I sighed as I motioned for her to join me at the treeline. I sniffed the air, checking to make sure we were the only shifters around. I didn’t mind the humans. They wouldn’t interfere.
After walking several feet into the thick forest, I paused and began to strip down. I handed her each article of clothing, encouraging her to slip it into the backpack she had collected from Landon.
“Remington had me paying off several debts,” I explained. “I was a gambler and I was loose with my funds. Often, I had to fight in a ring just to pay off a week’s worth of debt.”
April listened quietly, gently folding each article of clothing before setting it into the backpack. When I was fully stripped, I stood before her, claw marks across my chest finally visible to her. I traced one of the longer ones that traveled from my right peck to my left hip.
“And I kept racking up that debt without any intention of stopping. Not until Destiny was born,” I continued. “But by then, it was too late. I couldn’t pay it off.”
“What happened next?”
I took a deep breath, tilting my head to the sky. Sweet, earthy scents met my nostrils, inspiring me to calm myself. “He came for my wife. And he killed her in front of me. So, I grabbed Destiny and I ran.”
Before April could offer any sort of comfort, I shifted. My wolf came quickly, eager to get all that rage, guilt, and disappointment out of my bones. I should have told her about Geraldine—but I didn’t want her to leave me, not after I had just found her.
In time, I thought as I pawed my way forward. I sniffed the ground, catching a whiff of Viola that was about thirty minutes old. I’ll tell her all about it in time.
April didn’t question the delivery of my explanation. Her hand joined the scruff of my neck, fingers digging into the thick muscle and massaging the fur gently. She was such an understanding woman.
How understanding would she be when I told her the truth about my anger issues?
I hadn’t always been the protective father. At one point, I had become cocky, reckless, and utterly absorbed by my ego. I wanted to prove to everyone that I was indestructible and that I could have whatever I wanted.
And ultimately, that almost ruined me.
I grunted, huffed, and moved forward at a steady trot so April could keep up with me. Her presence was a comfort despite the situation. I hadn’t been this on edge since I first had to flee from the Remington compound.
The scent took us deeper into the trees, leading us to the edge of a rushing river. I paused near the water to examine my surroundings, allowing my wolf senses to tell me where I needed to go. But the scent had ended.
What was I supposed to do now?
April rubbed my scruff. I nudged her stomach, leaning into her for support as she granted me solace. No one had ever felt like this to me before—had felt like home—and I was beside myself with the beauty and complexity of it all.
When this was over, I vowed silently to make her my bride. I couldn’t be without her for the rest of my life. Once Viola and Destiny were secure in my arms, I would take the three of them away from this dreadful town, somewhere private where we could settle down so we didn’t have to constantly peek over our shoulders.
Living life on the edge was too much for a girl like Destiny. She deserved to have a happy home with stability and love, warmth and comfort. I wanted her to thrive.
And I wanted that for myself, too.
But do I deserve it? I wondered as April’s fingers drifted to the top of my head. Do I get to have happiness after all the crimes I’ve committed against my fellow shifters?
Guilt made me shiver. I shook it off, causing April to giggle as she settled on the ground next to me. “What now, Daddy?”
I peered into her eyes as I sniffed the air again, eyes closing to thin slits. She scratched my chin, causing me to drool.
“We can wait,” she assured me. “I’ll wait with you. I’m sure we’ll pick up something soon.”
And just like that, I was at ease again. How did she do this to me?
How in the world did I deserve a beautiful woman like April?