After his shower, Darrell threw on a pair of worn jeans and had taken a cold beer from the fridge and sat out on the porch swing. He had been out there for hours. He watched the sun go down over the mountains. It was dark now and out here in the country; the only source of light was coming from inside the house. He stared up at the starry sky. He had been nursing the bottle all day. He still had half a bottle, only now it was warm.
After the sun went down, the door a few feet away opened, and Katelyn came out with a bottle of beer in her hand. She walked over to him and offered Darrell the beer. He looked at the bottle. “I thought you might like a new one,” she said. “This one is cold.”
He reached out and took it, giving her the half-empty bottle. Katelyn put the bottle on the floorboards and took the seat next to him on the porch. She rested her head on his shoulder and watched the stars with him. He actually liked having her seated next to him. It was a comfortable silence, which was nice. He had never just sat with a woman. He would have never guessed it felt so good.
Her affection was comforting. She had not runoff. She had not fought with him about the matter. Now she sat with him. She was giving him time to get over the horrible thing he had just done. She did not recoil from him, and that gave him home. “I didn’t want to have to kill him,” he spoke softly.
“I know.”
“That’s not who I am.”
“I know.”
Darrell sighed heavily. “I get it.”
“Get what?” She asked, lifting her head to look at him. “I get why you don’t want to marry me. Why would you want to marry a monster that kills your kind?”
“I don’t think you are a monster.”
“Why not? I am.”
Katelyn placed her hand on his chest, just over his heart. “I know your heart. You are a better man than Nigel ever was. You are not afraid to do the hard things if it means you can protect the people you love. Life is complicated. But I’m going to walk the path with you.”
Darrell was confused. “What?” Was she saying what he thought she was saying? Did he dare to hope?
Katelyn smiled. “I’m going to marry you.”
Darrell grinned. “Really. You think you can handle this crazy life?”
“To be with you, I will adapt.”
“You just made me a very happy man.”
***
her parent’s house. She wanted to tell her parents they were getting married, but since they had not known each other long, they decided to tell them she was moving into his house and then after a few months, she would tell them they were getting married. Katelyn knew she was doing the right thing. Even though their time together had been brief, the imprinting had Katelyn feeling as if they had known each other all their lives. Only she doubted her
pack was not ready to accept Katelyn, and he
they walked into the house, Katelyn found her parents looking concerned. Her mother stood up as they came into the
his body. That was quick. “He’s in the
Katelyn looked at Darrell, who
off the road, and it almost killed him. He crawled to the highway where a motorist found him. He’s in the hospital in critical condition.”
was. If he regained consciousness, he would tell the world about Darrell and the rest of the pack. Judging from the look on Darrell’s face, he was thinking the same thing. She had no idea how they would get to Nigel while in a hospital. All Katelyn knew was, he had to be silenced. “Look, that’s a
big part of your life for so long. How could you say that?” Her father said.
sleeping
mistake. We all make mistakes. He was looking for you to make amends,” her mother said and then glared at Darrell. “And you. He was looking for you too. After the disgraceful scene you made at the brunch. You ruined two lives. You are not welcome in my home,” her mother snapped, pointing at the door. “Kindly remove
was already
and blood. You owe
sleeping with my man. Screw Karen. She is dead to me. So is Nigel. The only person who
“I don’t
Katelyn sighed. She was going to do the right thing and stand by her man. “I’m sorry to hear that
mother barked at her.
other,” Katelyn snapped. “I love you, Mom, but you are small-minded. I’m leaving, and I’m not coming back. I’ll send someone for my things,” she said as they walked out
Darrell climbed into the truck. “If you leave with that man, don’t
looked at her. “Last
her hand over his. “Let’s get
to leave. She would miss her parents, but she was going to stand by Darrell. She loved him too much not to. As they drove, she noticed how
about Nigel, aren’t
was so sure he was dead. I can’t even imagine how he survived
just have to
that. It is not as easy as walk in and walk out. I have to go to
office to greet them. He was smiling. “Well, isn’t this a surprise? I see you still have the human with you,”
tell Gordon about Nigel. Nervous, Derrell ran the tip of his tongue over
yelled, his eyes flashing with rage.
care. I don’t know how, but
then his eyes stopped glowing as he regained control of his
“I don’t know.”
is whether or not he is lucid. I want to know
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