Timber didn’t even rub his neck. He merely examined me again like I was a complicated puzzle that needed solving. “At the risk of getting choked again—” His eyebrows shot up. “—you’re… other.”
“Other?” I repeated. “What the hell does that mean?”
Without warning, he lashed out with one hand and slammed me across the face so hard all I saw was blood; all I wanted was his death.
He jerked away and jumped behind the couch laughing. “Well, well, well, now I know why Cassius wanted me to check on you. You’re a ticking time bomb, aren’t you?”
“I’m not a bomb. I’m a wolf.” I pointed out the obvious, hoping to deflect more questions that I didn’t know how to answer. Like why I could hear the whoosh of blood in his body as it pumped from his heart to his extremities, and why, if I looked close enough, I could hear the whisperings of the blood as it communicated with the rest of the body.
Timber stopped walking and turned, looking over his shoulder. “You should feed before it becomes impossible to control.”
I rolled my eyes. “Got that covered. Had enough berries to make a fat bear happy, and I’m hunting later.”
“Hunting?” This seemed to perk him up. “You do realize it’s illegal to hunt humans?”
“Humans?” I laughed. “I’m hunting for pinecones.”
He pressed a hand to his forehead as if I was giving him a headache. “Pinecones.” He nodded. “Yeah, let me know how that works out for you. And remember what I said. You need to feed.” He tapped the side of his neck. “Preferably not on me when I piss you off again.”
“You wish,” I spat.
He winked. “You have the jaws of a kitty cat, Wolf. I imagine it would tickle.”
I moved to him.
He stumbled back and then gave his head a shake.
Go away, I said mentally. Just. Go.
He shook his head again and then narrowed his gaze on me. “Careful with those thoughts, Wolf.”
I blinked in confusion. “My thoughts?”
“This is going to be a shit storm,” he mumbled more to himself than to me. “Feed, mate, and join the ranks in helping us fight Those Who Watch.” He pointed a finger at me. “In that order.”
“The Ones Who Watch are behaving…” I sighed. “…for now.”
Timber groaned. “You know nothing, Wolf! We have ten of the ancient fallen angels running around a modern-day society with all of its… temptations… and you think the problem will lessen? You do realize that the Originals stood on a mountain for years simply watching life happen rather than participating in it? And you think that they’re just going to listen to us even though we freed them? That they’ll give up the power they have here?” He spread his arms wide. “Look around you! They would be considered gods!”
“Blasphemy,” I spat. “Immortals were placed here to protect humans from that very thought. The council—”
“Exactly,” Timber agreed. “The council is out fighting a war we can’t win unless we stick together. Hell, I have Alex’s wife out with me restoring demons’ souls in alleyways! All of this, while you stare at your pathetic little pinecones and focus on all the things that have gone wrong in your life and all the reasons for your inability to actually live. You know?” He clenched his teeth. “You want to die so bad? You feel so bad about yourself? Ask Cassius to end you. Better yet, ask the One to take your soul. You’re a shell of a wolf, a shell of a man, and not worth another wasted breath.” He flipped me off and slammed the door behind him.
I stood there, stunned.
Shame came swiftly.
Because the demon was right.
I’d helped save Alex. I’d helped save Hope after Alex begged me, but only because she was a friend. The mindless humans milling around the world had no idea what was coming, and frankly I didn’t care.
Because I was hurting.
Because I was afraid of myself.
Afraid to even look in the damn mirror and see the signs that everyone else had been seeing for the past two days.
I shook with the memory of her bloody body.