Page 8 of The Return
That earned me a chuckle. “I like how you’re not trying to tell me you’re not all…. I’m sorry, is werewolves okay, or should I be using another term? I don’t want to offend anyone with my own ignorance.”
I’d come with the intention of telling him the truth about us, about his place in my life, and now I find out he’d known all along?
“Werewolves is fine,” I muttered, taking another drink of my tea. It really was very good.
“I never told anyone,” he swore. “Even my parents never figured it out. At least, not that I know of.” He cocked his head. “I read everything I could, but it all seemed to be bullshit. Mostly romance novels—which were hot, by the way—but nothing based in reality.”
“Because most people don’t know we exist.”
“Well, I’m glad I do.”
I stared into the blue-gray eyes I’d loved for so long. The way they sparkled, like the sun had been created for the express purpose of lighting them up. “How does this not freak you out?”
“I’m going to admit, when I figured it out, I did freak. For about five minutes. Then I thought about you, and how you were the very best friend I’d ever had, and I knew you’d never let anyone or anything hurt me. So instead of worrying, I started listening. You know how it is when someone is talking about you, but then when you show up, they turn away like they weren’t? The guys were like that.
“Everything came together in bits and pieces. Guys talking about how they couldn’t wait until next year when they’d be allowed to attend the gathering. Others who complained they couldn’t go, because their parents were making them watch the pups. And then there’s the night I saw Dan Garver change.”
“What? How?”
“You were staying overnight, and there was a low howl outside. I mean, it wasn’t unusual. I’d heard wolves since the night we got here, but never that close. This time it was different, though. You jerked up instantly and got out of bed. You went to the window and stared at something for a bit. Then, a few moments later, you snuck downstairs. I went to the window to see what was going on.”
I remembered that night. Dan was twenty-two. He had gotten married to Ginny Daley the year before, and not long after, she got pregnant. I’d never known anyone as over the moon as Dan had been. Then Ginny miscarried. Dan needed to talk, and he—like everyone in the pack—knew I was with Corey. He came to Core’s house and poured his grief out to me instead of my father. I’d comforted him, told him he and Ginny needed to hold on to each other, especially now.
Two years later, Ginny gave birth to baby Isaiah Jonas Garver, and Dan was the happiest I’d ever seen.
“You were standing there in nothing but pajama bottoms, talking to a wolf. I was certain I was dreaming, but then you knelt down and wrapped your arms around the wolf’s neck. Then a moment later, you weren’t holding a wolf, but a naked man who was crying on your shoulder.”
“His wife had lost a baby and he’d come to me for comfort.”
“Oh.” Corey’s face fell. “I’m sorry. I wish I could have helped.”
And I believed him. Corey was the most empathetic person I knew. He felt the pain of others like it was his own.
“I know. You’re a good man.”
“When he changed again, he ran off into the woods, and you came back upstairs and crawled into bed. I lay there for hours, trying to understand what I’d seen. You? Fell asleep about fifteen seconds after you laid down.”
“Why didn’t you say something? You had to be so scared.”
He snorted. “Of you? Never. Nothing in my world could make me afraid of you. I mean, yeah, I didn’t realize at the time that you were a werewolf too, but I mean, after I figured out everyone in town was, it made sense.”
I reached out and took his hand in mine. I was grateful he didn’t draw away. “I’m so very sorry that you had to go through that by yourself.”
He smiled brightly. “Actually, it became kind of comforting after a while. Knowing this part of you existed and that I got to be in that world made me feel…. I dunno. Part of something wonderful.”
“You were. You are.” I sucked in a breath. “There’s more you need to know.”
He gave a wobbly smile. “There always is. Unfortunately, your hour is up.”
COREY
Jonas’s jaw fell open. “But—”
“You asked for an hour, and I agreed to that. Your hour is now up.”
“Core, I—”
“It was nice seeing you, Jonas. I hope we can talk again sometime.”
