Of course I went I back to say goodbye. I had to. Despite what had passed between us my father had cared for me in his own way. I wouldn’t see him again – that I knew for certain – and I wanted to say goodbye.

He opened the door before I could knock and his body blocked the doorway, barring me entry. We took each other in slowly, not sure what to say or do.

Dressed only in stained sweats, he clutched a whiskey bottle in his hand and immediately I went to pry it from his grip. I stopped, my fingers curling around the air. Frowning, I dropped my hand. My entreaties had never worked before so why would they now? Some habits just died hard I guess.

He took a swig from the lip of the bottle and some of the liquor trickled down his chin to stain his threadbare jumper. The smell of it was so strong it made my eyes water. His attention moved past me to fall on the truck that came trundling to a stop in the snow a few paces away. I sighed heavily even as I felt bolstered by this silent and bold display of support.

I’d asked the boys to wait back at my cabin so the sight of Luke didn’t put my Da’s back up. What did they think? That I’d come here for a farewell whipping?

Turning, I flicked my hand at my mate crossly. His eyes sparked angrily before he looked away, expression supremely pissed.

Bobby kind of bobbed his head at me then slammed closed the door he’d opened to get out and leaned forward to talk to Luke, still shooting concerned glances my way. They one thing they seemed in complete agreement on was that my father was an ass who deserved a beat down.

Overprotective fools. Just who had saved whom last night?

“Do you love him?” My Da asked in a gruff voice bordering on sarcasm.

I hesitated then offered him a small smile, my mind nastily borrowing some of Luke’s language, “Oh, Da. You don’t have to love someone to enjoy fucking them.” The moment the words were out of my mouth I regretted them. This parting should not be done in anger, or spite, and my childish behavior would only aggravate him. I looked away, shrugging. “Does it really matter to you that I would give everything to ensure his safety? That I would walk into flames to keep him from harm? I know little of love, but I know what I feel for Luke can’t be wrapped up into a tidy four letter word. My feelings for him transcend this world.” My eyes drifted closed. “Physically, emotional and spiritually I am bound to him and will battle storms with him.” My eyes opened and I turned to face the man who had never really tried to be my father. I was ever so ready for his abuse to be over, ready for my future with my new family.

He trembled, wrinkled and cold-burnt skin wobbling about his throat as he did. “Away with you Satan worshiping she-Devil.” His head turned from me, scraggly grey hair flying about his weathered face in the wind. “You will burn in the pits of hell and your man-whore will burn with you. Praise be to God and his angels.”

I sucked in a breath and released it in hollow chuckle. Really, what had I expected? His blessing? I wrapped my arms around his stiff body and clutched him tightly; fighting the tears I swore to myself I would never cry over him again. He smelled like stale sweat and I sighed.

“I’ll miss you, Da. Take care, alright?”

He said nothing. Rheumy eyes filled with bitterness stared beyond me, pious and defiant. His arms remained stiff at his sides. He didn’t want to say goodbye, and it was sad, but it didn’t bother me. Not anymore. I left him there, on his doorstep and silently wished him long life.

Opening the door of the truck waiting for me, I jumped in, eased myself into the worn fabric and breathed in the smell of rubber and smoke. I sniffed. Whoever had owned this boat-like vehicle before us was a slob. I guessed one of Cartwright’s knuckle-headed goons. I kicked empty and crushed coke cans, crisp packets, and old food wrappers under my chair before giving up, sighing again, and resting my feet up on the dash.

Half turning, I smiled at Bobby. The car was more for his benefit since Luke and I could run as Wendigo’s in the cold for hours quite happily, but the young boy would freeze to death. All things considered he seemed to be holding up okay. You’d never think he’d watched his father’s skin burnt and blistered off by a spike of lightning, or that he’d be riding in a car with the man who’d killed his sister. He had a story to tell, and when we had time we would hear it and help him through it, just like a real family.

We’d all had a long and revealing talk throughout the remaining night, and Luke gradually came to accept that I would be taking Bobby with us. He didn’t oppose me, simply crushed my lips beneath his and gave me an exasperated look before glaring at the boy and warning him that if he ever laid a hand on me he’d rip it off. Bobby had countered that if ever he hurt me Luke would be digging silver out his skull. Then he’d thrown clothes at us and demanded we get dressed and stop walking around naked. Considering how badly it could have gone between the two males, I think the forming of our odd little Clan was a success.

I can’t say why Bobby appealed to me so much. I don’t think it was the Hunger – it was something much more real and alluring than that. Hope, perhaps? Hope that I can have a human who will like me for me? Bobby had seen the worst of me and he’d not run screaming or tried to kill me. He’d accepted me in a heartbeat, and so I, and the Wendiga, had accepted him into our Clan.

He gave me a tentative smile back, and his eyes twitched to the back of Luke’s head. He sneered slightly, but when I scowled at him he rolled his eyes and settled back to pull his woolly hat down his face. Crossing his hands over his chest he let his chin fall forward and smacked his lips, preparing for sleep.

I chuckled at my concern for him. Who knew I could feel anything for one not of my blood? Who knew the monster in me could care? Well, one person had known.

I slanted a look at the darkly handsome and primal man beside me. His hand, the one that should be hugging the tarnished chrome shift, wandered over my thigh, lust already burning through him.

“Ready, sweetheart?” he asked in that lazy drawl, eyes twinkling. He looked good in the jeans and jumper Bobby had found for him. I preferred the kilt though.

Another man would have touched my cheek or stroked my hair. Another man would have held me and told me my Da loved me. But this was no other man, and he knew I was stronger than that. We were moving into a new future together and demons of the past had no business following us there.

Leaving didn’t hurt, not as much as I thought it would. I was growing, you see. Becoming something new. Reborn as a being I should have embraced from birth. I was a monster and I had come to accept it.

Luke was a monster too. My monster with hair the colour of spilt ink and a face of shadows.

My stomach rumbled loudly and I sighed. Never did it let me rest. It was the last day of the shifting cycle and some of Cartwright’s men had escaped the electrical storm, and the blizzard. It was time to hunt, time to feed with my chosen mate by my side.

Luke leaned over and pressed his lips to mine. “Ready?” he repeated.

I smiled, even as my canines lengthened to sharp points and pierced my bottom lip. “I’m ready.”

*