Page 79 of The Night Wolf
Gareth nodded. “It was transcendental.”
“Mother changed me so that I would always be ready for you. Good news? We’ll save a ton on lube.” He glanced down at Gareth’s crotch. “And considering things are probably proportional now, it’s a good thing.” Sean sighed. “Still, it would have been nice to have a little control over my life.”
“I’m so sorry for everything you went through. If I had known—”
“You couldn’t. I was never going to tell anyone. I already had Ryker hunting me and sure as hell didn’t need anyone else after me. Then one night, while I was in a town, Kristopher found me. He gave me a savage beating, and I honestly wished I had just died. I ran, but he chased me. I shifted into my wolf and decided that I would never be a human again.”
“Oh God. Sean, I—”
“It’s okay. I finally understood what Mother was trying to tell me. I needed to find that one person—the only one—who was meant for me. See, way back before the battles broke out, wolves used to search their whole lives for the person they were meant to be with. Fated mates, she said. Only a handful ever found them, and those who were able went on to live a life of joy. That’s how I felt when I got to know you.”
“My wolf—I—knew you were special when I first sensed you.” Gareth sighed, deep and sorrowful. “I always believed that wolves were just an animal part of us. It took meeting you to make me realize that we were parts of a whole.”
“She said that’s how it was always meant to be and that we’d lost our way. She needed a champion, a supreme leader, who would stand up for wolves everywhere. That’s where you come in.”
“I don’t understand what that means.” He held his arms out and flexed his fingers. “I know I’ve changed, but—”
“She gave you a tiny bit of her to carry in your heart. She made you bigger, stronger, more able to meet the demands that are expected of you. It will be your job to go out to the packs, to bring them into line.”
“But why me?”
“Because you claimed me. Duh.” Sean chuckled. “Honestly? It’s because of who you are. The strength of your character. The fact that you try to find another way, instead of just forcing change. Mother wants us to come together, under your leadership, and form a more united front. She’s already seen the changes taking place here in Lydon. Deke found his mate and will step up to help him.”
“Lyram found his too.”
“Really? Who?”
“Caleb.”
“I knew I sensed something between them.”
“And now that he’s eighteen, there isn’t anything to keep Lyram from claiming him. Except for the fact Caleb’s still a wolf.”
“Yeah, about that….” Sean scratched his cheek. “He can shift. He did it for me. The problem was, after what Kristopher did to him, Caleb can’t talk. The damage will heal eventually, I think, but right now, he’s shrunk in on himself. Lyram will have to dig deep and help Caleb find himself again.”
“He’ll do it. I know he will.” Gareth put a hand on Sean’s chest. “So this means we’re leaving Lydon, huh?”
“That’s what she wants, but what about you? What’s in your heart?”
WHAT WASin Gareth’s heart? He wanted to run away, to take Sean and their babies and go far off the grid. To live and love, to grow as a family. To be…. Just to be. But Sean had sacrificed years of his life working to fulfill the Mother’s mission. Could either of them walk away?
“I don’t think it matters what I want.” He peered at Sean. “Does it?”
A soft smile creased Sean’s lips. “Nope. We have a destiny, and it’s up to us to see it through. Besides, I look at our babies and think about what happened to Quinn after I ran. Don’t we owe it to them, and to everyone else who is living under a shitty Alpha, to try to make the world a better place for them? Raising our family, finding the person we’re meant to be with, falling in love.”
It all sounded so poetic, but Sean was right. “Then I suppose there’s no time like the present. I’ll speak with Lyram and let him know what’s happening. Do you think maybe the Mother had something to do with him going from Beta to Alpha? So we wouldn’t be leaving Lydon bereft of a leader?”
“I wouldn’t doubt it.”
“Will we ever see her again?” As much as Gareth wanted to, she kinda scared the crap out of him. After what she did to Kristopher, he made a mental note not to piss her off.
“No, I don’t think so. I mean, maybe. But I believe Lyram earned that on his own. He’s always been there, working hard to make things better for everyone.”
He had, and Gareth felt like a colossal prick for questioning Lyram’s ability to lead. “Where do we start?”
Sean pursed his lips. “I’ve got a list of the Alphas I ran into when I was trying to hide out. The ones who would have gladly turned me over to Ryker if they caught me. Some of them were….” He shuddered. “Let’s just say they were cut from the same cloth as Ryker. People were playthings, feelings weren’t important. Power and wealth were what they craved. Now, I admit they weren’t nearly as bad as Ryker, but they were bad in their own way. Their people needed help, and I was too afraid to step up. I can’t be that anymore.”
“What could you have done? You were a child, failed by those who were supposed to lead. Me included. Lydon should have been open to all wolves who needed a place. My father, and his, always gave succor to those in need. I thought…. Well, apparently, I thought I knew better than them. I was just as blinded as Ryker, because I wanted Lydon to become a utopia.”
