you believe me? Please, stay. Let me explain everything.”
“But, you were horribly wounded. And had a broken leg.”
Ryker pulled the two sides of his flannel shirt back so that Kenzie could see his chest. She took in the long, bright scar that traveled across his ribcage in a diagonal line.
“I was wounded. I’m better, now.”
Kenzie set her bag down. “Okay,” she said warily. “I’ll stay. But I’m so confused right now. You have some serious explaining to do.”
“I know,” Ryker said. “I know. Let me call a few of my buddies who can help me explain, and then I’ll get you some food while we wait for them to get here.” Ryker grabbed the cordless headset from the kitchen counter and headed for the cabin door. “I’ll be back in a minute. There’s coffee in the coffeepot and mugs in the cupboard directly above it. Help yourself.”
Ryker stepped outside, and as far away from the cabin as the cordless phone’s range would allow. He wasn’t sure how this conversation was going to go, and he didn’t want Kenzie to overhear him getting a verbal beating from his alpha. Neal answered on the first ring.
“Neal’s tattoo shop.”
“Neal, we have a big problem,” Ryker said.
Neal let out a low growl. “Tell me this problem’s name is not Kenzie,”
“Well, it is. But it’s not what you think. Let me explain.”
Ryker gave Neal a complete rundown of the night before, starting with the Blizzard’s surprise attack, and with his inability to contact the town doctor. He explained that he thought that Kenzie might be able to help, so he called her. Then when she arrived, she was worried that she only knew how to treat animals. Ryker had been desperate, so he shifted to a bear, hoping it would give her the confidence she needed to save his life.
“I’m sorry, Neal. I didn’t know what to do. I was on the verge of dying, and my instincts kicked in. I was delirious, and I wasn’t thinking about anything else except surviving.”
A long pause followed Ryker’s explanation. Ryker wanted to say something else to convince Neal that the shift had been necessary. After all, they were allowed to shift in emergency situations, and last night had surely qualified as an emergency, right? But Ryker kept his mouth shut and resisted the urge to over-explain things. After what felt like an eternity, Neal finally spoke.
“I can’t say I’m pleased with this turn of events. But I understand why you did what you did. And it sounds like you owe Kenzie your life, so we’re all in her debt. But you should have called me last night.”
“I know. I’m sorry I didn’t. But, honestly, Neal, I was so far gone mentally at that point that the only thing I could think about was trying to stay alive.”
“I understand. But we have some damage control to do now. You said Kenzie is still at your cabin?”
“Yes.”
“Good. Keep her there. I’m going to call the others and we’ll meet you there. All we can do now is lay out the whole story for Kenzie and hope she’s one of the rare humans who is willing to keep our shifter secrets. Otherwise, we might be moving on to a new town, again.”
“Don’t worry, Neal,” Ryker said, conviction filling his voice. “Kenzie will be understanding, once everything is explained to her. She’s different from most humans. She’s special.”
“I hope you’re right, Ryker. I really hope you’re right,” Neal said, and then hung up the line. Ryker sighed and went back inside to make some bacon and eggs for his guest. Don’t let me down, baby, he silently pleaded to her. Please, don’t let me down.
Chapter Nine
Kenzie sat warily at the kitchen table, watching through the window as Ryker paced back and forth with the phone in his hand. She couldn’t make out his words, but she could tell from his expression and hand gestures that the conversation he was having was an intense one.
Kenzie rubbed her forehead and frowned. She was still having a hard time
“But, you were horribly wounded. And had a broken leg.”
Ryker pulled the two sides of his flannel shirt back so that Kenzie could see his chest. She took in the long, bright scar that traveled across his ribcage in a diagonal line.
“I was wounded. I’m better, now.”
Kenzie set her bag down. “Okay,” she said warily. “I’ll stay. But I’m so confused right now. You have some serious explaining to do.”
“I know,” Ryker said. “I know. Let me call a few of my buddies who can help me explain, and then I’ll get you some food while we wait for them to get here.” Ryker grabbed the cordless headset from the kitchen counter and headed for the cabin door. “I’ll be back in a minute. There’s coffee in the coffeepot and mugs in the cupboard directly above it. Help yourself.”
Ryker stepped outside, and as far away from the cabin as the cordless phone’s range would allow. He wasn’t sure how this conversation was going to go, and he didn’t want Kenzie to overhear him getting a verbal beating from his alpha. Neal answered on the first ring.
“Neal’s tattoo shop.”
“Neal, we have a big problem,” Ryker said.
Neal let out a low growl. “Tell me this problem’s name is not Kenzie,”
“Well, it is. But it’s not what you think. Let me explain.”
Ryker gave Neal a complete rundown of the night before, starting with the Blizzard’s surprise attack, and with his inability to contact the town doctor. He explained that he thought that Kenzie might be able to help, so he called her. Then when she arrived, she was worried that she only knew how to treat animals. Ryker had been desperate, so he shifted to a bear, hoping it would give her the confidence she needed to save his life.
“I’m sorry, Neal. I didn’t know what to do. I was on the verge of dying, and my instincts kicked in. I was delirious, and I wasn’t thinking about anything else except surviving.”
A long pause followed Ryker’s explanation. Ryker wanted to say something else to convince Neal that the shift had been necessary. After all, they were allowed to shift in emergency situations, and last night had surely qualified as an emergency, right? But Ryker kept his mouth shut and resisted the urge to over-explain things. After what felt like an eternity, Neal finally spoke.
“I can’t say I’m pleased with this turn of events. But I understand why you did what you did. And it sounds like you owe Kenzie your life, so we’re all in her debt. But you should have called me last night.”
“I know. I’m sorry I didn’t. But, honestly, Neal, I was so far gone mentally at that point that the only thing I could think about was trying to stay alive.”
“I understand. But we have some damage control to do now. You said Kenzie is still at your cabin?”
“Yes.”
“Good. Keep her there. I’m going to call the others and we’ll meet you there. All we can do now is lay out the whole story for Kenzie and hope she’s one of the rare humans who is willing to keep our shifter secrets. Otherwise, we might be moving on to a new town, again.”
“Don’t worry, Neal,” Ryker said, conviction filling his voice. “Kenzie will be understanding, once everything is explained to her. She’s different from most humans. She’s special.”
“I hope you’re right, Ryker. I really hope you’re right,” Neal said, and then hung up the line. Ryker sighed and went back inside to make some bacon and eggs for his guest. Don’t let me down, baby, he silently pleaded to her. Please, don’t let me down.
Chapter Nine
Kenzie sat warily at the kitchen table, watching through the window as Ryker paced back and forth with the phone in his hand. She couldn’t make out his words, but she could tell from his expression and hand gestures that the conversation he was having was an intense one.
Kenzie rubbed her forehead and frowned. She was still having a hard time
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