Her Monster

WADE

I walked into Downey’s DIY for my appointment with Walter. I had told him I wanted to rebuild the alpha residence and needed his guidance ordering the necessary materials.

As soon as I walked in the door, my wolf went crazy.

“Mate, mate, mate,” he shouted repeatedly.

The smell was mouthwatering: lavender and sage. I followed the scent to the stairs. I instantly knew who she was. Her hair was longer and slightly darker, and she was much taller, the work boots adding an inch. I called her name softly, and she turned right into me.

Tingles erupted over my entire body. She sidestepped me, and I followed. I couldn’t control myself. I had to put my hands on her. I gripped her shoulders, willing her to look at me. And when she did, I lost myself in those large, expressive gray eyes, almost telling her she was mine.

“Wade,” I heard Walter call my name, and in a blink of an eye, she was gone, running away from me. Bo went berserk, and it took four guys to hold me down until I could control him.

“Why did she run away? And why couldn’t I feel her wolf?” Bo asked.

“I think we just startled her,” I replied. “~I hate it when you take control, you know that!~” I rebuked Bo.

“Fuck, Wade. Erica is your mate?” Walter asked, astonished.

I nodded. “When did she start working here?”

“Today, and it’s not been easy. You know what that girl has been through?” He glanced at the entrance to see if he could see Erica, but she was long gone. “Fuck,” he swore vehemently.

“I actually don’t know the full story, other than the rumors, but I think it’s time you fill me in,” I growled. I had to know what I was dealing with.

“Come to my office. Best you put a tight leash on your wolf. It’s not a pretty story.”

We walked up to his office. I closed the door and sat down. Walter got right to the point; he knew how impatient I was.

“I have to go back a way. Cilla, Erica’s grandmother, was human. She mated Tim Hellebore, and they had Alma. Although Alma is half wolf, she never shifted.

“Alma mated Colin Baxter. She was Colin’s second chance mate, and he was quite a bit older than her. Erica was born, but less than two years later, Colin was killed when a truck collided with his car.”

Walter opened his drawer and took out a bottle of whiskey and two shot glasses, offering me one. I shook my head and raised my eyebrows when he downed his.

“Alma went a little crazy, understandably. She is, after all, half wolf, and losing a mate is never easy. She decided to move to the human world, but by all accounts, she couldn’t hold down a job long enough to properly care for herself and Erica. Cilla constantly sent her money.

“This went on for years. And as you know, Erica was here every summer. Cilla tried convincing Alma to leave Erica here, but Alma was adamant that a child belongs with her mother. But we knew Erica was neglected. Cilla thinks the only reason Alma kept Erica was so Alma could pump Cilla for money.”

Walter paused for a moment, his eyes meeting mine. “Then Alma met a human, Rick. I never met him, but Cilla disliked him immediately. Erica was twelve by then.

“On the night of the murder, and I hesitate to call it that, we suspect that Rick tried to force himself on her. We don’t know the details because Erica was immediately removed to a juvenile detention facility and Cilla was unable to speak to her, but we think Erica half shifted and stuck all five claws in his gut. Cilla bribed her way into the morgue and viewed Rick’s body. The wounds were not inflicted by a knife.”

“Fuck,” I bristled, trying to keep Bo under control. I grabbed the shot glass and downed the whiskey, barely tasting it. I wanted to kill everything in sight.

“Calm down, Alpha. It’s in the past, and wolfing out is not going to help Erica now,” Walter said calmly, trying not to antagonize me.

“Alma testified against Erica, putting the blame on her. She legally prevented Cilla from having any contact. The girl has been alone in an institution for six years. You don’t come out unscathed after something like that.” Walter refilled his glass and downed it like water.

“Furthermore,” he continued, “we surmise that Erica hasn’t completed a full shift due to the trauma she experienced. And maybe she never will. She might even have lost her wolf forever. To find out what she does remember and the condition of her wolf, we need to gain her trust, and that will take time.”

I nodded. I couldn’t speak. The urge to go to her and protect her was overwhelming.

“I need to see her,” I growled loudly.

“I don’t know if that’s a good idea,” Walter said carefully, gauging my expression.

“I don’t care,” I snapped and walked out.

I sat in my truck and debated what to do. Walter was right, I wasn’t exactly calm, but I couldn’t let this go. I started the truck and drove to her house. I could see the door was wide open. A hand clutched at my chest as I hurtled from the truck.

Someone had painted “MAN KILLER” in red paint on her door. Whoever did this would fucking pay. Bo was screaming for vengeance, and so was I.

When I entered the house, Erica was lying on the floor in a fetal position, her face streaked with tears, fast asleep.

I picked her up and cradled her close, careful not to wake her. She nestled into me, so I sat down on the sofa and just held her, breathing in her wonderful scent, my skin tingling, her closeness calming me down. I mind-linked Gabe.

“Pack meeting tonight, 7 p.m. No exceptions.”

“What happened, Alpha? Sounds serious,” he replied.

“I’ll fill you in later.”

I closed the link and stared at my mate. She looked so vulnerable. Her beautiful face tear-streaked and far too pale. As I gently moved her long braid, I remembered tugging on it when we were kids. I hadn’t been able to keep my hands off her then either. She was still ribbon-slim, but had filled out in all the right places.

I noted how dilapidated the house was. Maybe I should help her fix it while getting to know her, build her trust. I would worm my way into her life and her heart.

All the feelings I had for her when we were kids resurfaced and doubled, and not just because she was my mate. Even then I had been drawn to her. Her smile lit me from the inside. She soothed something deep in me, and I knew I would do anything to keep her safe.