“No,” Link whispered. He shook his head back and forth in denial, his snow-colored eyes on Clayton.
“Putting out the kill order on Cole was the hardest thing I’ve ever done, second only to putting down your father. I watched my best friend, your father, Eris McCall, slowly lose his mind, and I was the only enforcer left to end his life. And it broke something inside me to kill him.” Clayton dragged his gaze from Link to Ian. “I know I’m a shit father, but I know what you’ll endure when you’re called on to put Link down, Ian, and I don’t want that for you. It’ll haunt you forever. I thought I had to make you three tough, harder than this world. Because it was my fault. I made you. I put those bears in you, and I knew from the day you were born that you would suffer because of my decision to become a father. Eris made me promise him something. We were sitting on the porch of his cabin, watching Cole, Miller, and Link play in the yard, and they were so little. Laughing and jumping around like little grasshoppers. Good boys, destined to turn into monsters. Eris was already half-gone, growling all the time, Changing uncontrollably, eyes white, talking to himself. He made me promise to save his boys from the McCall curse. And I failed—” Clayton’s voice broke on the last word, and he swallowed over and over, his eyes on his clenched hands in his lap now. “I failed Cole, and I failed Miller, and I made questionable decisions and hurt Vera inconceivably because all I could think about was saving Eris’s boys. After Cole and Miller chased their deaths, I wanted Vera to work on the cure until she could fix Link so I could keep part of my promise to Eris. Because I thought saving Link would save a part of me that had been broken the day my best friend died under my claws.”
Link sat heavily in the chair beside Nicole and scrubbed his hands over his face, over and over. “I only remember the bad parts of my father. He died when my brothers and I were young, and we were raised by my uncles. Cole and Miller turned out just like them.”
Clayton looked exhausted as he nodded and murmured, “I hated that part. I’d hoped all three of you would be more like Eris. I couldn’t do anything for Cole and Miller, but you’re different. You’re like your dad. Good. Loyal. Redeemable.”
Link slid his hand forward and Clayton grasped it in a tight handshake. “Thank you for taking care of my father.” Link firmly shook his hand one last time, then stood and left the room. The front door opened and closed a moment later.
“Excuse me,” Nicole whispered as she stood to follow him out.
She pulled her jacket from the coat rack and went outside. She followed Link’s boot prints until she found his pile of clothes. Wolf sat in the snow watching her as she approached, zipping her jacket as she did.
Arching his head back, he let off a howl, low and quiet at first, then building—a beautiful wolf song.
Nicole fell onto her knees in the snow beside him, the closest she’d ever been to Wolf. And as he lifted his nose to the falling snow and began his song again, she wrapped her arms around his neck and rested her cheek against his coarse fur.
Link was the man of a thousand heartbreaks, yet he was still here, still trying. He was a true survivor, and for the rest of his life, she would fill as many of his moments with happiness as she could.
This was her silent promise to the man she’d fallen in love with because Clayton had been right.
Link was good.
Wolf was loyal.
And both of them were redeemable.
Chapter Thirteen
“Rise and shine, porcupines!” Vera sang.
Link groaned as the lights flipped on, and he hugged Nicole closer, then pulled the comforter over their heads. “Just ignore her, and she’ll go away.”
“False,” Vera said. “Ignore me, and I’ll bring the ice bucket. Come on, love birds, shake your feathers. The early bird gets the worm. Wakey, wakey, eggs and bakey. Or eggs and cakey. I like cake. Tobias! Can you put cake mix on the grocery list?”
“Vera,” Link growled as Nicole giggled quietly against his chest.
“I’ve made good luck waffles!” she sang in an opera voice. “Link!”
Link threw off the covers and glared at the doorway where Vera stood in a pair of warm looking llama pajamas.
She pointed her finger and whispered, “Your dick is showing.”
Nicole pursed her lips, but her shoulders were shaking from laughter now. She’d snuggled into her warmest pajamas for this little slumber party, but Link hadn’t bothered putting on a stitch of clothing after he’d Changed back into his human self last night. Apparently, werewolves had no modesty.
Link looked at his cell phone on the night stand and growled. “You made good luck waffles at four in the morning?”