Chapter 43

Forty-Three

IZZY

I ’ve never ridden a motorcycle before, and I can’t say it’s something I care to repeat.

Okay, that’s not entirely true. There’s something strangely appealing about being pressed against Reid the way I am, my soft curves a contrast to his hard muscles.

And it’s not like I’m afraid. Oh no. I actually wish I felt a little bit of fear. That would mean Reid was driving at the speed limit.

Instead, he seems content to pitter-patter along, barely reaching twenty miles per hour, as if he’s terrified I’m going to fall off the bike and break.

I’ve seen him drive before—more than once. He certainly didn’t drive like a granny then.

At the same time, I’m relieved he’s being careful, especially since I’m wearing the only helmet. I’m not sure even a wolf shifter can survive a crash on the highway.

Too soon—or not soon enough—we’re pulling off the road and down a dirt path. The trees here are thinner, though a few stubborn ones still scratch at my arms as we pass. I’m grateful for the jacket.

Reid pulls the bike to a stop at the edge of the tree line, where tall pine trees transition into a tranquil lake. The water ripples in the afternoon sun like a million minute diamonds.

“Why did you bring me here?” I ask, sliding off the bike.

Before I even can attempt to remove the helmet, Reid’s there, his expression grave but his hands gentle as he tugs the helmet off my head. For a long moment, we simply stare at each other. I can see the flecks of gold in his eyes, the color a startling contrast to the green and brown irises.

I wonder what he sees when he looks at me. No doubt, my hair is disheveled from the helmet. I can feel a few sticky strands clinging to my cheeks. His jacket is practically a leather dress on me. The bottom of it brushes my thighs. I’m most certainly a hot mess—but without the “hot” factor and with a huge emphasis on the “mess” part.

“Want to show you something,” he says at last, turning away as if it physically pains him to stare directly at me.

He begins to walk quickly—but very purposefully—down a tiny incline, towards the lake and the wildflowers surrounding it.

I remain rooted to the spot, unsure of what just happened, before I remove the jacket, drape it over the seat of the bike, and hurry after him.

“This place is beautiful,” I say.

I have to raise my voice to be heard over the rushing water.

He grunts but doesn’t respond.

“Is that why you wanted to show me it?” I press, staring down at my feet so I don’t trip over any loose roots or rocks.

I don’t even realize Reid has stopped until I plow straight into his back. He immediately spins around and places his hands on my shoulders, steadying me. Just as quickly, he releases me, taking a single step away so there’s space between us.

“Wanted to show you this.” He jerks his chin towards the ground.

My brows dip. “This?”

I follow the direction of his gaze.

Directly between us, in a perfect circle, is…dead grass. The brown, brittle blades look out of place amongst the greenery of the forest. A single flower wilts in its own bug-riddled refuse.

My disbelief must show on my face because he folds his arms over his chest and grunts out, “It happened here.”

“You need to be a wee more specific,” I say, frowning.

“This…” A muscle ticks in his jaw, drawing my attention to a few scars lining the skin there. “This is where that bitch cursed me.”

The implications of that statement slam into me with the force of a semitruck. I gape at him, unsure if I heard him correctly, his words playing on a loop in my head.

“What do you mean?” I ask.

At least, I think I ask. My voice is practically a whisper.

Reid looks away, his arms still folded over his chest and his customary scowl firmly in place. That expression on his face should terrify me. It probably would scare anyone else.

Yet I feel safe with him.

It’s strange. On paper, Reid is every red flag I can think of. Large, gruff, mean, rude, and curt. Maybe I’m just a damn bull attracted to that color, willing to run headfirst into the unknown.

Or maybe there’s more to the wolf shifter than what meets the eye.

“Michelle,” Reid grits out at last. “She cursed me.”

A thousand questions pop to life, but I bite my tongue to keep from asking them. Instead, I stand there, waiting for Reid to get his thoughts in order.

“We never dated,” he says at last. “But not because she didn’t want us to. She became…obsessed, to put it mildly. Thought we were soulmates or some shit.” That scowl of his deepens. “She began to stalk me. Hurt people. She came onto me after football practice one day.” His eyes turn glazed, trapped in a memory—a nightmare—only he can see. “I was showering, and she stepped in after me, butt-ass naked. Started trying to touch me.”

A shudder reverberates through him.

Blinding rage tints my vision red. My hands curl into claws at my sides. All I want to do is find this bitch and pull her eyes out.

“Reid…” I whisper, but he continues as if I hadn’t spoken.

“I pushed her away. Told her I didn’t feel that way about her.” He turns towards the horizon, every muscle in his body held taut. “I used to come here all the time to think. Be alone. She stalked me here on more than one occasion, but I thought… I thought she understood that we were nothing. That we haven’t ever been anything. I was wrong.”

I venture a step closer and place my hand on his arm. I don’t know if my touch provides him any comfort, but it’s the only thing I can think to do.

“She confronted me with her older brother. She told him I…hurt her.” He shudders again. “That bastard may have been the one to technically curse me, but it’s her fault. She did this to me.”

“What did she do, Reid?” I whisper.

“She took away the two things that mattered most to me—or, at least, the two things she believed mattered most to me.” He blows out a breath. “My looks and my wolf.”

“Your looks and your wolf…?”

“She had her brother curse me to be this ugly, disgusting creature.” He releases a sharp, self-deprecating laugh that causes my stomach muscles to tighten painfully. “And, more than that, she took away my wolf. I can’t shift. I won’t ever be able to until her brother lifts this curse from me.”