8. Ethan

8

ETHAN

" G race, wait," I entreat.

"I can't do this if you're not going to be open with me," she says, a closed look on her face. She stands up with her bag and says with finality, "I'll see you around, Ethan."

I immediately stand from my chair, determined to chase Grace when Adrian suddenly appears in front of me, blocking my path. "Are you sure about this, Ethan?" he asks solemnly, still wearing his bartender's apron.

My feelings for Grace are so strong, I have half a mind to ignore his presence and brush him aside. But he's the Alpha of the pack. I can't disrespect him so flagrantly.

"I'm sure," I say firmly. "I love her, Adrian. She's my mate."

"I won't stand in your way. Just remember, she's human. She'll need to do more than love you to prove her loyalty," he warns.

"I understand," I murmur.

Adrian studies me before stepping aside, giving me his silent blessing.

I rush past him, hoping against hope Grace hasn't left yet. Despite my certainty in the face of Adrian's question, I'm feeling unsure about her motives. I can't deny my frustration that she's meddling with things she doesn't understand, and it can only land her into trouble.

I need to make her understand, and the only way I know how to do that is to tell her who I am. I know she's attracted to me, but I don't know whether that's enough for her to give up her investigation on shifters. I'm putting the existence of my whole pack into jeopardy. There's a lot riding on this.

Her career as an investigative reporter complicates things. Having a human mate is usually enough to throw a spanner in the works, but add her dedication to the truth… Not knowing where I stand is making me even more unbalanced.

My feral side has been silent in the face of Adrian. But now, I can feel its underlying desperation – a mix of desire and panic. My wolf wants to claim her. To formally say she's mine. But the human side is still able to exert some control.

Spotting her car idling on the curb, I sprint toward it, opening the passenger door before she could peel away.

"I told you I can't do this, Ethan," she says, glaring at me with fire in her eyes.

I slide into the passenger seat, closing the door behind me. "Grace, are you really going to blow me off like this? Especially after that amazing night we just had?"

Her eyes flash with anger, but there's something else there too—pain, maybe? "It's not just about us, Ethan. This is important to me."

"I thought we were having a good time," I say, trying to keep my voice steady. "Why throw all that away for work?"

"It's not just work," she snaps, her voice rising. "The truth about shifters is important to me."

"Why?" I press, my frustration bubbling over. "Why is this so important to you?"

Grace's face crumples, and she looks away, her shoulders shaking. "Because my best friend, Becky, was killed by what I believe to be a shifter. Right in front of my eyes."

Her words hit me like a punch to the gut. My feral side gives a long howl of agony at what she's just revealed. It's a huge taboo in our kind to kill innocents, especially children. To have done so is tantamount to expulsion from a pack – any pack.

I watch as she struggles to hold back tears, her breath coming in short, ragged gasps. The pain in her voice is palpable, and I can feel my own heart breaking for her. I'm calming down my wolf even as my mind races with the implications of what I've just heard.

"I'm so sorry, Grace," I say, reaching out to touch her arm. But she flinches away, shaking her head.

"You don't understand," she says, her voice trembling. "I need to know the truth. I need to know what happened to Becky."

Her shoulders heave with sobs, and I can see the raw agony etched on her face. Tears stream down her cheeks, and she covers her face with her hands, her whole body shaking. I pull her into my arms, holding her tightly as she cries. Her sobs are loud and heart-wrenching, and it takes a while for her to calm down.

"I'm so sorry," I whisper. "I didn't know."

She leans into me, her tears soaking into my shirt. "I just need to know, Ethan. I need to find out the truth."

I'm torn. I can see how much this means to her, and I want to help her. I know the pack might not agree. Still, I can't lie to her. Not anymore.

"Grace," I say softly, pulling back to look into her eyes. "I do want to be honest with you."

She sniffs, wiping her tears away with the back of her hand. "Then tell me the truth."

"I promise we can talk," I say. "But not here. It's too dangerous."

She nods, her eyes still red and puffy from crying. "Okay. Let's go back to my place."

"Alright," I agree, feeling a mix of relief and apprehension. She turns to start the engine, when I see how much her hand is shaking.

Seeing how she's in no state to drive, I gently cover her hand. "Grace, let me drive," I suggest softly.

She hesitates for a moment before nodding. We switch positions, and I help her into the passenger seat before settling behind the wheel.

As we drive, the silence between us is heavy. I glance over at her, her face still streaked with tears. "I'm really sorry you had to see that, Grace," I say quietly. "It's something no one should ever have to go through. And I apologize for pushing and making you relive it."

She looks at me, her eyes filled with gratitude. "Thank you, Ethan. That means a lot."

We fall into a comfortable silence, broken only by Grace giving me directions to her house every so often. Each time her voice wavers, and I can see how much she's struggling to keep it together.

My mind races with the severity of what she's just told me. Becky's death sounds like the actions of a rogue shifter—a dangerous one. I don't remember hearing of a rogue shifter in our area, but I was a child when this happened. I need to look deeper into it.

To find out more… And to protect Grace as well.

My worry for her intensifies, knowing that if she's digging into shifter territory, she's putting herself at great risk. After what she saw when she was a child, I understand her motivations now, and I know she'll never rest until she gets to the heart of what happened.

Gritting my teeth, I resolve to do what I promised and be honest with her. What's the worst that can happen? If she doesn't agree to be my mate, I'll turn feral. But then, isn't that what I've been preparing for ever since my dad died? It's not any worse than what I am already. A shifter on the fringes of his pack.

Finally, we pull up to her house. The impending conversation sits heavy on my shoulders, but I know it's necessary. I turn off the engine and look at Grace, her eyes still red from crying but filled with determination.

"We're here," I say softly.

She nods. "Alright. Let's talk."

As we head inside, I can only hope that the truth will bring us closer together, rather than tearing us apart.