Chapter Seven

William stared at the man sitting across from him. He’d frightened the owner of the lodging when he came calling at such a late hour, but fortunately, a few coins had quieted the man who had acceded in fetching Reeves for him.

“You are bleeding, sir.”

The blond spoke softly. His hands trembled slightly around the cup of tea brought to them.

“It is of no consequence.”

Reeves dropped his gaze to his drink.

“Graham … I may call you, Graham, yes?”

“Yes, of course. I thought we had established that the other day.”

William smiled. Try as he must, he seemed unable to distrust the merchant. There was something about his manner, or perhaps his eyes, that called to him to protect the other man.

“Yes, I had forgotten. I am a bit shaken up. I apologize.” William downed the liquor he’d paid extra for.

“Yes, I have noticed.” Graham’s blue eyes twinkled. “I suppose however, that by an early call you did not mean this. What has transpired? Is Ms. Bunsbury all right?”

William’s heart jolted at the sound of Emily’s name. He passed a hand across his face. He was in deep.

“Yes, but she was attacked.”

“Attacked, you say? By whom?” Reeves set the teacup down with such force, the liquid spilled over the edge.

“Wolves.”

“But there have never been wolves in Brookenshire.”

“That is why I am here. You know this town, better than I do. I barely arrived a few months ago and I had it in good confidence that there were no wolves to be found in the area, but that seems to have changed. Could your pack perhaps be moving into the area without your knowledge?”

“Mr. Dalton.”

“William. Please.”

“William.” The porcelain cup in his hands shook as he brought it to his mouth. Graham closed his eyes. “I have no pack. I thought you knew.” Grief danced in the depths of his eyes as he reopened them.

“I suspected as much. I hope you take no offense, but…”

“You’d like to know why I wander the world alone.”

“Yes.”

The other man sighed. His eyes darted across the room as if he could see something in the shadows. William followed his gaze. The fire was burning dimly, the candles casting a gloomy light across the room. Chairs had been placed atop tables, he supposed, to make cleaning easier at the end of the day. Landscape portraits adorned the walls, giving the dark inn a hint of color.

“I was born in the poor quarter of a town in the north of the continent.”

“You are not English?”

“No, sir.”

William clasped his hands together and laid them on the table. He waited for Graham to continue.

“I was the runt of the litter. I was left to die, as there were too many mouths to feed. Luck smiled upon me, for a man found me on the alley where they dropped me. He was the servant of a wealthy merchant paying a visit to his family. He took me home with him and told his master where he’d found me. His master and his wife adopted me. They had been trying to conceive a child for years without success and they badly wanted a child.” Reeves smiled sadly. “They were fantastic parents. Sadly, they were not wolves so I grew with no knowledge of my heritage until at the age of twelve I shifted for the first time.”

“You told your parents?”

Graham laughed. “Good God, no. I was twelve but I was not stupid. I realized that my parents would disinherit me, or worse, if they discovered that I could change into a beast. “

“How did you contain the urge to run?”

“You have never been to the north of the continent, Sir? There are wild forests waiting to be discovered. I would sneak out during the night and run.” Graham fixed his gaze on a bright painting of a sunset. “I led a happy life following in my father’s steps as a merchant. I traveled the world and helped my father create a trade market with India. On a trip to Dacca, vomiting over the edge of a boat, I met Angelina.” He shut his eyes and inhaled deeply. “I can still smell her scent sometimes. Indian spices, mingled with her favorite soap. She was my mate. We married in England in a tiny chapel in the countryside. It was pouring rain. Everything that could go wrong went wrong … but we didn’t see it. We were so happy, William. We ended up dancing and kissing in the rain, with mud stains on our clothes and our guests staring at us as if we’d lost our minds. Perhaps, we had.” Graham ran his fingertip over the edge of his cup. “We had a child, my son, Thomas. He had my eyes and his mother’s dark hair. For five years we lived a fairy tale. Then, I received word that my father had passed away. Angelina insisted on traveling with me to the funeral. William,” he spread his hands on the table. “I loved being with her. Every time I was away from her it was as if a part of me had been removed. She didn’t have to convince me for me to accept. We debated taking Thomas with us or not. I thought it would be a great opportunity for our child to see my land of birth, so we decided that he’d come too.” Graham covered his face with his hands. “I buried my father, my wife and my son that autumn. The ship sank and I could do nothing to save them. Nothing.” His voice cracked and a shudder racked his body.

“Graham, you had no way of knowing. There was nothing you could have done.”

“I know. I know, but it’s still hard.” When he removed his hands from his face tears streaked his pale features, collecting on his short beard. “Excuse me, Mr. Dalton. I have never spoken to this to anyone.” William offered him his handkerchief. Reeves wiped his eyes and balled the scrap of cloth in his fist. “For months, I stalled my return to England. I wanted to die. I took to the mountains as a wolf. Being an animal allowed the pain to recede slightly. I didn’t have to think or feel. I only had to survive.” Graham opened his robe at his chest, revealing several scars. “They were difficult months. My brothers almost killed me.”

“Your brothers?”

He nodded. “My mother recognized me and saved me from them but I was forced to flee the mountain and return to civilization.”

“Your mother did not offer you to join the pack? You had survived against all odds and an omega is needed in every family.”

Graham’s eyes searched his face for an instant before his lips twitched and he smiled. “I’m a runt, a weakling. I have no place in a pack.”

“Is that why I’ve never seen you in London?”

“I do not do business in London. There is too much competition and the clans there frighten me.”

“So you wander alone.”

“Yes.”

“But—?” William shook his head. He couldn’t quite believe it. Lone wolves died. They did not thrive. Yet, the man before him had surprising resilience. He had been abandoned by his family, his mate had perished, and yet he still lived, laughed and smiled. His heart went out to him. Men like these were the ones that wolf packs needed: Courageous, with a good heart.

“You’re wondering why I’m alive.”

“Yes.”

“I do not know. Perhaps, because I have always wandered alone and never truly missed the companionship of a pack.” He shrugged and stared at his empty cup. “Perhaps, I hide my emotions from myself.”

“No man deserves to be left to die and every man deserves a friend.” William stretched his hand across the table, offering it to the other man. Graham’s eyes watered, but he grasped William’s hand with strength.

“Thank you.”

“You’re welcome.”

“Though, I believe you didn’t come here tonight to make friends with me, William. Emily has been attacked.”

William clasped his hands together atop the table as the fear he’d failed to feel earlier wrapped around him in a deathly grip. Emily. His Emily could have been hurt, killed. He shouldn’t be here He should be out there, watching over her. She was his mate and he had to keep her safe.

“Look at me, William. Tell me what happened. We’ll keep Emily safe.”