped Ward out of his trance, and that was fortunate because the little blast from the past stepped forward, smiling warmly. "You must be Ward Bennett. I'm Will Orwell, but you might know me as Will Mulligan."
Ward nodded dumbly. "I've seen some pictures, yes..." He cleared his throat, trying to gather his wits. "Of course, I didn't actually expect to ever meet you in person, at least not before coming here."
"The world's a stranger place than you'd ever dream, Mr. Bennett," Will replied not unkindly. "Believe me, I know. But all things considered, I think you suspect what I'm here to talk about."
It was still a little surreal to stand here with a man he knew from childhood stories, but he supposed that if he could get used to the idea of werewolves, having his great-uncle come back from the supposed dead wasn't that odd. "Mathias, I'm guessing."
Will nodded, but he didn't immediately speak. It occurred to Ward that they were still standing outside the house, and this was one conversation they probably didn't want to have in the open. "Please, come inside," he said, gesturing toward the door.
"Thank you," came the reply.
As Ward guided his guest into the house, he was more aware than ever that the man with him had more history here than he ever would. He couldn't hope to guess how hard it must be for his great-uncle to revisit those memories. Nonetheless, Will didn't show any further reaction to revisiting his family home. Ward didn't know if he was disappointed or not. Maybe it would have made things easier, or less awkward? Then again, maybe not.
Fidgeting, Ward turned toward his great-uncle. "Would you like something to drink? Tea? A beer?"
"Thanks, no. I'm fine. I really just dropped by to talk, and I don't want to inconvenience you."
They sat together on the living room couch, and Ward wished he'd brought tea anyway, if only to have something to do with his hands. Thankfully, Will didn't let the silence stretch for too long. "First of all, I'd like to thank you."
"Thank me?" Ward repeated, puzzled. "Whatever for?"
"For giving me my friend back," Will answered. "I'm sure Mathias explained the situation between the two of us, and our history. Recent developments— mostly
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