Page 5 of The Werewolf Who Gave A Shift
Both Macy and Bruce screamed, though Bruce’s shriek was far higher-pitched, as the cat darted for cover.But before anyone could move again, the back-room door burst open.
The nameless man stepped out, chest heaving, golden eyes blazing.Bruce screamedagainand launched himself behind the sagging old couch.
“Don’t touch her!”the man thundered, his voice full of command as he grabbed Macy, yanking her behind him.His massive frame blocked her completely.
Mac and Rafe tensed instantly, their eyes flashing, muscles bunching as if ready to strike.
“No!”Macy shoved around him, throwing her arms wide to block the would-be attack.“Stop!He hasn’t harmed me.He only fought back when the Crows trapped him.He isn’t a danger.”
“He’s adamn Werewolf!” Griffin bellowed, his face red with fury as he jabbed a finger toward the man.
“Andyou’re an asshole who doesn’t know when to shut up!” Macy bellowed back, eyes blazing.
“You bitch!”Griffin roared, lunging toward her.
The nameless man moved like lightning, a roar ripping from his chest as he surged forward, the sound rattling the cabin’s walls.His voice came low and lethal, vibrating with the promise of violence.“Touch her and you will die.”
“Enough!” Mac’s command cut through the chaos like a blade, his voice carrying the kind of authority that silenced every sound in the room, except for Bruce, who chose that moment to poke his head out from behind the couch.
“So,he’sthe Werewolf?”Bruce squinted at the towering man, whiskers twitching.“Huh.Thought he’d be bigger.”
The air in the cabin was so heavy that Macy could barely breathe.Even Bruce had gone silent, only his tail twitching behind the couch as he peeked out with wide eyes.
Mac took a single step forward, his presence filling the room like thunder rolling in.His voice was low, commanding.“Name.Now.”
The stranger straightened to his full height, golden eyes blazing as if he was weighing Mac himself.For a heartbeat, no one moved.Then he spoke, his voice deep and rough, as if he was carrying the weight of the world on his shoulders.
“Kaelen,” he said at last, the name rumbling from his chest.“Kaelen Dorr.”
The name seemed to hang in the air, old and powerful.Macy felt it strike something inside her, sparking recognition even though she’d never heard it before.Kaelen.It suited him.Strong, raw, and dangerous.
Griffin’s eyes narrowed, his hand twitching as if ready to strike.“Who gives a fuck what his name is.He’s a monster.”
Macy stepped forward before she could stop herself, planting herself at Kaelen’s side.“He’s not a monster.He saved me from...you.”Her voice trembled but didn’t break.
Kaelen glanced down at her, something unreadable flashing in his gaze.His jaw tightened before he looked back at Griffin.The tone of his voice sounded lethal.“She’s mine to protect.”
Griffin barked a laugh, though it shook with nerves.“Listen to him!Claiming what isn’t his.He’s a monster?—”
Kaelen’s roar shook the walls, silencing Griffin mid-sentence.“Say that again, and you’ll find out what kind of monster I can be.”
“I said enough!”Mac’s voice cracked through the air like a whip, freezing the tension but not easing it.His gaze locked with Kaelen’s, unblinking.“You want to breathe in my territory?You’d better prove you’re worth the air.Otherwise…” His lips curved into something between a snarl and a warning.“you won’t leave here alive.”
Macy’s heart pounded, her hand twitching at her side, torn between fear and something far more dangerous.She looked at Kaelen, knowing in her gut that he wasn’t going down without a fight.She had to do something.Whether this man knew it or not, Mac was King of the Shifters, and he could, and would, back up what he said to keep others in Assjacket safe.
“I will take full responsibility for him.”Macy blurted, the words tumbling out before she could think better of them.Her throat tightened as every eye in the room snapped to her.She refused to look at the stranger standing behind her, though she could feel the weight of his gaze like fire along her skin.
She didn’t know why she said it—hell, she didn’t even know him—but something in her gut told her she couldn’t let them kill this man.It wasn’t just because he looked damn good naked, though that didn’t hurt, but no, it was deeper, something primal and undeniable burning inside her.When he had pulled her behind him, shielding her with his body, her heart had leapt in a way that made no sense at all.
The room went still, tension so thick it stole her breath.Mac’s eyes narrowed, Rafe’s jaw ticked, and Griffin looked ready to explode.
Bruce peeked over the couch, his whiskers twitching.“Full responsibility?”he scoffed.“Macy, that’s a Werewolf, not some sexy one-night stand you dragged home!”
“Bruce, shut up,” Macy hissed, her pulse pounding as she finally turned her head, meeting the stranger’s eyes as her cheeks reddened from Bruce’s words.His gaze was dark, stormy, and wild, yet there was something else there, something only for her.Her stomach flipped as he seemed to be looking into her soul.
Macy’s voice softened, steadier now.“I don’t care what he is.He hasn’t harmed me, and he won’t.”She didn’t know this man, barely talked to him, but yet she knew this to be true.She had no clue how she knew.But killing a man or even harming him because he was different did not sit well with her, and she would do everything in her power to stop it from happening.
The cabin went silent, the kind of silence that weighed heavily on her chest.Mac’s sharp gaze bore into her, surprised.Bruce peeked out from behind the couch, his tail frozen mid-swish.
