Chapter 14

Sean

This is bad. Very bad. Like three schoolboys in trouble, we look at each other, trying to decide who should go first. I know it should be me, but I feel like Sam’s not going to listen to a word I say at this point.

Marcus clears his throat and takes a step forward, palms outstretched in a gesture of peace.

“How about we go out to the bar and sit down? You look pale Sam.”

He’s right, she does. Despite the fire in her eyes, she’s still thin and only beginning to get over the exhaustion that’s plagued her for months. My fingers itch with the desire to go to her and hug her tight, but I can’t until I’m certain I won’t scare her.

She reverses slowly out of the hallway, never turning her back on us. The bar is completely deserted. Any shifter who heard that ruckus, or saw Marcus heading in to sort it out, rightly bolted, taking any fragile humans with them. Sam perches herself on a stool and I exhale, relieved she won’t keel over from shock in front of me.

“Sean. Now. I want to know right now what is going on,” she demands, those painted red nails strumming on the bar like they did the first time I laid eyes on her. Her expression isn’t as playful. Stepping forward, I halt when she shrinks back in her chair. It’s like a kick in the teeth. I’ve gone from being her safe place, to putting that look of terror on her face.

“I’m a shifter. I can change from my human form to my lion and back again.” She passes a cool assessing gaze over the two men beside me who nod along, backing up what I’m saying.

“And you two as well?”

“Yes.” Marcus answers this time. “And I can assure you, this, the fighting that you just saw, is not the norm. We’re not a danger to you or anyone else.”

“Why did you attack John?” Sam asks me point blank, and I grimace, not sure how to broach this can of worms.

“I touched you, Sam. It was my fault for getting too close to you when his animal was already agitated.” John kindly tries to let me off the hook, but I’m not a young shifter. I should have better control than that.

“No, no. It’s my fault. I shouldn’t have lost it like that.”

John carefully edges over to a nearby chair and slumps down into it.

“Does he need to go to the hospital?” Sam asks Marcus, avoiding eye contact with me.

“No. He’ll heal within a matter of hours. See?” Marcus yanks up John's sleeve roughly, and John hisses in pain. The wound is already knitting back together, and the bleeding has stopped. Sam’s eyes go round when she sees how quickly John’s arm is healing. She shifts on her feet, looking as though she might reach out to touch it, but quickly straightens, thinking better of it.

“That’s incredible!” John smiles at Sam with pride as he tugs his sleeve back down, flexing his wrist and fingers to test how sore it is to move it.

“But why did you attack him? You’re friends,” Sam repeats, narrowing her eyes at me in confusion. The silence stretches on awkwardly before Marcus pats John on the shoulder.

“Come on. We’ll give you some privacy, if that’s okay with you, Sam? If not, your friend is still outside in his car. I can get him for you?”

“Not yet, thank you though, Marcus.” Sam gives him a weak smile as he pulls John to his feet and helps him to the back door, avoiding being seen by any humans that might be out front. When the door bangs shut, Sam’s gaze drifts back to me. She’s pissed.

“I didn’t think this was the kind of man you are, fighting with friends, lying to me. Explain this to me, Sean. I deserve that much.”

Slipping behind the bar, I pass Sam a bottle of water. She doesn’t reach for it until my hand is back by my side. That hurts.

“My lion thinks you're his, his mate, his partner. The future mother of his offspring. He didn’t enjoy hearing about you leaving again, and John touching you sent him over the edge. I’m sorry you saw that, Sam. I’m so sorry you found out this way.”

“And this wasn’t something you thought I should be aware of?”

She doesn’t comment on the mating part, and I try not to take that too hard. It’s inevitable that she would focus on the danger element first.

“I was going to tell you when we got home. I swear I was.”

I don’t lie. Usually, I’m honest to a fault and I hope Sam believes that this is still true.

“Fuck Sean. What am I supposed to do with this? Even though I saw it with my own eyes, it still doesn’t seem real. I was going back to pack in my job and give up everything to come here and be with you. But I don’t even know who you are.”

Nodding, I lean back and close my eyes, tipping my head back. This is a nightmare. It was never going to be an easy conversation, and it happened in the worst possible way.

“Ask me anything.”

“I… I don’t even know where to start.” Sam throws her hands up and then lets them flop down by her sides, looking completely defeated.

“Let’s go home. You take a bath, I’ll sleep on the couch, and then tomorrow. I’ll tell you everything. I promise.”

“Home? Are you joking? I… I have to go…”

She looks around wildly, panic suddenly shuttering her features as her gaze finds the door and she moves toward it. Coming around the counter, I follow her, but I don’t chase her, or touch her. She’s already terrified of me enough.

“Sam. Don’t run. Please don’t run.” I’m not above begging, but when she looks at me, I can see that her mind is already made up.

“Sean, I can’t. I need to think. Alone.” Her tone is firm. There won’t be any convincing her to stay here with me, but maybe there’s the next best thing.

“Go to Hayley’s, she knows. Maybe talking to her will help.”

She’s shaking her head, her dark hair catching the light as it moves, and big fat tears roll down her cheeks. The sight almost takes me to my knees.

“I’m going home. I’ll call you in a few days.”

Without another word, she shoves out through the front door and into the night, heading straight for Jeremy’s car where he waits, lights and ignition on, so confident that she’d end up heading back to the city with him.

I watch as they pull away, and Sam stares right back, an unreadable expression on her face. And I wait, wait for the call that never comes as a few days turns into a week, and a week turns into two.

Pulling back into the bar after another night out roaming in animal form to tire my beast, I’ve given up hope. I’ve resigned myself to the fact that it’s just too much for Sam to accept when my phone rings, and it’s her.

“Sam?” I press the phone to my ear as I push out from behind the wheel and stride toward the entrance, keen to get to my office and have this conversation in private.

“Can we talk?” I’m midway across the bar floor when I realise I didn’t hear her voice down the phone but from nearby. She's here. Turning on the spot, I see her walking in behind me. She’s framed in the bright light streaming through the doorway as she lets the phone in her hand drop to her side. I can’t speak or think of one coherent thing to say. She’s here, but is this a good thing or a bad thing?

It’s only when my eyes land on the large duffel bag at her feet that I dare to hope.

“I want to come home.”