Chapter 25: 3


    Darrell was sanding down the cab door he had been working on when Katelyn returned. She ced


    the bag of food on the table along with two medium sodas. “I hope Jimmies is ok,” Jimmies was a fast-


    food burger joint in town. It was non-franchised, but the food was cheap and really great. They had the


    best burgers, and Darrell really enjoyed the yam fries.


    “Oh, my God!” Katelyn gasped as she looked at herputer. “What happened?”


    “Something wrong?” Darrell asked, pretending not to know what happened.


    “Myputer, it is all frozen up,” she said, taking a seat at the table, trying to fix the problem. Darrell


    leaned against the workbench, eating the burger she had brought him.


    Katelyn groaned. She could not fix it, so she was forced to shut the whole system down and start it up


    again. “Do you know anything aboutputers?” She asked, hopefully.


    Darrell frowned, “I know how to check my email; that’s about it,” he lied.


    He watched as she struggled to get everything going again. It took her 20 minutes, but she got the


    laptop working again. Katelyn searched for her pictures. “No… no… no!” She growled. It sounded like


    she could not find them. Darrell tried not to smile. He had seeded in destroying the pictures she had


    of him.


    “Troubles?” Darrell asked.


    “I had the most amazing pictures, and now they are gone,” she said with a pout that was just too cute.


    He could not help but snicker. “What?” She asked, annoyed.


    “Sorry, you are just super cute when you pout,” she was smiling now and blushing a little. Darrell knew


    she was taken, and he should not flirt, but there was something about her he liked. Usually, when he


    wanted a woman, he had her, but he would respect the fact that she was engaged. Still, the way she


    was smiling at him told him were she not another man’s fiancée. She would be his.


    The sound of the front door opening broke the moment they were sharing. Darrell quickly went back to


    work, trying to look innocent. Nigel came into the room. “You are home early,” Katelyn said as her


    fiancé walked over to the table to kiss her.


    As Nigel walked past him, Darrell’s heightened sense of smell caught the faint scent of a woman. It was


    not perfumed; it was a signature scent specific to one individual. Everyone had one, but it was not


    Katelyn’s scent. It was the scent of another woman. The only way for that scent to be all over Nigel was


    during sexual contact. What a scumbag he was cheating on his fiancée.


    Some people would say that Darrell was jumping to conclusions, and he had no real proof, but the truth


    was he did not have to see it with his own eyes, he did not need a confession, his nose was better than


    pictures. As a Lycanthrope, he could sense things humans could not. This guy was a fool. He had a


    beautiful sweet woman, and he was screwing around. Nigel did not deserve Katelyn. A smile turned up


    the corner of Darrell’s mouth. His infidelity changed things; in Darrell’s mind, he was green-lighted to


    make a y for Katelyn guilt-free. This jackass was about to lose his girl so fast it was going to make


    his ancestors dizzy.


    “My night manager up and quit on me today, so I have to cover the night shifts until I can hire


    someone,” Nigel told her. “I came home to shower and put on a fresh suit.”


    “You are going to be gone all night?” Katelynined.


    “I’ll be home at 8:00 AM.”


    “You are going to work all day and then all night? When are you going to sleep?”


    “I’m the manager, Baby. I can do what I want. I’ll just take a quick power nap in one of the empty


    suites.”


    Darrell shook his head and bit his tongue. Wow, this guy was bold. Sure, he had been in bed, but


    Darrell doubted he was going to be alone and sure as hell not sleeping. He must have snickered


    because both Nigel and Katelyn turned to look at him. Darrell lifted his closed hand to his mouth and


    cleared his throat a few times. “Sorry… something in my throat,” he lied, and they disregarded him,


    going back to their conversation.


    “Look, Kate Baby, if I had any choice, I would be home with you, but the hotel pays me a lot of money. I


    have to do the job they are paying me for,” Katelyn said nothing. She rolled her eyes. Darrell grinned.


    She was not buying his bullshit either. He had more respect for this girl; she was no fool. Nigel took an


    annoying step back. “What?”


    “What is her name?” Katelyn demanded. Oh, shit was about to go down. Darrell was trying so hard not


    to appear as if he was listening, but he had been wiping the wrench with his shop rag since Nigel


    walked in.


    “This shit again?” Nigel snapped, indignant with Katelyn for daring to suggest he was doing exactly


    what he was doing. “You think I’m screwing around?”


    “No, I know you are screwing around,” she barked as she stood up to confront him. Darrell leaned


    against the workbench. He was not even bothering to pretend he was not listening. Nigel looked at


    Darrell, who made eye contact while he picked up his soda and sipped it like he was in a movie theatre.


    He was not worried about getting fired at this point. He had a feeling after this fight they would not be


    completing the project anyway, regardless he got 2/3rds upfront, and his signed and notarized contract


    clearly said no refunds. So, he was going to enjoy the show.


    “Can we not do this in front of the help?” Nigel asked quietly.


    “Oh, I don’t mind,” Darrell said with a yful wiggle of his brow, “continue.”


    “What is the problem Nigel, don’t want people to know you are a cheat?” Katelyn snapped. “Always so


    concerned about what others think of you. I’m sick of this shit when we got engaged. You promised you


    would stop,” there was raw emotion behind her anger.


    “I’m not doing anything!” Nigel yelled back. “You need to learn to let go of the past. I don’t have time for


    this,” he growled and stormed out of the room. Katelyn dropped back down in her seat with tears in her


    eyes, and Darrell felt bad for her. Not only was her man cheating on her, but he had also basically told


    her she did not mean enough to him for him to even take the time to argue with her.


    Darrell heard the door upstairs m, followed by the sound of running water. He knew Nigel was in the


    shower. Darrell took the paper napkin from his meal and took a seat next to Katelyn, offering her the


    napkin for her tears. She epted it and dabbed her eyes. No tears had fallen yet; she was clearly


    more angry than sad, which would work to Darrell’s advantage.


    “I’m sorry you had to see that,” Katelyn muttered.


    “I’m sorry you had to live it,” he said with sympathy as he reached up and brushed her hair behind her


    ear. “That guy is an ass. You deserve better.”


    “I should have left him the first time it happened,” he agreed. Darrell never understood why otherwise


    smart women would put up with such disrespect.


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    “You know what you need? You need to go out and have some fun. I cashed your boyfriend’s cheque


    last week. I say we go get stupid drunk on his dime.”


    Katelyn smiled. “I don’t know,” she was not sure if going out with him was wise. After all, she had just


    had a fight with the man she lived with. Darrell leaned in and folded his arms on the table. He then


    rested his head on his arms and gave her wounded puppy eyes. Sheughed out loud, and Darrell sat


    upughing with her.


    “Oh,e on, Baby, I’m c-u-t-e, you know you want to.”


    “Have you ever heard the word, no?” She asked yfully.


    “No, and I don’t think I’m going to hear it tonight,” he leaned into her, “I’ll sweeten the deal, I’ll pose for


    revenge selfies, and you can send them to him all night,” sheughed again. “Check it,” he said,


    leaning back and lifting the front of his shirt to show Katelyn his rock solid six-pack. “Look at that, that’s


    going to drive him fucking crazy. Go on, touch it,” he offered when she bit her bottom lip. Katelyn


    reached out and ran her hand over his abs. She seemed pleased. “What do you say we make your old


    man nuts?”


    “Why not?” She gave in.


    “Beautiful, just let me pack up my tools and then we can go,” he said, standing up. He wanted to make


    sure he left the site with all his property because he would probably get a call tonight cancelling the


    project, and he did not want this lowlife holding his tools hostage. He had some rather expensive tools,


    and recing them would cost a fortune.


    ***


    They left before Nigel came back down. Katelyn knew taking off with Darrell was a petty thing to do, but


    she was so sick of Nigel’s lies and betrayal. She wanted to give him a taste of his own medicine. See


    how he liked it when she stepped out on him. Who better to do it with than this stunningly gorgeous


    man rocking the down-home southern charm?


    Once he had his tools packed, they both hopped into his truck and headed for a bar he said was the


    best one in all of Aspen, somece she had never heard of called the Mausoleum. It turned out to be


    some little local pub off the main drag. A dingy little dive bar, certainly not the kind of ce tourists or


    even most locals would go into. She sure as hell would have never gone in had she not been with


    Darrell.


    They took a seat at a small table near an old jukebox. Katelyn had not thought bars still had these. The


    waitress came over, and Darrell gave her five hundred dors in cash, telling her to keep the whisky


    coming until they either passed out or ran out of money, whichever came first. Katelyn grinned; he had


    not been joking when he said they were going to get stupid drunk.


    They sat together in that bar for hours talking about nothing at all, music, movies, inconsequential


    topics that did not allow her to get to know him in any meaningful way. When she would ask more


    personal questions, he would skillfully redirect the conversation to something that had nothing to do


    with who he was or any part of his life.


    It was strange even though he managed to dodge every question she asked, Katelyn was still having a


    great time. He was fun, and he had a knack for putting her at ease… then again, maybe it was the


    endless drinks she had ingested. As it gotter in the day, Katelyn mentioned that perhaps they should


    soak up some of their intoxication with a little food, so he ordered them some dinner from the kitchen.


    Katelyn was pleasantly surprised. The food here was actually pretty good.


    Her phone rang for what had to be the twentieth time that evening. Katelyn looked at her phone, which


    sat on the table between them as it rang. Nigel’s name and picture on the screen. Katelyn sighed; she


    did not want to answer, but she had the feeling Nigel was not going to stop calling until she did. “I


    should answer,” she said.


    “No, you shouldn’t,” Darrell said with a smile. “You know what you should do, though. You should send


    him a picture of you having a great time without him.”


    Katelyn smiled as she leaned into him. “What do you suggest?”


    Darrell picked up her phone as he dragged his chair around to her side of the table. He brought up her


    camera option and then put one arm around her shoulders as he held the phone out in front of them to


    take a selfie. He then turned his face toward hers. “Now give me a kiss, Baby,” he snickered.


    Katelyn giggled as she leaned into him. “I don’t think this is a way of getting back at Nigel. I think this is


    just your way of stealing a kiss,” she purred as she brushed her lips over his.


    “You want to kiss me.”


    “Do I?”


    “Oh yeah,” he whispered as he brushed his lips against hers in return. “Come on, Baby. Live a little.”


    Katelyn kissed Darrell softly. His lips tasted like whisky. When he kissed her back, it made her head


    spin… or was that the whisky? The sh of her camera ended their kiss quickly, and Darrell was


    grinning triumphantly as he looked into her eyes. He then offered her back her phone, and she saw the


    picture of herself locking lips with the handsome cowboy.


    “Go on, send it to him. I bet he blows your phone up afterwards.”


    Did she dare send it to him? She was not sure. Suddenly Darrell jumped when a slender young woman


    with long blond hair jumped on him from behind, startling both of them. Her arms wrapped tight around


    his broad shoulders. “Fancy seeing you here,” she giggled and then stood up and stole his hat, cing


    it on her head as she pulled up a seat from another table.


    Darrell shook his head. “Can’t you see I’m on a date?” He scowled at her.


    “Ooo, a date?” Sheughed. Then she looked at Katelyn. “He’s just trying to get in your panties.”


    “And I was seeding until you interrupted.”


    “Am I cramping your style?” She asked mockingly.


    “You are always cramping my style,” he smiled, and she rolled her eyes.


    “Who is this?” Katelyn asked.


    The woman extended her hand across the table as she introduced herself. “I’m Charlotte, Darrell’s


    baby sister,” a sense of relief washed over Katelyn when she learned that this pretty young woman was


    family and notpetition.


    “Katelyn, Darrell’s target for the night,” she said with a teasing look at Darrell, who just chuckled at her


    good-natured ribbing.


    Suddenly Charlotte looked past them, and she waved her hand in the air calling someone over. Almost


    immediately, they were joined by six more people. They all said hello to Darrell, and Katelyn assumed


    they were all friends. The women were all very pretty, intimidatingly so. And one of the men made


    Katelyn tense with fear. He was a huge man, and he was scary-looking. He looked like a serial killer


    that could rip the arms of his victims off with his bare hands. The most confusing part was the young


    woman with who he had his arm around. She was breathtakingly beautiful. They seemed to be


    together, and Katelyn could not help but wonder just how these two ended up together.


    Reluctantly Darrell introduced everyone. But as he was listing off their names, a middle-aged man


    walked into the bar and Darrell, and his friends took immediate notice of him. Katelyn could not


    understand why. He looked just like any other guy, but the whole table was fixated on him like they


    knew something she did not. A look passed between them all. It was as if they weremunicating


    without saying a word.


    Darrell and Charlotte both stood up, and they all turned to face the man that hade in. Katelyn


    turned around to see the man notice them. The stranger and Darrell shared a look, and Katelyn saw


    raw hatreding from both of them. The man exited the bar quickly, and then Darrell took out his


    wallet and tossed money on the table in front of Katelyn.


    “Date’s over, Babe, take a taxi home,” he said as he and his friends walked away and followed the man


    out of the bar.


    Katelyn sat alone at the table and picked up the money, annoyed by how Darrell had just abandoned


    her. Who the hell did he think he was? Ticked off, she stood up and took the money. She was going


    after that man to give him a piece of her mind. How dare he discard her like she was nothing?


    Katelyn went outside, but she did not see them anywhere. She could still see Darrell’s truck in the


    parking lot. He was still around here somewhere. She heard amotioning from around the side


    of the building, and she decided to investigate. As she came around the corner, she stopped in horror


    as she saw Darrell and his friends literally ripping the man they had followed to pieces.


    They growled like wild beasts as they tore at his flesh. Their eyes were glowing bright, their hands like


    ws. Their faces were twisted, and they looked like demonic monsters. She screamed when she saw


    who she assumed was Darrell rip out the man’s throat with his teeth. They all turned toward her when


    she screamed, and Katelyn stared with wide eyes as she saw the man’s blood dripping down Darrell’s


    chin and neck from the long sharp fangs he now had.


    Katelyn stared at the dead man on the ground in the alley and then at all of them. “She’s seen


    everything,” therge one snarled.


    “We have to kill her,” one of the women said.


    “I’ll kill her,” one of the men said, stepping forward.


    Darrell put out his hand to stop him as he fixed Katelyn with a stern re. “No, I’ll do it,” he said. “I’ll kill


    her.”


    He walked right up to her and looked Katelyn in the eye. “I’m sorry you should have stayed in the bar,”


    he growled, and Katelyn felt her knees buckle as she fainted.


    ***


    Out of sheer reflex, Darrell reverted back to his human form and caught Katelyn as she copsed


    before him. She was limp in his arms as he looked down at her. She had fainted. He had expected her


    to scream or run or maybe even fight. Her fainting had caught him off guard.


    He did not want to hurt her; he liked Katelyn, but she had seen too much. She had seen them killing a


    man. He knew how it looked, but it was not what it seemed. The man they had killed was a


    Lycanthrope hunter. He would have killed them. He was a scout. He went around tracking


    Lycanthropes, and when he found one, he went back to his friends and brought back a hunting party.


    Every Lycanthrope learnt to spot and identity hunters at a young age. It was the only way they


    survived. When it came to dealing with hunters, Lycanthropes only had two options… kill or be killed.


    They had to protect the pack. They did not like killing people, but it was him or them.


    Darrell regretted that Katelyn had seen what she had. He wished she had stayed in the bar, but she


    had seen too much and to protect the pack, she had to be silenced. He could not allow her to run off


    and tell people what she saw. Only as he looked at her helpless in his arms Darrell could not do it.


    “Kill her already,” snapped Aster, “before someone else sees us.”


    “Kill her,” Keh growled.


    “I will just give me a minute,” Darrell barked.


    “Oh, for Christ''s sakes, I’ll kill her,” Aurora said, starting toward him.


    “Back off!” Darrell snarled, his eyes glowing with a violent warning bringing Aurora to a dead stop.


    “Darrell,” Stanton piped up, “You know we can’t allow her to live. She saw us kill the hunter. She will


    lead the mortals right to our doorstep. We have to protect the pack. You know that as well as any of


    us.”


    Darrell thought about his youth, about the night the hunters came for his family, the night his father died


    defending his children. Like most Lycanthrope children, Darrell and Charlotte were orphaned. They had


    lost both of their parents. Their mother had been killed by a hunter when they were small, and eight


    yearster, they had lost their father. Darrell knew that if he allowed Katelyn to live and she brought the


    mortals to their door, the pack would suffer losses. Another Lycanthrope child would be orphaned, and


    it would be his fault for having not ended the threat right here and now when he had the chance.


    He looked down at the woman in his arms. He knew what he had to do, but he could not bring himself


    to kill her, and he was not going to allow the others to do it either. Knowing he may regret his decision,


    Darrell scooped Katelyn up into his arms bridal style. He needed time to think, and he could not do it


    here.


    “Where are you taking her?” Aster demanded as the others followed Darrell to his truck. “You have to


    kill her.”


    “I’m not going to kill her.”


    “She will tell others. You are risking all our lives,” Aster argued.


    “I know what I’m doing,” actually, he did not. He had no idea at all what he was doing with her. All he


    knew was he could not kill her, and he could not let her go.


    Aster grabbed Darrell by the arm, stopping him as he opened the door to his truck and put Katelyn


    inside. “You kill her now, or I swear to God I’m heading straight to my father and telling him about this,”


    Aster threatened. He knew Gordon would not like what he was doing. He would most certainly have


    issues with it. Gordon was Alpha, and Darrell knew Gordon woulde for him if he thought Darrell


    was risking the safety of the pack, but he would cross that bridge when he came to it.


    “You do what you got to do,” Darrell shut the passenger door and got into the truck. He backed out and


    headed for home, leaving the others behind.