Page 7 of Claimed By Werewolf
But the worst part?
I didn’t want her to be scared of me.
That thought pissed me off more than anything.Fear was my shield.It kept the world in line, kept enemies on their heels, and kept brothers looking at me like I was the monster who could handle anything they threw my way.It was the reason the Prez trusted me to be his hammer.
If Demi didn’t fear me… what the hell did that make me?
The clubhouse was already buzzing when I pulled in.Bikes lined the lot, and laughter spilled out from the porch where a couple of brothers leaned with beers in hand.
I parked, killed the engine, and swung off the bike.A couple of heads turned.I ignored them and pushed through the door into the thick haze of smoke and whiskey.
Inside, it was business as usual.Music thumped from the jukebox.Brothers crowded the pool table.A few old ladies perched on laps and giggled too loudly at whatever stories they were being fed.
None of it mattered.My boots carried me straight down the hall to the Prez’s office.
I didn’t knock this time.Just pushed the door open.
Prez looked up with a cigar clamped between his teeth.His eyes narrowed when he saw me.“Wolf.Twice in one week.That’s either real bad news or real dumb luck.”
I dropped into the chair across from him, leaning back, arms folded.“Depends on how you look at it.”
He grunted.“Spit it out.”
“Cross’s sister came to me again today.”
His gaze sharpened instantly.“And?”
“She’s digging.Won’t quit.”
“Did you handle it?”His voice was steel.
I should’ve said yes.Should’ve told him she was scared off, that she’d packed up and left town, that she was no longer our problem.
Instead, I lied.
“Yeah.She’s done.”
Prez studied me for a long beat with smoke curling from the end of his cigar.His eyes were hard and weighed me like a man measuring a weapon to see if it still cut sharp.
“You’re sure.”
“Positive.”I kept my face blank and my voice steady, like I’d just given the weather report.
He leaned back.“Good.Last thing we need is some grieving little girl dragging heat our way.Her brother already made enough of a mess.”
My jaw tightened.
“Wolf,” Prez said, his tone shifting low, “you know where your loyalty lies, don’t you?”
“Always.”
He searched my face, then finally nodded.“Good.Go grab a drink.You look like you could use one.”
I gave him one nod and turned on my heel.
The door clicked shut behind me, and the noise of the clubhouse hit again.Laughter, music, shouts.Life moved on like nothing had changed.
But something had.
