Chapter 111 WILTCOVE FOREST
GALLAHAN'S POV
Willa's eyebrows drew together further, deepening the creases in the space between them.
Then, ever so slowly, with hesitance weighing the gesture, she reached out a hand and gently brushed her fingers through my hair.
"Were you..." She swallowed, her searching gaze wide and soft with concern. "Were you attacked?"
I leaned into her touch as if she was my gravity.
Her hand gradually slid down until it cupped my cheek, the feel of her palm sending a ripple of warmth all over my body. It was as if she was a furnace thawing away the exhaustion from my bones, and I could almost say for certain that I could take thirty creature hunters all over again because of the affection radiating from her touch.
"I was," I said a little breathlessly. "I fought back, of course. But I was careful and mindful this time. I didn't kill a single one even though it would've been easier for me to just tear them apart and let their blood spill and soak the ground. But I just incapacitated them, Willa. Which is something I deserve acknowledgment for, by the way. Zero kill count, even though every last one of those vile hunters deserves to die. And to have thirty of them-"
"Thirty?!" Willa gasped, her face twisting with horror. Then, as if she had trouble wrapping her head around the very notion of being ambushed by such a big number, she parroted, "Thirty creature hunters?!"
I smirked and winked at her.
"What can I say? I have quite a reputation. They knew that just a few creature hunters would be no real threat to me. Even then, I still survived thirty hunters attacking me simultaneously. They were still no match."
"You're insane."
"Maybe. But I needed to get home. To you and the twins."
Willa's gaze softened, and the furrow of her brows eased. She then leaned closer to me and planted a soft kiss against my lips.
But when I tilted my head a little and nibbled at her lower lip to gain access to her sweet, sweet mouth, Willa pulled away with a small smile tugging at the corners of her lips.
"No."
"That was hardly a sufficient reward," I complained as my eyes stayed glued on her lips.
"You'll get your reward when this discussion is through."
"Ugh."
"How mature," she drawled dryly.
"Cut me some slack, love. It's been quite the day."
"Hm. Exhausted, are we?" She ran her hand through my hair again for a moment before letting it rest back on her lap. "After all, you had to fend off thirty creature hunters."
"Not too exhausted should you wish to reward me with a good round of-"
"Do not be so crude, Gallahan."
I couldn't help but chuckle at the mild affront in her tone. But it was cut short when a sharp shot of pain flared on my midriff.
"Ow," I groaned with a wince.
"That bruise was really bad," Willa noted with a pensive expression. "It's not only huge, but it's also really dark."
"It's better now," I assured as confidently as I could sound, hoping to wash away even a bit of Willa's worry.
"Hm. The bruise balm is helping, but it would need reapplication in the next couple of days with how bad that bruise is."
"Then I shall be under your tender loving care, love."
Willa rolled her eyes, but the small smile playing at the ends of her lips belied her fondness for me.
Not a moment too soon, though, her expression lost all trace of lightheartedness. Then she asked in a quiet voice, "Where were you ambushed?"
"Near the border between Ashbrick and Wolverham. Right by the Wiltcove Forest."
Willa blinked as if she had not expected the answer. "That's already very near here."
Indeed. While it was not small, Wiltcove Forest was not exactly as large as any other forest, its land area stretching in length instead, separating Ashbrick and Wolverham, specifically the vast moorland where the Fen Cottage-our home-sat quietly alone.
"I know. That's why I drew the fight away from Wiltcove Forest as much as I could. Then I took a long detour to make sure I wasn't being followed. I can't let them have even a sliver of idea of where I live or who I live with. After all, right next to the forest is the moorland area where... Son of a bitch."
Willa looked at me with an expression I was sure I wore on my face too: horrified.
A goddamn realization just sank in our minds at the same time.
Rogue wolves were one thing. But to have creature hunters in the fray the last time our family went on a night run...
"They know. They fucking know, Willa."
Me being a fucking target was not a novel news. Humans in general were not my biggest fans. Creature hunters, specifically, had already placed a huge X mark on my back and on my head years ago. I was their enemy as much as they were mine. Everybody and their mothers knew of this fact.
But for these creature hunters to appear and make their attack here in Wolverham, in a moorland at a certain distance from our fucking home just meant they knew I lived here.
Last time was not a coincidence. It was premeditated. So was today's ambush.
And the more I dwelled on it, the more I grew sure that they likely knew about Willa and the twins.
"Fuck," I cursed loudly as I hit the couch with my clenched fist. "Fuck. We have to move, Willa. I'm sorry but we cannot stay here. This place..."
"It's no longer safe," Willa supplied quietly in a way that was almost haunting.
She was furious.
Her green eyes glowed brightly as her inner wolf clamored to go to the surface, likely itching to protect her pups from the looming threat.
"Damn it!"
I nearly jolted on my spot at the venom in her voice when she cursed.
"Damn those creature hunters. How did they even..." Willa shook her head with a sardonic smile that somehow held a bit of frenzy. "No... Of course, they would know. You're their greatest enemy, Gallahan. The biggest thorn at their side. They would've tracked you down to the ends of the world if they could. You've taken countless lives, Gallahan. You-"
"This isn't my fault, Willa," I interjected, feeling utterly offended at the trajectory her ramble was going. "Let's stay on course and discuss the option of relocating to ensure our children's safety."
"It's not as easy as you say, Gallahan!" Willa shot back waspishly as she got to her feet and began pacing around. "Move? Leave? We will be uprooting our lives!"
"Much like I have uprooted mine to be with you and the twins," I snapped back, my patience wearing incredibly thin.
I love Willa. So much that I could lay my life for her if the situation would ever call for it, but I was no saint. I was no angel. I had my limits too.
And I could just feel how close I was getting to those limits as my gaze on her turned into a fierce glare and as my fists quivered in barely restrained fury.
"I didn't ask you to!" Willa whirled to face me with a livid look. "You were the one who wanted to be with us! And I'll have you know, you've disappointed your kids over and over again."
"This is unfair. You're being unfair."
"You want to talk about unfairness, Gallahan? Alright. Let me tell you that you swooped in, claiming you want to be a present father. That you wanted this family. And yet, I had to pick up the pieces of our children's broken hearts because of you. That is one thing, Gallahan. But jeopardizing me, our children and the lives we have? That's a different league entirely."
"I didn't mean for this to happen! I didn't want you and the children to be targeted because of me. Do you have any idea how this situation makes me feel? I feel responsible!"
"Well, you should be! Because it is your fault!"
A silence that was thick with tension fell upon us right after Willa's angry remark.
My mouth ran dry, and my throat suddenly felt tight. But somehow, I managed to say after a few loud heartbeats, "Wow... You've said you love me. But I will never be good enough for you, aren't I?"