When they arrived, Troy’s cell rang. His heart sank. Aiden.
Knowing they couldn’t hide long, he told the alpha where they were, but warned Aiden to come alone. He and Jenny sat on the porch to wait.
Minutes later, Aiden pulled up on an ATV.
The alpha climbed out and walked onto the porch, pacing. Finally he turned and faced them.
The alpha’s serious expression warned how bad it was going to be. Troy took Jenny’s hand and led her up the steps. He opened the door and ushered her inside.
“Go splash cold water on your face and rest,” he told her. “I’ll handle this.”
She headed to the sink. Worry filled him. Jenny was either too scared or too exhausted to argue. Or both.
Troy headed back outside and closed the door behind him to confront Aiden.
“You want me out now,” Troy said flatly.
Aiden shook his head. “You’re safe here, you and Jenny, if you stay in this cabin. For the time being.”
“Jenny was right, Aiden. I believe her.”
The alpha sighed. “At this point it doesn’t matter. No proof. The pack is mighty upset, hell, everyone is. No one believes her. Everyone wants her out, Troy. Except for Nia, who says we have to wait. She convinced me to give you another chance.”
Troy waited, his stomach tight. “And?”
“I’m giving you a chance and a choice. Leave Jenny and stay here, or go with her. Stay here in the emergency cabin and by the end of the day tomorrow, give me your answer.” Aiden’s sigh was heavy. “I’m sorry, Troy. I thought it would work out. You’re a hard worker. Everyone likes and respects you. But Jenny is too different. My people are too frightened of her. It’s either her, or us.”
Troy forced himself to speak past the tightness in his throat. “I got it.”
Knew it was coming to this. Jenny was simply too different for most Lupines. They feared her.
As he watched Aiden drive off, anguish knotted Troy’s insides.
He had finally found a home at last with the Mitchell pack. But if he stayed, he’d lose the only woman he’d ever loved.
She totally screwed up. Should have known Mitchell’s people would react like that… hadn’t she seen the same with her own pack?
Jenny plopped on the old sofa, burying her head into her hands. Outside, she heard Aiden drive off on the ATV.
Troy opened the door and crossed the room, leaving the door open. Probably to freshen the cabin.
Or maybe to leave her here alone. She deserved it. Didn’t deserve someone as caring and loyal as Troy.
She didn’t glance up as the sofa creaked from his weight as he sat.
“It’s okay, Troy. You can leave. They want you. Not me.” A slight, bitter laugh. “I’m used to it. I won’t drag you down.”
A gentle hand pushed back a lock of hair from her face. “Since when have you ever dragged me down, sweetheart? Or held me back?”
Now she did look up to see his solemn expression. “What did Aiden say?”
When he finished telling her, her heart sank. “This is what you want, Troy. Stay here with the pack. They need you.”
“I need you with me, Jenny.”
“Then we have a slight problem, don’t we?” She laughed again, no humor in the sound. “I told you not to fall in love with me when we first met. I’m bad news.”
“You’re different. That’s not bad.”
But he didn’t sound as convinced as previously.
“Why did you tell them?”
“I had to. Something inside me compelled to warn them. I couldn’t stop it any more than I can stop breathing.”
She studied her hands. “It’s the same thing that drove my family away, Troy. I got to the point where I couldn’t hide anymore.”
This was going to hurt, but he’d leveled with her about his family. Time to finally level with him about her past.
“You should know exactly what I did the day my family died, Troy.”
His gaze turned solemn. “You told me someone shot them from a helicopter.”
“They did. I didn’t tell you why we were running when it was dangerous to shift into wolves.”
Every action had a reaction in her life. Even the smallest ones that seemed inconsequential. She learned the hard way.
“You think you drove away your family when you were seventeen. You didn’t lead them into a death trap.”
Troy braced his hands on his knees. “Go on.”
“I was 21 when these … powers… started manifesting themselves. It was terrifying. I didn’t know what to do, so I turned to my parents. I thought they would understand. I mean, I was their daughter and maybe it was a result of my DNA.” Jenny took a deep breath. “Instead, they freaked out. They… wanted to leave me. They said I was an adult now and could care for myself. They did their duty.”
Troy’s jaw tightened. “Duty? That’s a hell of a thing to tell your daughter.”
“Their only child.” Jenny tried to smile and could not. “They’d always been attentive and caring, but growing up, I felt something was missing. Especially when I saw other Lupines with their parents – tender, loving.”
His gaze turned thoughtful. “Jenny did you ever consider if you were adopted?”
“Yeah. It crossed my mind. Even asked them at one point, and they grew so angry I never asked again.”
She stood and began to pace. “It would explain a lot of things. Anyway, the day after I told my parents I woke in my bed to hear noises in the house, like furniture being moved. Ran out into the living room. They weren’t making me move out. They were doing it instead.
“I tried to stop them. Begged them not to leave. It wasn’t just them. The whole damn pack was leaving. Leaving me behind. I howled. Turned into wolf and howled because I was an adult and big girls don’t cry. The alpha came by and told me I had to accept my fate.
“I agreed. Only if the pack did one last run as wolf with
