Page 9 of Howl For Me
Gavin knew he didn’t want to let Damara go. She was finally in his arms again, but she didn’t know who he was. What had happened to her? If she’d survived the accident, why wasn’t her memory there? She was a shifter, she should have recovered completely. Why hadn’t her brain healed, too?
They walked through the woods, and he refused to let her go, so he held her hand. Their entwined fingers were just what he needed to calm his beast. It was demanding that he claim her now for fear that she would disappear again.
“What is your name?” she asked.
Those words just about brought him to his knees. To think that the woman he had loved for so long, had thought perished in a plane crash years ago, stood next to him and did not recognize him. Some of his men had shifted back to their animal form and ran ahead. He, Spencer, and Solon had opted to stay in their human form.
Gavin didn’t want to shift back to his animal because that would mean he would have to let Damara’s hand go.
“Gavin Greene,” he answered, looking down at her. It was almost like taking a punch to the gut seeing no recognition in her eyes at the sound of his name. She didn’t complain about him holding her hand. He sensed that she welcomed it. “What name have you been using?”
“Brianna Wolfe.” She gave a short laugh. “I know. Not too creative. It’s hard to pick a name out when you don’t know anything about yourself.”
He glanced down at her, and his wolf paced back and forth. He should have been there for her, found her, taken care of her in her time of need. It should have been him helping her remember their time together, her family, his family, the life they had planned together.
“So, you don’t remember anything?” Spencer asked from in front of them.
“No, I don’t. I’ve been roaming around the country trying to find clues of where I’m from.”
He pulled her in front of him, putting her between him and Spencer as the path they were traveling became narrower, leaving Solon to walk behind him.
“I was just about to give up and go back home,” she stated. Her voice had a weird tilt to it.
This is your home,he wanted to say, but he bit his tongue.
Once they got back to the house, they would need to talk. He’d have to call her parents. Irvin and Elizabeth Jackson lived one town over from Delside. It wouldn’t take too long for them to get here. Because of the nature of the party, they’d declined the invitation to come. Ever since it was declared that Damara was deceased, he still stayed in contact with them. It was his one last connection to Damara.
“Where have you been living?” Solon asked.
“California.”
Gavin closed his eyes briefly. He’d known she had been alive. He had refused to believe she was dead. His wolf had known she wasn’t.
They broke through the woods. The other enforcers, having ran ahead, had alerted everyone to their discovery. Gavin saw his parents, his brother, Calvon, and sister, Jaynie, running toward them. His brother, who lived on a farm in Ohio, was home visiting. His mother’s eyes were frantic as her gaze connected to Damara.
“Oh my God! Damara!” Loretta cried out, stopping in front of them.
Damara moved in closer to him, holding on to his arm with both hands. His wolf rumbled at the thought that they were scaring her.
“She doesn’t have her memory,” Gavin announced to the group that was accumulating around them.
Spencer handed him his clothes while Jaynie brought a blanket over and gently wrapped it around Damara. He quickly clothed himself as the crowd grew. His nose picked up the slight hint of fear in the air.
His wolf growled at the thought that Damara was scared. He would never let anything happen to her while in his presence.
“Damara, honey, you don’t recognize me?” Loretta asked, her eyes searched Damara’s face for any signs of recognition, but there were none.
“No, ma’am. I’m sorry. As I was telling Gavin, I was diagnosed with amnesia and don’t remember even myself,” Damara said softly. She nervously held on to the blanket that covered her naked body.
“Come. Let’s get her inside. Jaynie, go see if you can find her some clothes for her to put on,” Harold said, ushering everyone toward the house.
“I’ll handle the party. Since your mate is here, I don’t think you will be needing any of the potentials who showed up tonight,” Spencer murmured to Gavin.
Gavin quickly looked around the yard, having forgotten about the guests. “Calvon, you mind helping?”
Gavin’s brother nodded and headed over to the crowd standing by, curious as to what was going on.
“Thanks, Spencer. I owe you one.” He sighed, clapping his best friend on the back. He turned and followed his family and Damara into the house.
