Because she touched me.
“I’m sorry, but I can’t accept that. I know this isn’t easy, and I get it, Caleb, I do, but I’m still your Alpha, and dammit, I’m Ren’s, too, no matter what this fucking pack thinks. I will take care of that girl and make sure she’s safe, no matter what!” he roared, his temper snapping, so suddenly I reared back, my hand halfway into a cabinet in search of something to drink.
Pausing, I allowed my fingers to close around a bottle of scotch, but I didn’t drink yet. Not until I heard what he said next. Tyler Walker was never rash, never emotional and hardly ever lost his temper. For an Alpha, that road was dangerous, and we all always strove for cool in the face of chaos. Without calm, no Alpha would be fit to rule, and so hearing Walker lose his temper with me made me wonder just what was going on.
“I know this isn’t fair, but you have to understand, Caleb. Ren, she’s so helpless, and right now, I can’t allow anything to happen to her. The moment she steps foot off pack land, she’s dead. Do you hear me?” he asked softly, his tone ravaged by something that made even my cold heart clench with pain.
“Walker, man…”
“She moved here to marry that Shane Sheppard. Never liked that boy, always thought he was an asshole, but it wasn’t my place to say. I let her marry him, Caleb, even knowing what he was, and after…”
“I thought he died. Why is she in danger if he’s dead?” I muttered, finally upending the bottle and taking a long, much-needed drink.
The alcohol burned going down, and I relished it, the sensation easing the tight grip of panic that spurred my anger and caused the emotional turmoil to fuel my wolf. Drinking a little more, I tried not to care about Walker, his words, or what he needed, but it wasn’t easy.
This man tracked me down in my darkest hour and did what no one else would. I owed him my life, my sanity.
“He did. Damn fool got drunk and got it in his head to go after Ren again, even though I’d had the Enforcers talk to him. Cole was pissed and warned the little fucker to stay away, or the next time that poor woman called and reported stalking, we’d haul his ass into lockup and keep it there indefinitely. I don’t know everything, but Cole found Ren that night, screaming, bleeding, and hysterical in the middle of a storm. Sheppard had gone after her in her trailer, broke in, and thought he could…I dunno. Shit man. I still shudder, thinking about her out in that storm, never mind running from a three-hundred-pound enraged shifter male. Cole tracked their trail after she told him what’d happened.”
“Wait. Run that by me again. Are you telling me her ex hunted her?” I snarled, fury seething just below the surface before I squashed it with everything in me.
“He did. He was there, at her place, waiting for her. From what I remember of Ren…she was a sweet little thing. I’d see her in town sometimes, scuttling around, always busy. Folks didn’t like her much, with that mother-in-law of hers always having something to say, but I liked her. She worked two jobs, baked for the school when she could, and she’s kind. That night, I felt something off. Can’t explain it, I just knew. So I sent Cole out to check, just in case. I wish to God I’d gone myself instead of sending Cole.” He sighed.
“He’s the best tracker you have,” I grunted, a smile of pride trying to break free because I taught the little shit everything he knew.
“He is. You know what he found? A trail leading directly to the edge of the cliff.”
“I thought it was raining,” I mumbled, the bottle pausing mid-air when Walker sighed.
A laugh popped out of me now, real amusement filling me, and not for the first time, I understood why Walker was my best friend at one time. The man was sneaky as hell and used any means possible to get what he wanted. And it seemed he wanted Ren Sheppard to live.
Why though? Not to sound callous, but she’s one female among many, and she wasn’t even Walker's pack.
“I’m not answering that.”
“Then tell me this. What pack is she from?” I asked, frowning when I realized why I wanted to know. Fuck.
“The Banebloods. Don’t growl yet, dammit. Ren isn’t like them. She’s sweet and innocent as hell, Caleb.” He sighed, sounding so tired I frowned.
“You okay?”
Not that I cared. I wouldn’t care. I refused to care. Dammit.
“I’m tired. Been juggling business, your fucking vigilante brother, and the Sheppard clan. Those assholes want her. I’m short-staffed as hell, using men to keep an eye on her to make sure those bastards don’t go after her. Ren thinks just staying in the pack will keep her safe—”
“And you don’t?” I asked, my bear growling so aggressively I snapped my eyes shut and breathed, begging him to calm down and not wake my other side more than it already had been.
I didn’t like this though, and it’s not that I cared about Ren Sheppard. I didn’t know her, I didn’t want to, and as far as I was concerned, her problems weren’t mine. I just didn’t like the thought of that asshole's family hurting someone as defenseless as she was. She may think she could take care of herself, but I had news for the little shifter. She was helpless against men like that.
“I did. I told Nolan and his boys to stay the hell away from Ren and warned them what would happen if she got hurt, but I don’t know how long it’s gonna work. They’re pissed off. Think she’s to blame for Shane’s death. My orders were clear.”
“Seems like that should do it, being as you’re Alpha and disobeying your word is a death sentence,” I grunted, stalking towards the stairs as I lifted the bottle.
I nearly growled when I got a whiff of myself when my armpit met fresh air, and Goddammit, it embarrassed the hell out of me that this was my normal state. I wore whatever I found that was the cleanest, and no matter how many showers I took, I just didn’t smell good. Why did I suddenly care? I refused to consider the answer, but dammit, even I found my stink offensive.
“You’d think so, but I have a bad feeling, Caleb. A really bad feeling.”
“Then send Cole or Trey her way and let them…I don’t know, take shifts watching her.” I suggested, stomping into my bedroom.