Protected Promise by Julie Trettel

Landon

Chapter 12

 

 

 

Kaitlyn’s mouth gaped open as she stared at me in surprised.

“What? How is that even possible.”

I groaned. “Smallest Pack in the world, remember? Tobi is literally the only one my age and she’s like a sister to me.”

“You two never?”

“Never. Honestly, I’m afraid you’re pretty much my first everything.”

I was still reeling over what she had shared with me and it was taking a great deal of effort not to drive to Texas and finish that guy off myself. He didn’t deserve to live. I would never tolerate such a thing in my Pack. Banishment wouldn’t be good enough. I was not a violent wolf, though I’d heard horror stories of other Alphas who were, but in this case, I would have no problem extinguishing her uncle’s life.

“So?” she bit her lower lip and then looked up into my eyes. “Was it good for you?”

I gave her a questioning look. That’s what she was worried about?

I chuckled. “Good, is far too shallow of a word for how you made me feel last night.”

I started kissing down the column of her neck and she playfully pushed me back.

“After everything I told you, you still want to touch me?”

I nodded. “More than anything. I want to touch you everywhere, every chance I get until all the bad memories are replaced with new great ones.”

She held back another sob. “I wasn’t sure I ever could,” she confessed.

I grinned, trying to lighten the moment a little now that the heavy stuff was all out in the open. “Then I guess it’s a good thing we both jumped without thinking last night.”

She wiped at her eyes. “I swear I’m usually really good at keeping my emotions in check. No one really knows why the doghouse has protected me, not even them. They do it because Damon asked them and that’s been enough.”

“You love them for it.”

She nodded. “It’s kind of like I finally had a family and a safe space to just be me.”

“You aren’t going to lose that, Kaitlyn. If anything, you’re going to just expand that family and safe space a little more.”

She threw her arms around my neck and kissed me. “Thanks for being so wonderful through all of this. I get we don’t really know each other yet, but I’m actually happy we sealed our bond before I could overthink everything. Now that it’s just done and irreversible, it’s like I can only look forward, not back.”

I smiled in relief. “I like that. So, looking forward to our future, my gorgeous mate, can we talk food? I’m starving.”

She giggled. “Yeah, we can get something on campus or order delivery in.”

“Delivery, definitely.”

Her phone buzzed at that moment and she frowned when she looked down at it.

“What is it?”

“Sawyer wants to meet for lunch.”

“Delivery and staying in sounds much better to me.”

“Me too, but I should find out what he wants.”

“Do I get to tag along?”

“Do I have a choice?” she asked, and I couldn’t tell if she was joking or not.

“Of course you do. You always have a choice.”

She smiled appreciatively. “Thanks,” she mumbled.

“Kaitlyn, I’m serious about this.”

She hugged me again. “I believe you.”

I could tell that wasn’t easy for her and I knew the only way to truly prove it to her would be to show her every single day if necessary.

“I’d like it if you’d join me for lunch with Sawyer,” she said at least.

“Okay, then let’s get dressed.”

She groaned. “I can’t show up in the same outfit I wore yesterday.”

I thought for a minute and then grabbed my phone and sent Tobi a text.

ME: Did you leave yet?

TOBI: No. Just finished loading the car.

ME: Can you drop something off here for Kaitlyn?

TOBI: She spent the night?!?!

ME: Just hurry.

It wasn’t even fifteen minutes later when Tobi knocked on the door. Kaitlyn and I had barely managed to clean up. She was wearing one of my tee shirts that hung down to her knees.

I answered the door trying to shield her from my nosy friend.

I held out my hand and she gave me a small overnight bag.

“I had to sneak into Theta to get that. You owe me.”

“I’m always owing you something. Why would this be any different?”

I tossed the bag to Kaitlyn as she ran for the bathroom to get ready.

“Thanks, Tobi,” she yelled over her shoulder.

“Was she wearing your shirt?”

“Yes. Don’t make a big deal out of this. I’m sure Jackson wants to hit the road.”

Jackson smirked, but did try to help pull his mate back so I could close the door.

Tobi’s foot managed to sneak in and block that plan though.

“Wait, just one question.”

“What?”

“Do I have a new Pack Mama?”

I groaned.

“Come on. I don’t think he’s in the mood for your jokes right now.” He pulled Tobi back against his chest and pinned her there. “Aspirin and lots and lots of water, my friend. We’ll see you in Seattle soon.”

“Thanks,” I mumbled, shutting the door on a still protesting Tobi.

I had already dressed for the day while we were cleaning up the room so I slumped back down on the bed.

“She even grabbed my toothbrush,” Kaitlyn said triumphantly when she stepped out of the bathroom. “I’m really going to owe her a lot.”

I stared at my mate dressed in a short, form-fitting pink dress that came to mid-thigh. I knew what laid just above that hem.

“Are you sure we have to do this?”

“I thought you were starving.”

“Oh I am, just not for food this time.”

She giggled but didn’t approach me. “If I get anywhere near that bed, we’re going to be very late.”

I shrugged.

She groaned.

In the end she won, but even as we left the hotel, I was already counting down the minutes until we returned.

 

*****

 

Sawyer was waiting for us when we arrived at the overpacked bar just off campus.

He eyed me curiously.

“Sawyer, you remember Landon, right? Landon, this is uh, Sawyer.”

He wasn’t her Alpha anymore and the look of surprise on his face told me he knew it.

“I wasn’t expecting this place to be quite so crazy,” Sawyer said.

“Jacks is always like this,” Kaitlyn told him.

“Is there someplace else we can go that’s maybe a little quieter?” he asked.

“Sure. There are a few places on campus. It’s a beautiful day. We can even grab sandwiches from the café and go down by the lake.”

“Perfect.”

I nodded.

Kaitlyn led the way out as Sawyer and I followed her. It was a strange occurrence for two Alpha wolves. I sensed he too was trying his best to keep his wolf controlled. Mine was going crazy wanting to press for dominance. This wasn’t the time for that though. This was more of one of those diplomatic moments.

None of us really spoke as we walked to the café, ordered our food, and then walked to some picnic tables in the woods next to a beautiful lake.

I was staring out at the water just taking it all in when Sawyer broke the silence.

“When?”

“When what?”

“When did you switch your allegiance to him?”

Kaitlyn sighed. “Last night.”

“So it’s official. You’ve chosen?”

She shrugged. “He’s my mate, Sawyer, and I told you, I’m never going back there.”

He took a few steps closer to Kaitlyn as she sat down and bit into her sandwich.

“You’re welcome back anytime, both of you. Your uncle won’t be a problem any longer.”

Kaitlyn’s head whipped around. “What?”

“I’m sorry. I wanted to be the one to tell you personally. That’s why I came here this weekend.”

“What happened?”

“He got drunk at a bar outside territory, got into a fight. He shifted and then killed two humans. You know the penalty for such a thing. I had no choice.”

“You did the right thing,” I assured him knowing that if he hadn’t, I would have likely hunted the man down and killed him myself.

“And my aunt?”

“I’m sorry. They were fully bonded. I spoke with her beforehand. She sounded, relieved. I’ve tried to intervene for her numerous times, but in the end, I failed her, as I failed you.”

She nodded. “Thanks for telling me in person.”

“I truly wish things could have been different. I wish I’d known sooner.”

He looked at me curiously.

“You know.”

I nodded.

“Take care of her, better than I ever did.”

With that he got up and started to leave. Kaitlyn didn’t try to stop him and neither did I.

He paused and turned back. “Oh, I almost forgot. She asked me to give this to you.”

He set an envelope down on the table and nodded sadly.

“Bye, Kaitlyn.”

“Sawyer.”

“Yeah?”

“I know you did what you had to do for the Pack. I don’t blame you,” she said.

He nodded, but I could tell he wasn’t happy about the situation, and I couldn’t blame him. His remorse showed me more than words ever could, just what a great Alpha he was.

“You’re going to make a great Pack Mother, Kaitlyn. Your compassion and love runs deep despite everything that beast put you through.” He turned to me and studied me for a moment. “I hope you’ll consider me an ally, Landon. I know her allegiance has moved on already, I can feel it, but in my heart, she’ll always be the little girl I let down and will spend a lifetime trying to make amends for.”

I stood and shook his hand. “I’m sure we’ll be in touch soon.”

He left for real this time. I wrapped an arm around Kaitlyn prepared for her to breakdown or get angry, or whatever emotions she needed to let out, but she just sat there staring at the envelope.

“Are you okay?” I finally asked.

She shrugged. “I don’t know yet.”

“Tell me what you need.”

“I think I need to just go for a run,” she said sadly.

“Do you want to be alone?”

She looked up at me. “No. Can I meet your wolf?”

I smiled. “Of course, um, don’t be scared.”

“Scared? Why would I be scared by your wolf?”

I shrugged. I didn’t know how to explain to her that it was a common reaction.

I stood up and undressed. The heated look in her eyes as she watched me almost made me forget the whole thing and take her back to the hotel quickly.

I knew that would only prolong the inevitable though.

I took a deep breath and let the shift happen.

She gasped at the sight. “Wow!” She reached out and my wolf eagerly went to her. “Magnificent. I’ve never seen such a large wolf.”

And there it was. I’d always been big, freakishly big. Kaitlyn was still sitting at the picnic table and my head was eye level with hers.

“It’s incredible,” she said wrapping her arms around my neck as my wolf wagged his tail happily.

I sat back and howled, calling her wolf out to join us.

She giggled. A little light returned to her eyes where darkness had tried to set in. She stripped down and shifted. Her wolf was similar in coloring to mine but tiny. I dwarfed her even more than I did in our skin.

My wolf turned into a giant puppy as he yipped and danced around her small form before brushing against her and rubbing his scent all over her.

I groaned but it came out sounding like a chuff.

Kaitlyn nodded her head towards the woods and took off ahead of me. I preferred to keep her in my view. It was easier to protect her that way without my Pack at my back. Plus, I had never run in these woods but watching her zip around trees and jump over logs, I knew Kaitlyn was very familiar with this area and that made me happy.

I couldn’t wait to get her home and show her around my territory. I sensed a lightness in her soul in wolf form, like the memories of her human life were distant in this form.

It wouldn’t be the first time that happened. I had seen it before. I’d had nearly feral wolves come through my lands running from ghosts in much the same way. Life was simpler in fur.

We ran for quite a while. I completely lost track of time, but I was getting hungry and knowing there could be other shifter types in these woods, I wasn’t comfortable hunting here. The last thing I needed was to cause an international conflict between shifters for mistaking an elk shifter for the real deal.

I barked and Kaitlyn came to an immediate halt. She gave a nod and led the way back to the picnic area where we’d left our clothes. When we got close enough that my wolf picked up the trail, we moved in to run side by side, with her occasionally brushing up against me, even though my scent was thoroughly covering her. No wolf within five packs would question who her mate was.

A noise ahead caught my attention and I let out a small growl of warning and ran ahead of Kaitlyn to investigate.

I lowered myself to the ground as I watched the intruders pickup Kaitlyn’s shirt and sniff it.

“Oh, it’s Kaitlyn’s. For sure,” one of them said.

“Let’s take them. Just one last time,” the first one’s look-a-like said.

I recognized them both as two of my mate’s friends, but my wolf couldn’t distinguish that from the fact that they were holding her stuff. I let out a menacing growl and bared my teeth as I slowly walked out from the shadows enjoying the look of shock and fear on their faces as I rose to my full height.

“What the hell is that!” someone yelled as they all scrambled to climb up on the top of the table, as if that would help them any.

“Don’t,” I heard Kaitlyn yell as she came running out of the woods completely naked.

It distracted my wolf and made us both irritated. I snapped as she walked past me and ran to get in front of her and cover her body from them as I glared down the males until their knees nearly buckled.