Read Online Shelter Me (Sawtooth Shifters, #6) by Kristen Strassel - Free Book Online
Authors: Kristen Strassel
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abandoned or knowing exactly why someone didn’t want you.
“Whatever it is, we can work through it.” I ran my hand through his damp hair. “I’m going to mess things up. I’m scared every time you walk out that door that I’m never going to see you again. That’s what happened to me. My mother drove away without me, told me she didn’t have a place for me. Give me a place, Dallas. I’ll make it our home.”
Chapter Ten
D allas
The Full Moon Fever wouldn’t kill me, but this broken heart just might. How anyone could do that to her...and who the hell was I to judge?
It would kill me to hurt Lyssie, and I was still scrambling to find a way around it.
“Ember showed up at the Reserve today. She’s the pack alpha.” Just saying her name left a bitter taste on my tongue. Now was not the time for bitter tastes.
Lyssie’s face fell, but her shoulders rose, ready for battle. My wolf liked that, a lot. “What does that mean, and what can I do to make it not matter?” she asked.
I caught her off-guard when I kissed her. “That’s the sexiest thing you’ve ever said. It means that she’s the one orchestrating these attacks. From the boxing match, to Christmas night, to New Year’s. I don’t mean shit to her, I’m just part of her plan. My brothers think that she targeted me because I wasn’t in a relationship.” There went Lyssie’s shoulders. “So if they’re right, she’ll lose interest if I have a mate. She knows the rules. They can’t be that different in Montana. It’s a lifelong thing.”
Lyssie ran her fingers lightly over the bite and frowned. The scab was tight and it itched like crazy. I wanted to rip it open. No way. Fresh blood on the surface was too likely to draw Ember’s attention, give her the wrong idea. It had to fade into oblivion. “But this changes everything,” she said.
“I know.” I sighed. I wanted Lyssie to keep touching me—she quieted Ember’s chaos. “We’re going to have to work hard, maybe harder than my brothers and your friends. We have to prepare for the fact we might fail and not care. And I need you to love all of me—“
Her mouth fell open. “I do.”
“Even my wolf. You don’t realize what you did to me after the shift. That was the hardest fight we’d ever been in, besides when Ryker tortured us. It shattered me, because I thought me and you were past that. I needed one thing to be good that night, and the look on your face almost killed me.”
Lyssie’s eyes glazed over, and she had to fight to keep from looking away from me. “Every time I see you as a wolf, you’re fighting. And every time, there’s an incredible price to be paid. Your brother, X...what happens when it’s your turn? I’m afraid to lose you.”
I drew her in, needing to get lost in her cool, soft curves, the tickle of her hair against my cheek. “But you’re pushing me away. Isn’t that the same thing?”
“It is. I know. I can’t lose anything else, Dallas. I know it doesn’t make sense. It frustrates me, too. I’m afraid I’m not enough to make things better.”
“Take a chance, Lyssie,” I whispered. “You’re more than enough for me. Nothing’s forever if you don’t give it a try.”
She curled her hand in the collar of my shirt, scraping against the bite. My wolf wanted to throw its head back and howl. “What will Ember do? You’re rejecting her. I don’t see her taking it well.”
“No. She’s not going anywhere. She wants this land, by whatever means necessary. Our packs don’t matter to her.”
Lyssie took a deep breath. “If you took Ember as a mate, would it keep your pack together?”
I should’ve expected that. My heart had put itself back together and it swelled. Lyssie was willing to put everything before herself. She wanted everyone else’s happiness more than her own, because deep down, she believed it would trickle down to her. The problem with trickle-down economics was it never worked. The middleman was a greedy
“Whatever it is, we can work through it.” I ran my hand through his damp hair. “I’m going to mess things up. I’m scared every time you walk out that door that I’m never going to see you again. That’s what happened to me. My mother drove away without me, told me she didn’t have a place for me. Give me a place, Dallas. I’ll make it our home.”
Chapter Ten
D allas
The Full Moon Fever wouldn’t kill me, but this broken heart just might. How anyone could do that to her...and who the hell was I to judge?
It would kill me to hurt Lyssie, and I was still scrambling to find a way around it.
“Ember showed up at the Reserve today. She’s the pack alpha.” Just saying her name left a bitter taste on my tongue. Now was not the time for bitter tastes.
Lyssie’s face fell, but her shoulders rose, ready for battle. My wolf liked that, a lot. “What does that mean, and what can I do to make it not matter?” she asked.
I caught her off-guard when I kissed her. “That’s the sexiest thing you’ve ever said. It means that she’s the one orchestrating these attacks. From the boxing match, to Christmas night, to New Year’s. I don’t mean shit to her, I’m just part of her plan. My brothers think that she targeted me because I wasn’t in a relationship.” There went Lyssie’s shoulders. “So if they’re right, she’ll lose interest if I have a mate. She knows the rules. They can’t be that different in Montana. It’s a lifelong thing.”
Lyssie ran her fingers lightly over the bite and frowned. The scab was tight and it itched like crazy. I wanted to rip it open. No way. Fresh blood on the surface was too likely to draw Ember’s attention, give her the wrong idea. It had to fade into oblivion. “But this changes everything,” she said.
“I know.” I sighed. I wanted Lyssie to keep touching me—she quieted Ember’s chaos. “We’re going to have to work hard, maybe harder than my brothers and your friends. We have to prepare for the fact we might fail and not care. And I need you to love all of me—“
Her mouth fell open. “I do.”
“Even my wolf. You don’t realize what you did to me after the shift. That was the hardest fight we’d ever been in, besides when Ryker tortured us. It shattered me, because I thought me and you were past that. I needed one thing to be good that night, and the look on your face almost killed me.”
Lyssie’s eyes glazed over, and she had to fight to keep from looking away from me. “Every time I see you as a wolf, you’re fighting. And every time, there’s an incredible price to be paid. Your brother, X...what happens when it’s your turn? I’m afraid to lose you.”
I drew her in, needing to get lost in her cool, soft curves, the tickle of her hair against my cheek. “But you’re pushing me away. Isn’t that the same thing?”
“It is. I know. I can’t lose anything else, Dallas. I know it doesn’t make sense. It frustrates me, too. I’m afraid I’m not enough to make things better.”
“Take a chance, Lyssie,” I whispered. “You’re more than enough for me. Nothing’s forever if you don’t give it a try.”
She curled her hand in the collar of my shirt, scraping against the bite. My wolf wanted to throw its head back and howl. “What will Ember do? You’re rejecting her. I don’t see her taking it well.”
“No. She’s not going anywhere. She wants this land, by whatever means necessary. Our packs don’t matter to her.”
Lyssie took a deep breath. “If you took Ember as a mate, would it keep your pack together?”
I should’ve expected that. My heart had put itself back together and it swelled. Lyssie was willing to put everything before herself. She wanted everyone else’s happiness more than her own, because deep down, she believed it would trickle down to her. The problem with trickle-down economics was it never worked. The middleman was a greedy
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