Read Online There's Something About Werewolves: Seven Brides for Seven Shifters, Book 1 by Thalia Eames - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Thalia Eames
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crack beneath his palms. “And you’re not a parent. Being a sudden godmother doesn’t qualify. So don’t judge me.”
When he looked at her the widening of her eyes told him amber flickered in his. He told himself to stop, to shut up and leave it alone. He didn’t want to hurt her. Not again. Lennox meant so much more to him than he knew how to say but, instead of telling her that, he bit into her with words. “You want to be pissed off because I chose my wife over you? Fine. But don’t question what I do to protect my son.”
When she spoke, Lennox’s voice took on a sharp edge. “Everyone dies. You’re not the only one who’s lost someone you love.” Her volume rose when her fire-filled eyes met his. “My father died in my arms, Garrett. He was so thin I could pick him up by myself and cradle him.” She pushed up out of her rocking chair. “The center of my universe wasted away and left me.” She stared at him. “You hurt?”
“Yeah,” he growled back. His claws slid out of his nail beds and he curled his fingers into fists. Sharp ticks of pain sliced his palms.
“Me too,” Lennox said, lowering her head.
A blast of the hurt she’d mentioned, along with rage and more guilt than he knew what to do with shot Garrett in the chest. Without another word, he leaped over the porch and into the yard. He needed to run, to rip off these clothes and be free. Be wolfen with the grass beneath his paws, scents thick in his nose, wind rough in his fur. Be wolf. Forget and own the woods.
His gray lupine body tore through his jeans as soon as he reached the cover of the trees. He hadn’t allowed his animal side to run in so long. Garrett faded and his wolf roamed the woods for hours.
The smell of smoke brought him back to himself. He followed the burn on the breeze. Panic shot through his veins in shards of ice. Fast. Faster. Averdeen Manor burned. Everything he loved might burn too. His son. His Elle. Save them or die trying.
Garrett broke the back door down in human form. Sniffing the air, he separated smoke from scent. There. He bounded into the kitchen. His son whipped a box of baking soda over the fire consuming most of the wall. Nothing could be done. The blaze leapt, the heat nearly unbearable. Garrett grabbed Nox by the waist. Tucking his son under an arm, he ran to the front of the house.
Gran screamed his name. He nearly tossed Nox out the front door and ran toward the cracked sound of her voice. Smoke burned his throat and eyes. He pushed through and found the Averdeens on the stairs. Lennox leaned heavily on Gran. The older Averdeen’s frail body bowed with the weight. He leaped up to them, scooped them up in his arms, and jumped down a full flight of steps.
They escaped into the sunlight. Garrett breathed for the first time since he’d smelled smoke. He hugged Nox, Lennox, and Gran close. He didn’t know how many kisses he rained down on them. He didn’t care. All those who belonged to him were safe.
Gran wailed. Lennox crumpled against him. Garrett tightened his grip. He had everything that mattered in the circle of his arms. They’d be okay but Averdeen Manor burned.
Chapter Seven
Sirens blared through the trees. The slicing sound pushed Garrett to move. He lowered the two women to the ground. They couldn’t stand on their own, and he hated to let them go, but he didn’t have a choice. He’d be hard pressed to explain why he’d gotten naked while the house burned.
He jogged to his car with Nox shadowing him. His fingers swept over a hidden button and the trunk glided open. Nox had left the car unlocked and unarmed when he’d come out to get his backpack. No surprise there. Garrett’s Tumi weekender bag rested on top of their other luggage. With a quick unzip Garrett found a pair of bespoke, custom-tailored, navy jeans and a cinnamon-hued long-sleeve tee. He put them on without underwear. He didn’t have time.
Neither Lennox nor Gran had moved as Garrett returned to them. Nox
When he looked at her the widening of her eyes told him amber flickered in his. He told himself to stop, to shut up and leave it alone. He didn’t want to hurt her. Not again. Lennox meant so much more to him than he knew how to say but, instead of telling her that, he bit into her with words. “You want to be pissed off because I chose my wife over you? Fine. But don’t question what I do to protect my son.”
When she spoke, Lennox’s voice took on a sharp edge. “Everyone dies. You’re not the only one who’s lost someone you love.” Her volume rose when her fire-filled eyes met his. “My father died in my arms, Garrett. He was so thin I could pick him up by myself and cradle him.” She pushed up out of her rocking chair. “The center of my universe wasted away and left me.” She stared at him. “You hurt?”
“Yeah,” he growled back. His claws slid out of his nail beds and he curled his fingers into fists. Sharp ticks of pain sliced his palms.
“Me too,” Lennox said, lowering her head.
A blast of the hurt she’d mentioned, along with rage and more guilt than he knew what to do with shot Garrett in the chest. Without another word, he leaped over the porch and into the yard. He needed to run, to rip off these clothes and be free. Be wolfen with the grass beneath his paws, scents thick in his nose, wind rough in his fur. Be wolf. Forget and own the woods.
His gray lupine body tore through his jeans as soon as he reached the cover of the trees. He hadn’t allowed his animal side to run in so long. Garrett faded and his wolf roamed the woods for hours.
The smell of smoke brought him back to himself. He followed the burn on the breeze. Panic shot through his veins in shards of ice. Fast. Faster. Averdeen Manor burned. Everything he loved might burn too. His son. His Elle. Save them or die trying.
Garrett broke the back door down in human form. Sniffing the air, he separated smoke from scent. There. He bounded into the kitchen. His son whipped a box of baking soda over the fire consuming most of the wall. Nothing could be done. The blaze leapt, the heat nearly unbearable. Garrett grabbed Nox by the waist. Tucking his son under an arm, he ran to the front of the house.
Gran screamed his name. He nearly tossed Nox out the front door and ran toward the cracked sound of her voice. Smoke burned his throat and eyes. He pushed through and found the Averdeens on the stairs. Lennox leaned heavily on Gran. The older Averdeen’s frail body bowed with the weight. He leaped up to them, scooped them up in his arms, and jumped down a full flight of steps.
They escaped into the sunlight. Garrett breathed for the first time since he’d smelled smoke. He hugged Nox, Lennox, and Gran close. He didn’t know how many kisses he rained down on them. He didn’t care. All those who belonged to him were safe.
Gran wailed. Lennox crumpled against him. Garrett tightened his grip. He had everything that mattered in the circle of his arms. They’d be okay but Averdeen Manor burned.
Chapter Seven
Sirens blared through the trees. The slicing sound pushed Garrett to move. He lowered the two women to the ground. They couldn’t stand on their own, and he hated to let them go, but he didn’t have a choice. He’d be hard pressed to explain why he’d gotten naked while the house burned.
He jogged to his car with Nox shadowing him. His fingers swept over a hidden button and the trunk glided open. Nox had left the car unlocked and unarmed when he’d come out to get his backpack. No surprise there. Garrett’s Tumi weekender bag rested on top of their other luggage. With a quick unzip Garrett found a pair of bespoke, custom-tailored, navy jeans and a cinnamon-hued long-sleeve tee. He put them on without underwear. He didn’t have time.
Neither Lennox nor Gran had moved as Garrett returned to them. Nox
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