The Winter Moon's Wolf Part 12

No such luck.

As soon as Dean had discovered his motorcycle and knew he was there, Cade knew he'd start looking for him.

Silently, he was cussing in ways that would have had his mother after him with a bar of soap.

After another ten minutes in the freezing cold, he couldn't make Dean suffer. It was getting colder now that any sunlight was gone.

"Cade! Come on. It's f.u.c.king cold as s.h.i.+t out here. Where are you?"

He sighed in defeated acceptance, hanging his head.

With his tail and his head low, he emerged out of the field and dragged his a.s.s toward the shed. He could stay hidden, but he'd still have to explain what he'd been doing there. He'd tried to make the best decisions during his lifetime. He could only hope this was one of them.

"Hey," Dean called gently, the one word full of genuine concern.

Lifting his line of sight, he landed right on a pair of green eyes that were pinned on him as he approached.

"It's cold out here, huh? I bet you're freaking cold, too." He squatted down and let a hand hang limp off a knee, knuckles lightly bent in offering.

Cade let the wolf greet him. Let him run his face all over that hand. He even licked at Dean's cold fingers once.

He couldn't hide the terror that this was all he'd get of the man once he knew the truth.

"I don't know what you are, a hybrid maybe. At least you're friendly." He continued to talk in a soothing, calm voice.

Cade would have chuckled if he'd been on two feet. No, not a hybrid. No, not a hybrid. At least not the kind Dean was thinking of. After a long nuzzle against his outstretched hand, he backed up and stared right into him. At least not the kind Dean was thinking of. After a long nuzzle against his outstretched hand, he backed up and stared right into him.

He hardly moved, didn't twitch, didn't blink. He hoped Dean made the connection when he saw him face to face again.

Almost sick to his stomach with what he was about to do, he backed up and slipped behind the shed to dress. On two feet.

A few minutes later he heard, "Cade! Come on man. There's a poor dog out here freezing to death. I'm about to take him home with me and leave your sorry a.s.s out here. What the h.e.l.l are you doing here anyway? Where are you?"

Cade shook his head. Wish you would take him home. Wish you would take him home. He stomped into the second boot and stood straight. He stomped into the second boot and stood straight.

He drew a slow breath. Cold bit at bare flesh again. It must've dropped ten degrees in the last half hour.

"I'm here," he said, walking out from behind the shed. At least there was enough moonlight to not scare the poor man out of his skin.

Dean jerked away from the shed. "s.h.i.+t! Where'd you come from? Why didn't you answer?"

Cade's jaw clenched tight. He reached for his s.h.i.+rt and tugged it over his head. "I want you to just listen for a minute," he replied.

"To what?" Dean's anger was on the rise. "What the h.e.l.l are you doing here? Why were you hiding? Why didn't you answer me? Why are you walking around naked?"

He pulled on the sweater. He ignored every single one of his questions. "What color were the wolf's eyes?"

"What? The dog? You saw it?"

"Dean." He scrubbed a hand down his face. "Christ. Where do I even start?" he muttered.

"Just tell me what you're doing here first." Dean stood stiffly, only a foot or two away.

"I came to see if there were any clues that could have been overlooked." Unfortunately, he hadn't found a single thing. Not a hair, not a left behind mistake. Nothing. And his want to help may have ruined his entire future. He tied back his hair. "I'm asking: What color were the wolf's eyes?"

"That was a dog, if you saw it. Wolves don't live around here."

"Dean," he said with a hint of sorrow and exasperation. "Please." He hadn't looked at the other man yet. His stomach was a corkscrew tight ma.s.s of knots.

"I think they were gray. Wait. Aren't most dogs' eyes like brown or maybe blue? It did look a little like a malamute or maybe a shepherd mix." He snapped his jaw shut. He glared at Cade. "Quit that! Tell me what you're doing here, at night, hidden, and for the game point, half-naked!"

"I told you, I was searching. As for the half-naked..." He let out a slow, controlled breath. It was a whitish stream in the frozen world before it dissipated. With a wealth of caution and just as much apprehension, he faced Dean. "Look at me, Dean. Look closely."

Dean sneered.

Cade didn't move, and he didn't blink.

Gray eyes locked on green.

"Picture the wolf. He's a near black with gray eyes, right?"

Uncooperative, Dean nodded. "If you saw it-"

"Dean," he growled. He wanted to get the man out of the cold, but didn't dare force him to make the connection, not on this. It scared the s.h.i.+t out of him to have to push like this as it was. This really really wasn't how or when he wanted to share the truth with the man. The bonds were still forming, weak. One mistake and it would be all over for him. He moved a few inches closer. "Just...try. Please?" he begged. "Look at me and try." wasn't how or when he wanted to share the truth with the man. The bonds were still forming, weak. One mistake and it would be all over for him. He moved a few inches closer. "Just...try. Please?" he begged. "Look at me and try."

Dean's expression didn't change. "You are just as insane as I'd first thought. I don't know where your mind is, man, but it's f.u.c.king freezing. There is a lost dog out here somewhere, and you're where you're not supposed to be. Here."

"Let me come home with you and I'll bring the dog with me," he offered.

"On your bike?" Dean tossed his hands in clear disgusted disbelief. "If you're not going to tell me the truth, f.u.c.k off. I don't need headaches like this."

"Dean." He closed his eyes briefly and tried to calm his heart. "I can can explain. I... I'll show you." He was losing ground so fast here. He really wanted to get the other man out of the freezing cold. He could handle it for a long period of time. Cade knew Dean couldn't. Except Dean's unwillingness to even work with him to piece it together was killing him. explain. I... I'll show you." He was losing ground so fast here. He really wanted to get the other man out of the freezing cold. He could handle it for a long period of time. Cade knew Dean couldn't. Except Dean's unwillingness to even work with him to piece it together was killing him.

He tried to close the gap and Dean skipped a step backward. The move sliced Cade through, chilling him in ways the winter temperatures couldn't come near.

"Just go home, Cade. Call me when you figure out which lie you're going to fix first. Or better yet, don't bother." He s.h.i.+fted his glare from him to the bar. "It seems awful convenient, now. I meet you, you do a good night's favor and suddenly my bar gets torched like a bad bonfire."

"I wasn't any part of this," he argued, his apprehension swinging quickly to anger of his own. He had no idea where the idea for blame came from.

Narrowed eyes focused on him. "But you're here now. Why? What are you hiding?"

"I told you-"

"Riiight, because everyone likes to walk around in the freezing cold, half-naked, at night. Searching for what?"

"f.u.c.k you," he growled lowly. "If you'd let me explain-" As soon as he spoke, he realized his mistake.

Dean spun on a heel and stalked away. He was around the corner in two strides and gone. A few seconds later, Cade heard the smack of the car door and the shriek of the car's motor being brought to life.

Headlights flooded the area then the car was on the road and gaining speed. Leaving him behind.

Dean punched the side of the shed, rocking it on its foundation. Not one of his best moments.

"d.a.m.n it." Icy air filled his lungs as he fought to calm himself.

No. He'd made the first move. He wasn't letting him stomp away. If Dean wanted the full truth, wanted answers, then Cade was going to give them to him. There was no going backwards now.

Locking his helmet into place, he started his bike and rolled from behind the remains of the bar. Taillights were visible in the distance. He had a good guess they were Dean's.

Zipped into his jacket, he cranked the throttle and raced after the man.

Chapter Ten.

Trailing a minute or two at the most, he pulled up behind Dean's car. The motor was still ticking as metal cooled when he marched past it. He pounded on the front door. "Dean!" Not loud enough to scare neighbors, but hopefully Dean got that he was serious.

The door whipped open. The anger was clear. The green of his eyes sparked like fireworks. "f.u.c.k. Off."

Dean went to slam it on him but Cade shoved his foot in the way to block it. "You want the truth," he challenged. "Open this d.a.m.ned door."

"Which truth?" he jeered.

"About why I was there. Why I didn't answer." His voice lowered with honesty. "I'll tell you everything."

"Don't know why I'm trusting you, again. again." Grudgingly, he widened the door opening.

"Because I haven't given you any reason not to trust me," he replied. He walked in cautiously. Dean was silently fuming. The door shut smartly.

"Fine. Talk." He crossed his arms.

"I was telling you the truth. I had hoped I could dig a little and find something overlooked. As for why I couldn't couldn't answer, wolves can't speak." answer, wolves can't speak."

Dean rolled his eyes. "You. Are. Insane." He reached for the doork.n.o.b. "Goodbye."

"I'm asking again. What color were its eyes?"

"I told you - gray."

Cade grasped him by the shoulders and forced Dean to face him. "My family has a secret. Myself, Quade, and Chris. It is inherited from our father. Once a month, we gather to run. We run as a pack. Wolves."

Slow-dawning realization leeched his face of color. "That's not possible," he croaked.

"Oh, it's very possible. We just don't advertise for safety reasons. I rather like having my skin, this one and the furry one, intact. We're wolf s.h.i.+fters." He heaved a huge breath as he said those last three words. Something he'd never dreamed of telling another human being was finally out in the open. "It's not something we share freely."

"So that...dog..."

"Wasn't a dog," he replied calmer. "I snooped the fields, the dumpster, and had finished the storage room where you'd mentioned the rags had been stored. I'd just walked behind the bar when you pulled up. I hid until I had no choice, because you found my motorcycle."

He still held onto Dean's shoulders. The man hadn't moved beneath his hands. "I didn't want you to find out like this."

Dean blinked and edged a step away. "Fine. You can go now."

Cade didn't trust that tone. There was something...hollow in Dean's gaze. "Do you believe me?"

"Sure," he said, almost too quickly, rushed even. He avoided touching Cade as he reached for the door. "Thanks for explaining it."

Cade's hand blocked the door. "Dean?"

"What?"

"You saw the wolf. You talked to him. He knows who you are."

"Sure he does," he said, like he was addressing a child, or a mental patient.

Cade sighed. His chest ached with failure. He wasn't going to stand there all night arguing over it. "Okay, I can tell this isn't going anywhere." He pushed on the door to shut out the cold. "Can I at least use your bathroom before you kick me out?"

Dean pressed his lips together, like the request went against his better judgment. "I suppose."

"Thanks." He refrained from reaching to touch the man. Clearing the living room, he walked past the kitchen to the small bathroom in the hallway.

Once inside, he flicked on the light and started stripping. Item by item he tossed his clothes on the sink counter until he stood naked. Tugging the tie from his hair last, he dropped it in a boot.

"Okay. I hope you're ready for this," he muttered. Whether he meant Dean, his wolf, or even himself, he had no idea. He heard Dean shuffling around in the living room, probably antsy to get rid of him.

Too bad it wasn't going to happen.

He cracked the door open so the wolf could paw at it and focused. Dean's tread was distracting and loud from the other room as he merged, letting the wolf come forward.

Almost as soon as he landed on four paws, he started to growl. Noises were clearer, more distinct. Thuds and grunts. The wolf scratched at the door. A scent reached him. Tangy. Pungent. And it was Dean's. Fear. Fear.

Something crashed to the floor. Cade clawed to get the door open. He whipped around the doorframe to race down the hallway toward the ruckus.

Growling, he tucked his legs and launched at the person struggling with Dean. The man shouted in surprise, losing his grip. Dean fell to the ground, catching himself on his hands, gasping. He reached for his throat, visibly shaking.

Cade snapped and growled at the person in front of him, backing him up. Dean heaved and gagged, pulling Cade's attention away from his attacker for a split second.

It was all that was needed for the man to lunge for the front door and flee from the house. Cade jumped after him, trying to get a leg between his teeth, but he missed.

When Cade wanted to pursue, the wolf refused and the three or four seconds they struggled, the guy leaped into a pickup truck and spun tires to get away.

Cade cursed, shaking the wolf, but he wouldn't be swayed. Dean had been hurt. Mates first.

A last look proved the vehicle was gone anyway. Going to have a long talk about that, Going to have a long talk about that, he warned. The wolf trotted back to the house like it owned the world. he warned. The wolf trotted back to the house like it owned the world.