Creed

Chapter Two

Angel fled out the back door and glanced at the cliffs. She knew approximately where Creed’s home lay. She’d spied on him as a teen until she’d spotted where his lair had to be located. It was impossible to reach unless he flew someone there. She’d never been invited. At one time, she’d wanted him to take her to his home more than anything.

She made a beeline for the river, where memories lingered of the days Creed had spent time with her when she’d been a teen.

She reached the rock that stretched out over the rushing water and climbed out to the edge. She took a seat and allowed her legs to dangle. A memory surfaced of Creed sitting next to her, holding a fishing pole. They’d talked for hours. She even knew a bit about his upbringing. His parents had four children, so he’d been sent away from home. It was a GarLycan thing, something to do with too many males living in close proximity. They were territorial and tended to fight. His clan leader had assigned him to be their guardian. It was far from their territory and gaining access to Lycan women as potential mates for their clan was a priority. GarLycans birthed more males than females on average, which left them always in need of women.

Most of the pack didn’t think Creed had a heart. She knew that was false. He’d saved a lonely, terrified little girl once and flown her to a wonderful life. He could have just ignored what he’d seen but he hadn’t. It proved he possessed compassion and he’d cared about her. He’d even given her a new name.

Years had passed when they hadn’t spoken after that night he’d given her to new parents, but he’d become her companion when Lycans her age were out hunting and learning their senses in wolf form during their teens. She’d been left to her own devices. He’d probably felt sorry for her, but she liked to think they’d been soul mates, that he’d been lonely too.

Angel had made the mistake of telling him she was in love with him when she’d hit the age of consent. She had hoped he’d admit he felt the same. She’d dreamed of Creed flying her up to his lair and mating her. Her gaze lifted and she zeroed in on the location of his home. The opening wasn’t visible but she thought she had identified the boulder it hid behind. All her hopes and dreams had rested up there with him.

He’d crushed them by telling her that loving him was a mistake.

He’d given no real explanation or apologies. He’d just flown away and avoided her. She’d spent a week in bed, crying her eyes out, and then had tried to get his attention to talk to him again. He either ignored her or just refused to come down. Either way, as the months passed, she’d decided to leave her home and start a life somewhere else. She refused to continue to stare at those cliffs, seeking any sign of him. It was painful to always catch herself looking up at night, into the sky, hoping to see him flying above her.

Loving Creed had changed her life in so many ways. He’d given her a home and then taken it away. She’d wanted to return to live in the village after a few years but the career she’d started only allowed her those two-week visits. Every time she came to visit her parents, it brought back the pain. No man could ever compare to Creed. She’d made some horrific mistakes trying to get over him.

Tomas’s face flashed in her mind as she peered into the river. He was a Lycan she’d dated. He’d been good looking and was seeking a mate. She’d given him her virginity since Creed hadn’t wanted it. Their relationship had seemed happy for the weeks it had lasted, and she’d wanted to love him. She had even talked herself into believing she did, out of desperation—until she’d brought up the future and kids. Tomas had informed her she was good enough to date and sleep with, but he wanted a Lycan mate when he settled down. She’d ended the relationship and he’d let her go without a protest.

She’d dated Mitch when she’d first moved to Washington. He was human and a fun-loving guy. They had grown serious and had even talked about marriage. Again, she’d wanted to love him. She’d tried. It had almost been a relief when she’d come home early after a small fire had shut down the building she worked in, and she’d caught him in bed with some woman. She’d packed her stuff and left. He’d tried to talk her into coming back but she was done. She hadn’t even cried.

Then there had been Adam two years before. He’d been her neighbor. They’d started out as friends, then became more. It had come as a shock when she’d realized he was doing drugs. The signs had been there but she’d been naive.

The confrontation was bad when she’d told him to stop or they were over. He’d tried to get physical. That had been a mistake. She’d been raised with Lycans. Her parents and pack mates had taught her how to fight. He might have thrown the first punch but he’s the one who had been taken away in an ambulance. She’d moved to a new apartment.

Her experiences with previous relationships sucked because she was in love with Creed. None of them had ever stood a chance of making her forget him. But he was the very definition of emotionally unavailable.

She lifted her gaze to the cliffs. Creed was the toughest man she’d ever met. Was it possible this ravage thing could take his life? She hugged her chest and fought tears. She’d always wanted him, but would one night ever be enough? And how bad would it be for her to live with afterward, knowing what she was missing?

She had no answers.

Movement from the corner of her eye drew her attention and she turned her head. Four large wolves crept out of the woods. She smiled.

“Hi, guys. I’m home.”

One of them rushed forward and jumped up on the rock. She reached out and scratched Amond’s coat on the back of his neck. He flashed teeth at her and bumped his head against her shoulder. She laughed.

“It’s good to see you too. No clothes nearby?”

He shook his head and licked her cheek. She pushed him away. “Gross. I don’t know where that tongue has been.” She leaned back, staring at the smaller version of him. “Tell your brother how wrong that is.”

To

“Okay. I’ll see you guys in about ten minutes. Go put some clothes on. My mom made chocolate chip cookies. We’ll meet up there.”

Amond released her wrist and lifted a paw, batting at her hair.

She glanced at it. “What do you think? You didn’t recognize me from behind, did you? The wind is blowing in the wrong direction for you to pick up my scent. Did you think I was an intruder?”

He whined.

She gripped his muzzle and pushed. “What were you going to do? Bite me? I know what a sweetheart you are. You probably would have let me rub your belly if I were a stranger, like some playful puppy. Go on. I’ll see you in ten.”

They ran off and she sighed. They’d want to know why her hair wasn’t black anymore, and why she’d returned when they weren’t expecting her. She needed to think up something to tell her friends. Her gaze lifted to the cliffs and she tensed.

A dark figure loomed in the sky—and it soared right at her.

Creed’s wings were tucked and he plummeted fast. He almost hit the river before he braked the decent by opening his wings. She felt fear for a second at the sheer speed with which he could move, and the fact that it seemed as if he were going to slam right into her. She actually leaned back, expecting the impact, but his wings opened wide. One powerful flap had him jerking to a halt. He landed on the rock a foot away.