wound.”
“You have been gone from the pack too long if you believe that.”
“Seriously, don’t worry. This isn’t the first injury I have taken because of her.”
Gracie stopped struggling and tried to look over her shoulder at Hendrix. “You lie. I have never hurt you before today.”
“I do not lie. I took a bullet to the thigh getting you and Halo out of that warehouse a couple years back.”
“That was you?” Gracie whispered.
“Shit. No wonder you looked familiar. I thought maybe I saw you in a bar or something before. You rolled into the warehouse and flung her over one shoulder and dragged me up and half carried me out. I remember looking down and seeing blood pouring from your leg but when I tried to look at your face the smoke had my eyes watering so much and I was coughing so hard I couldn’t bring you into focus. And our people wouldn’t or couldn’t say who pulled us from the burning building. We never got to thank you for that day.”
“You thanked me.”
“You saved our lives.” Gracie told him.
“It is what I do. What? You look surprised.”
“But, you’re a werewolf.”
“I am not a fucking werewolf. I am a shifter. They are not the same.”
“And you have a vampire for a friend?” Gracie asked.
“Well, no, he is something other. But they tell me when he drops his fangs and his eyes turn red he makes you think of a vampire.”
“I heard one of them started the vampire stories.” Keith volunteered.
Gracie looked over at Keith who had not redressed after shifting. “What happened to your arm?”
“You fucking shot me. Don’t you remember?”
“No, I mean, it isn’t bleeding and the hole is gone.”
“Oh, rapid healing when I shifted.”
“Even if I had shot Hendrix he would have healed? You people can’t die?”
“That’s right.” Keith smirked.’
Hendrix rolled his eyes. “He is lying to you. We can die. Keith? Go find a bush to mark or something.”
“Yeah, how bout no. Gammon told me to sit tight and don’t let anything happen to you or he would give me to Mia and that was before she fucking stabbed you.”
Gracie looked up at Hendrix when he turned her to face him before looking back at Keith. “I saw pictures of Gammon and Mia, well a picture, she is small compared to him. Why are you so scared of Mia?”
“Mia risked her life to save Hendrix when he was just a tot. She fought for him. Her mate was shot for him. They are more than a bit protective of him. Mia swore she would end anyone who ever harmed a hair on his head.”
“Yet she lets him be a soldier.”
Keith smirked. “But no one ever lives after they cross Hendrix now do they?”
“Usually not.” She looked at Hendrix, “But you killed that couple a few weeks ago didn’t you. That was not a lion attack was it?”
“No. That was me. But you didn’t ask what they did to die by my hands did you?”
“Noooo.” Gracie drew the word out.
“They killed their children and buried them behind their house. Not one, not two but three children.”
“Why? I didn’t think they were so poor.”
“They weren’t poor. At least not so poor they couldn’t afford children. They just didn’t care to have children. It didn’t fit in their lifestyle.”
“Then they deserved to die.”
“And so they did. I don’t kill innocent people, Gracie.”
Mine
Hendrix gave a start of surprise at the word. He centered himself and felt for his wolf. Gracie was not his mate, he knew that, what then was his wolf claiming? A bone chilling moment later he leaned his head against Gracie’s head and began to swear. First in English then in Russian before he switched back to English. He felt Gracie go still beneath his hands.
“Hendrix?” She whispered.
“Did you think you could hide the child from me?” he asked her.
“What child?” Keith asked as Halo shouted “I told you.”
“Wait, what child?” Keith headed for the car. “I don’t smell anyone else.”
“And you won’t, not unless you press your nose to her stomach and if you get your face that close to her you will lose it.” Hendrix snarled.
“Pregnant? But she’s human. You can’t get a human pregnant.”
“Are you accusing me of cheating on Hendrix? Wait, what am I saying, I am not pregnant!”
“Yes, you are. You may not want to be, but you are.”
“She can’t be. Not with your kid.” Keith protested.
“She can if my mother was not a shifter.”
“But, wait a minute.” Keith looked back to the