Hunting the Hunter (Second in Lone Wolf series)

Chapter Thirty-One

Dawn moved aside and let the three of them enter, closing the door behind them.

“This has gone on long enough.” Grange said as Dawn sat down on the tiny arm chair beside the fireplace.

“I agree.” Trig said as the door opened and he, Nickolai, Anika and Blain entered. “You two fighting just isn’t natural. You two are supposed to be the stable ones.”

“Does everyone really have to be here?” Dawn demanded.

Nickolai nodded. “We are a pack. What effects you, effects all of us.”

“It’s not anything that any of you can help me with.” Dawn argued, standing up and trying to cross the room.

Grange had had enough. He grabbed her by the arm, sat down on the armchair and yanked her down in his lap, holding her securely in place and giving her no hope of escaping him.

“You will talk to me now. I won’t wait any longer.”

“Grange…” Dawn warned and Grange just growled.

“Don’t ‘Grange..’ me.” he replied. “If you’re going to be ripping my heart out and stomping all over it then I damn sure have a right to know why!”

“Grange I never meant to hurt you.” Dawn assured him as tears filled her eyes. Grange shook his head.

“Well you haven’t just hurt me. You’ve been killing me slowly and I don’t care if everyone here knows it. They all understand how much I love you, what I would do for you. Just tell me what I’ve done to make you hate me so, Dawn…” Grange’s voice broke even as his jaw hardened. “You know I would never knowingly hurt you.”
Dawn knew there was no point in trying to hide the truth from him or the pack any longer. They had cornered her, pinned her down, and the Wolf in her knew when to pack down to a threat.

“I know you love me…” she began and Grange nodded, his face buried deep in her hair.

“Damn straight.” he grunted against her ear. Dawn felt herself trembling. In truth she had needed this worse than he had. She had needed to feel his touch and have his strong arms wrapped possessively around her.

“You love me for my gentle nature, my softness…”

Trig snorted with amusement. “Gentle nature hell, you’re mean as hell when you wanna be.” he said with a laugh and then he swallowed hard and lowered his gaze at Nickolai’s sharp glance.

“Right, not helping.” Trig confessed as he held up his hands. “Please continue…”

“Dawn, where are you going with this?” Grange asked with a frown. Dawn swallowed hard.

“I’m afraid that if you know what I felt inside that day at the compound then you won’t love me as much as you do right now.”

“I can tell you right now that you don’t need to worry about something like that ever happening. You are my heart and soul and nothing..” he grabbed her cheeks and turned her face so that Dawn had no choice but to look in his eyes. “Do you hear me? Nothing will ever make me love you less.”

Dawn pressed her forehead to his and closed her eyes.

“I’m sorry.” she whispered, tears slipping down her cheeks. “The guilt is eating me alive and I took it out on you. I’m so sorry. I need you, Grange.” She buried her face in his chest and wept.

Grange felt his own throat get tight but fought back the rising emotion. The alpha male couldn’t cry right in front of everyone. He held Dawn tight and shushed her as he rubbed her back and kissed her hair.