Shameful by May Dawson
23
Killian
The next morning,I was waiting at the end of the bridge on the main island when a familiar black Rav-4 pulled into the parkinglot.
“You’re late,” I told West as soon as he climbed out of the driver’s side. Gibs had been ready to send out the search parties, and I’d been torn about whether to give them more time or go rightaway.
He looked weary. “I am never in the mood for your shit, Kill, but especially notnow.”
“Oh? Was it tough bringing in the littlegirl?”
West barked a laugh, and for the first time, I noticed the greenish-black bruises along hisjaw.
“You’ll see,” hesaid.
He opened the back door, and Rhett climbed out, then offered his hand to the girl still in thecar.
She climbed out, looking around her curiously. Thick, shiny dark hair fell to her waist, highlighting an angular face and lush pink lips. I’d been stuck on Reject Island for years. Maybe that was why the sight of her shifted something insideme.
“Did she hurt you?” I asked, letting my amusement bleed into my voice.
West didn’t answer. He was watching her with a look that, if I didn’t know better, I would’ve thought was protective.
“This is the main island, and the harbor where we catch the boats to our very special, lovely home islands.” Rhett gestured at me. “This fine gentleman should be ourride.”
She stared at me, her eyes widening, her lips parting, as if she recognized me. A strange swell of pride rose in my chest.
“Welcome to the islands,” I said. To Rhett and West, I added, “I’ve got to take her to central processing. You two can come along, then I’ll take you all to the castle.”
“Why does she have to go to central processing when you know she’s going to our island?” Rhett asked.
“We have our own island? What does that mean, really?” Legacy tucked strands of that long, dark hair behind her ears, but the breeze kept teasing it out, whipping all that hair around her prettyface.
“Our packhas their own island,” I corrected, meeting her gaze for the first time. That damned place didn’t belong to any ofus.
She had dark brown eyes, the color of chocolate, thickly lashed. Her eyes were wide, vulnerable, and something stirred in me at the sight.
The next second, I breathed in not just her scent—lemons and sugar—but theirs. She stunk of West and Rhett and of the citrus scent of female arousal. I whirled to stare at Rhett. Had they really stopped for a sex break, knowing the packs had allied to hunt down any of the rejects if they disappeared? There was nowhere for them to go. Anger tightened my chest, fury that I couldn’t make senseof.
I cleared my throat. “There are dozens of islands, and different kinds of wolves are sorted into different islands. But our pack has one of those islands… we might get some other rejects some day, if Cyrus wants to open our island to guests. But for right now, it’s just the three of us. And, most likely, you.”
“You don’t think they’d send her to…” Rhett demanded.
“No,” I said. “Unless she’s a psycho. Did Cyrus say she’s psycho?”
“I’m not,” she said. “You can talk to me, youknow.”
I gave her a long look. She stared back at me, her brows arching above those beautifuleyes.
“Let’s go,” I said. “Some of the Council will want to see you, make sure you’ve been assessed correctly.”
“Will they decide if I can be released?” she asked hopefully.
“No,” I said. “Only Cyrus can decidethat.”
She frowned. “But what if an alpha isn’t fair? What if he decides to stick someone here for a bad reason?”
Rhett made an amused sound, and I glared athim.
“Don’t talk like that around the Council,” I said. She needed to stay far away from these two rebel idiots, for that matter. “Cyrus is the alpha because he’s the most powerful wolf in our pack, and on top of that, he’s no fool. He’ll bring us back when he’s ready.”
“I can never tell if he believes that shit or not,” Rhett muttered toWest.
“Whether I believe it or not, I don’t run my mouth like an idiot who wants to live the rest of my life on Reject Island. But you do you,” I answered, without lookingback.
“It’s funny that Cyrus asked for us, then.” Westsaid.
“Probably hoped you’d run and finally be killed by the Guard,” I said as I led the way toward the main drag through Reject Island. I’d barely saved them once before—for all the gratitude they showed.
Once I’d said the words, a hollow opened in my chest. I realized I might’ve been right. Maybe Cyrus really did want the two of themdead.
We didn’t trust each other, but they’d been all the company I had these last few years. When I imagined them dead-eyed, staring at nothing, it twisted something insideme.
“Come on, I’ll take you for the grand tour,” I toldher.
“Thanks,” she blurted, and then her cheeks colored.
Rhett and West exchanged alook.
“Did she thank you for the orgasm last night?” West asked Rhett, not quietly enough, and that fury twisted through me again.
Her cheeks turned even pinker, a pretty contrast with her long darkhair.
“Shut the fuck up,” I told West. The protectiveness flaring in my chest surprised me. “Why do you have to be such a dickhead?”
“I asked him that question too,” she said drily.
She was outspoken, even after all that she’d been through. Unbowed. I studied her. There were a handful of freckles dotted across her nose and those pink cheeks, like a constellation of stars. She bit her lip, her own gaze falling to her sneakers.
I debated telling the two of them to stay on the dock, but I didn’t want to start an argument with them now, and I barely trusted them. Rhett was recreationally disobedient, and West struggled not to be surly. The main island was a dangerous place for the two of them, someplace they might piss off the Guard or the Elders.
“You two can stay or go,” I said curtly, and Rhett was starting to say something sarcastic when I touched Legacy’s back, urging her forward.
Her gaze rose to mine in surprise, her spine stiffening. She’d seemed so cool with Rhett and West, and I wasn’t sure why she reacted that way withme.
“I’m friendly,” I promised her, offering her a smile. I wasn’t sure how much that helped. I didn’t have much practice smiling the past few years and it felt awkward.
She smiled back, the corners of her eyes crinkling, then looked away quickly.
Behind us, Rhett laughed, and I ignored him. “And here I thought you were bad,” he said to West. I quickened our steps, trying to put some distance between Legacy and me and those two punks.
I pointed out the barracks where the guard lived, and Rhett said, “Very fancy accommodations. No ghosts.”
She smiled. Maybe she didn’t realize yet that it wasn’t ajoke.
“You don’t need to meet with all the Elders,” I assured her. “They just want you to meet with one to make sure Cyrus’s report was accurate and you’re stable enough for Castle Island. It doesn’t have the extensive security measures some islandsneed.”
Her brows arched. “Are theystable?”
“Rhett and West? More orless.”
The two of us passed the prison, and I decided not to point it out. It wasn’t the proudest part of Reject Island, that was for sure. But her gaze still lingered on it, and she licked her lips uncertainly.
“You’ll be fine,” I assured her. “And I’ll be right there.”
“Thanks,” she said again.
Maybe it was just her nerves, but she gazed up at me like she needed me, and something stirred deep inside me. No one had looked at me like that in years.
If she needed me, I’d be there.