Page 72 of Howling
“I haven’t felt my dragon in too long. I’ve forgotten what it’s like to feel anything.” A tremor passes through him, like the sensations are too much. A lost look enters his silver eyes, and he doesn’t glance up as he weaves a small lock of my hair between his fingers. The strands resemble liquid gold, and he appears completely fascinated. “It’s been nearly five hundred years since I last shifted.”
Yearning turns his voice rough, and my throat tightens at the way the council denied him something so vital. It’s criminal for a shifter not to shift. It will slowly drive his beast insane. The bigger the predator, the worse the symptoms.
I understand their reasoning. Refusing to allow him to shift will weaken his beast. He will lose his connection to his dragon.I would be shocked if his dragon isn’t completely feral, and my heart breaks at the thought.
I slowly rest my hand against his chest, uncertain how he will react to any kindness, but I can’t resist the urge to comfort him. It’s not enough, it will never be enough, but it’s all I can offer for now. “I’m sorry.” My voice cracks, and I blink furiously to keep my tears from falling.
Anger quickly sears my emotions away, and I lift my chin, glaring up at the beast of a man who towers over me. “I vow that you will fly again.”
It’s probably foolish to promise something I have no control over, but the compulsion to make this right isn’t something I can ignore. I need to see his dragon take flight.
Oblivious to my inner turmoil, he slowly releases my hair and presses my palm over his heart. Though it’s probably a trick of the surging light, I swear his eyes soften at my oath.
It’s enough…for now.
CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE
GARTH
Tyler watches Frankie obsessively. Despite being bruised and battered, he barely even blinks at the abuse, and I curse myself for overlooking his suffering so much that he thinks this is normal. I hate seeing him so vulnerable. It was my job to protect him, and I’ve failed…again. I’ve been so lost to my own misery that I’ve been neglecting my pack.
It’s unforgivable.
That changes now.
Searching for a spot on his body that isn’t damaged, I wince when I come up empty. I resolutely press my hand to the bare skin of his arm and use my abilities as an alpha to help heal him. Unfortunately, the chains make it virtually impossible, my powers slipping through my fingers like a wet bar of soap.
Barely a trickle of it passes through our connection and bleeds into Tyler. Since my beast is more than a little feral, the magic is wild and chaotic, and he winces at the burn of it.
A muscle jumps in my jaw in frustration, and I hate that I’m hurting him, but I don’t stop.
I can’t.
I refused to leave him vulnerable.
Even the smallest wounds barely scab over, and frustration sears my insides at my inability to keep my pack safe. Though it goes against my very nature, I glance at the girl who leaves pure mayhem in her wake.
For the last few decades, only order and routine have kept me sane.
It’s boring and predictable, but it has prevented me from turning completely feral.
Frankie ripped away that illusion of safety, leaving my beast floundering. Apparently, he finds her unpredictability fascinating, and he is almost as obsessed with her as Tyler. The logical part of my brain is concerned about having my routine destroyed, but that worry is buried under the rest of me that is fucking excited to find out what happens next.
For the first time in decades, the air tastes fresh, the world is brighter, and I feel like I’m living again. It’s fucking dangerous…and addicting.
Tyler winces as I send more power into him, and I hiss out a growl when it proves futile. I’m just hurting him more. I glance at Frankie, then swallow my pride. “Can you heal Tyler again?”
She turns away from the dragon, and I don’t miss the slight blush to her cheeks. Despite the chains, I can still feel my wolf, though he is muted. My beast narrows his eyes on the lizard, huffing in annoyance. He’s not necessarily jealous; he’s just irritated that her attention isn’t on him.
He preens when she looks at us, his chest puffing up, his tail wagging slightly as he prances forward. I brace myself for him to yank control away, but he seems pleased just to have her near. Though my brain marvels at the change, I’m unable to understand what the fuck is happening.
When she kneels on the other side of Tyler, I immediately lean close and inhale her sunshine and citrus scent. The delicious taste has my mouth watering, the smell of her somehow keeping my head clear.
My skin tingles when her magic rises, and I blink when I realize the chains binding her are tarnished and dull, doing nothing to block her abilities. The air around the two of them crackles like static, brushing against me in a way that has my dick hardening so fast that I grunt. If I wasn’t already on the ground, I would’ve dropped to my knees when my blood rushed south.
I try to jerk away from the pair, but my beast practically purrs at the unintended reaction. He wants the girl and refuses to allow me to retreat. Her magic is unlike anything I’ve ever felt, like bathing in sunlight and peace.
The tangled curtain of her hair brushes against the back of my hand while she is bent over Tyler, and I can’t resist the opportunity to thread my fingers through the silky strands and gently untangle them one at a time.
