Mine.
Link gritted his teeth as he loaded another can of paint into the back of his Bronco. It did neither of them any good that his inner monster suddenly felt possessive of Nicole. And this wasn’t like with the Silver mates. Those three women were good friends, but it had never felt like anything more. And now Nicole—fragile, human Nicole—was calling to the wildest parts of him like some damned siren. He would have to find her a buyer the second she decided to sell Buck’s cabin just to get her out of here as soon as possible.
He’d decided not to bring her food anymore so he wouldn’t encourage his animal’s obsession, but that had only lasted two days before Wolf forced a Change and brought her another fish anyway.
Link wanted to kiss her.
Fuck her, Wolf corrected.
No, kiss her. The human side of him wanted to take her out, treat her like a lady, buy her dinner, and show all of Galena she was with him, which was insane because he’d only said a few words to her more than a week ago. She didn’t know him, didn’t know what he was, and she couldn’t ever find out about the dark parts of his life. Any relationship with her or anyone else was doomed before it started. Maybe in his early twenties, before the onset of the McCall madness had crept in, he could’ve dated someone, but now? He was twenty-nine and on a short ride to the claws of one very capable bear shifter enforcer—Ian Silver. If he took Nicole out on a date now, it would only make the fate he’d accepted even harder. Hell, it was nauseating just thinking about being put down without ever having the chance to talk to the woman again, and she was basically a stranger. No, getting to know her was a horrible idea.
McCalls only caused pain, and Nicole deserved better.
But she’s mine. Ours. We can share her.
Ah, the promises of a psychopath.
“No,” he muttered.
“Excuse me?” a woman asked as she walked past him to cross the street.
“Nothing.”
Talking to oneself. Just another symptom, and one that always made Elyse look sad if he slipped around her. Good God, he missed the Silvers. They were basically his makeshift pack, and he was missing out on time with them.
The scent of werewolf hit his nose, and Link closed his eyes to calm Wolf’s roiling need to bleed the shifter standing behind him. “Braydon,” he greeted low as he turned and laid eyes on the lanky blond-haired man leaning against the white Subaru next to him.
“Lincoln,” Braydon McCall drawled out. “I’m surprised a traitor like you is still hangin’ around town. We thought for sure you would’ve gone into hiding after the shit you pulled on that bitch’s homestead last winter.”
“Don’t call her that. She’s got a name. Elyse. She’s good.” Better than all the McCalls combined.
“You ruined our hunt.”
“Yeah, well, you shouldn’t have been hunting a human, and you sure as fuck shouldn’t have been hunting a woman. Now piss off, Braydon. I have work to do.”
“Your brothers would be ashamed at what a weak link you’ve turned out to be. Get it? Weak Link? That’s what we call you now. Well, all the pack that is left of course. You and that bitch killed off half of us.”
Link slammed the door to his Bronco and strode toward the grocery store, determined to leave Braydon behind, but the asshole quickened his steps and followed too close for comfort. Link swatted at the fine hairs that had lifted on the back of his neck. He hated giving his back to another predator. A long snarl rattled his throat and was answered by one just as lethal from Braydon.
“You could’ve been alpha. You were strong enough. Your wolf was dominant enough. You could’ve been great, but you turned fuck-up on your family instead. You just sat back watching us take, watching us hunt like we were fuckin’ born to do, judging us like you’re any better, acting all submissive to the humans like a little bitch. And then you became an errand boy for those fuckin’ traitor bears? You’re a McCall! Don’t that name mean anything to you? You have a life-long free pass to do whatever the hell you want and you turned Boy Scout on us instead.” Braydon spat behind him, then growled out, “Miller would be ashamed of you if he was still alive. Which he ain’t, because of you. I’m talking to you, Weak Link!” Grabbing the shoulder of Link’s jacket, Braydon yanked him around.
Wolf revolted. Link gripped his neck and slammed him against the side of a jacked-up pickup, rocking it up on two wheels with the impact. “You listen to me, you crazy fuck. Elyse thinned out a pack of deranged monsters in self-defense. Good on her. I’d help her again. I’m no McCall alpha. I’d rather bleed out than take that worthless title.”
Braydon made choking sounds and scrabbled at Link’s hands.
“Lincoln? Are you okay?” Nicole asked from the sidewalk near them. Her eyes were wide and her mouth slightly parted. Shit.