Текст книги "Turn of the Moon"

Автор книги: L. P. Dover

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Текущая страница: 2 (всего у книги 15 страниц)

Bailey

“I take it you don’t want to go back with me.” Sebastian’s eyebrows raise up as he puts my bags in the trunk and slams it shut.

I look straight into my best friend’s bright blue eyes and they spark with power. “Would you want to go back to a cage?” I had enjoyed my freedom at college, but I know as soon as I step back into the pack, my life will not be my own anymore.

Sighing, he opens the car door. “You might think you’re alone in this, but you’re not. Things will change, B. I just need you to give it a little more time.”

I snort. “Time? I don’t even know what the hell you’re talking about. I am alone, Sebastian. The only people I have are you and my parents. Everyone else stays away from me.”

“I’m sure your parents missed you.”

“And you didn’t?”

Chuckling, he runs a hand through his bright blond hair. “I missed your smart-ass mouth. It was boring while you were away. You always had a way of keeping me entertained.”

I lean against the car and smile. “I’m surprised my father hasn’t asked you to be my mate.”

His grin disappears as he looks away. “I think Darius has other plans.”

“Like what?” As soon as I ask, my skin tingles and burns. A mysterious wolf is near. His power calls to mine and I want to succumb, but I will not go down that easily.

Sebastian narrows his eyes, studying me, and then goes into full alert. “Bailey, get in the car.” His eyes focus on something across the street and I know who it is without even looking. He’s a wolf and an alpha. For the past five years, I had sensed him near, but he never once approached. Not until now. “Get in the fucking car, Bailey,” Sebastian growls again.

I don’t want to get in the car. Instead, I turn around and get my first glimpse of the mysterious wolf. He’s standing beside a black Jeep with his arms crossed angrily at his chest. His light brown hair is hidden underneath a navy baseball cap, and he’s dressed in a white T-shirt and ripped jeans. His bright green eyes meet mine and my wolf stirs deep inside, calling to him. The only word floating through my mind is something I am not expecting.

Mine.

Our eyes meet, but the connection breaks when Sebastian forces me into the car. “What the fuck is wrong with you?” He slams the door and gets in, squealing the tires as he races us down the street and away from the green-eyed wolf. I look back through the window and he is gone.

My world shimmers and I am sucked into another place and time.

Hands hold me down, but it’s not out of aggression, it’s passion fueled. I moan as the green eyed wolf pushes himself into me, claiming me. I love the way his skin feels against mine and the way we move together. I’ve never felt so close to anyone before. It’s almost as if we’re connected somehow.

“Bailey, wake up,” a voice called. It was the voice in my dreams, the voice of the wolf.

When I finally woke up, I wasn’t in the woods . . . and I definitely wasn’t alone. His scent surrounded me, not only in the air, but on my body. What the hell? Clenching my teeth, I growled and tried to roll off the bed, with no such luck. Apprehended, with an arm across my stomach, I felt him straddle my waist, chuckling as he pinned my arms above my head.

“Let me go,” I demanded, glaring up into his glowing gaze. His touch made my body tingle, almost like an electrical current passing from his body to mine. It was strange, yet I welcomed it, even though my mind was telling me to knee him in the junk.

“Good morning to you too, Sleeping Beauty. I trust you’re well rested?” he asked, smiling wide. I half expected him to look at my body, but he kept his focus on my eyes. Point for him.

My cheeks burned. “I slept fine. But if you don’t get off of me, I’m going to make sure you choke on your balls. Your choice.”

He smirked and rolled off. There was a T-shirt on the edge of the bed he snatched up and slipped on. He wasn’t mated, because if he was I would smell another female on him. There was nothing other than the woods, the unique scent of our Arctic bloodline, and something else. I just couldn’t place what that other smell was.

“Calm down, Bailey. You know very damn well I’m not going to hurt you.”

I snatched the blanket off the bed and wrapped it around me, huffing. “You’re right, you’re not.” He laughed and it only pissed me off more. “How do you know my name?”

Staring at me with those hypnotic eyes, he ran a hand through his tousled, light blond hair. “I’ve known you for a long time now.”

“You mean stalked,” I clarified. I had to admit, he was a good looking stalker. All I could think of was wrapping my legs around his body and gripping that hair of his while he spread me wide. I could see it clearly in my mind from my dream. It felt so real, as if it actually happened.

He chuckled darkly and bit his lip. “Oh, it will happen, angel. What you saw and did in your dream was our future. It wasn’t easy sleeping beside you when I couldn’t touch you.”

Eyes wide, I jumped out of the bed and backed against the wall, clutching the blanket tight. “How the hell did you know what I was thinking?” Surely, I didn’t say it out loud. I was about to go into full panic mode when a calm swept through my body like warm lavender. I didn’t feel like myself. “What’s going on?” I whispered.

Cautiously, he edged closer. “Bailey, it’s okay. My name’s Ryker. I want to help you, not hurt you. Through our bond I can calm you down, but I can’t do it forever. Right now, I need you to listen to me. There’s so much I need to tell you.”

“Through our bond? What are you talking about?”

Holding out his hand, he beckoned me closer. “Here, take my hand and tell me what you feel.”

I stared at his hand before he snatched mine instead. Immediately, my body lit up like fire, coursing through every vein. I could feel each emotion inside of him like they were my own. There was passion, happiness, concern, and even . . . love. How could that be? The longer I touched him, the more I wanted—the more I craved. I didn’t want to let go.

“Why do I feel like this when I don’t even know you?” I asked.

Ryker pulled me close, and all I wanted was for him to put his arms around me, to touch me with those strong hands of his. “You do know me, Bailey. It was a long time ago, but I knew I would never forget your face as long as I lived.”

Eyes wide, I gasped. “When? Where? I don’t remember you other than seeing you in my dreams a little bit ago. Well, that, and your eyes seem familiar. Why do they seem familiar?” I muttered the last question to myself.

Tucking a strand of my hair behind my ear, he smiled and caressed my cheek. “I was there the day that other wolf picked you up from college. I was pissed when I saw you leave with him. The day I was able to come for you, was the day I lost you.”

“So the dream actually happened? Why don’t I remember you from that day? And how could you even sense me? I was under a shielding spell. No other wolves should’ve been able to find me.”

“Magic doesn’t work against a mate, angel. Don’t get me wrong, whatever voodoo shit you had surrounding you made it difficult, but I was still able to find you. I had to tread carefully when you went back to Canada, however.”

“Oh my God, how is this even possible? I’ve never heard of mates being able to do that.” I’d never actually heard anything about what happened when wolves mated. I felt so lost. Letting go of his hand, I stepped back. “Whatever you’re doing to my emotions, stop.”

The warmth went away and I was back to feeling in control. I had to get out of there. I thought Ryker would try to stop me, but he didn’t as I stalked past him and down the stairs. There was nowhere to go but out. The magic grew inside me and as soon as I opened the door, I was ready to shift. Unfortunately, there were six wolves standing guard.

“You have got to be kidding me.”

“I must really be dangerous to need six babysitters,” I grumbled. What had me confused was the mish mash of wolves standing before me. They weren’t all Arctic’s like myself and Ryker, but different grays, and even a red one. I’d never known an alpha to be over a pack with different breeds.

I’d been outside for two hours, sitting on the front porch with only a blanket wrapped around my body. The ranch had a picturesque view of the Grand Teton Mountains, surrounded by nothing but land and trees. It was the perfect place for a wolf. I had heard about the area and read stories about its beauty, but I never thought I’d actually see it. There was snow all over the peaks and I longed to feel it under my paws.

Unfortunately, there was no way I could do that with glowing eyes staring back at me from every corner. I was beginning to think I was back in the confinements of my own pack. They watched over me the exact same way, afraid I’d run away if I ever got the chance. I left one prison for another.

As if my wishes were heard, the wolves scattered. But then the sound of a car traveling over a gravel driveway could be heard. I started to get up and Ryker appeared in the doorway, dressed in a park ranger uniform. He regarded me warily before nodding toward the car.

“Tyla’s here to keep you company.”

“You mean ‘make sure I don’t run away.’”

Sighing, he strapped the gun into his belt and faced me. By the look in his eyes, I felt terrible for snapping at him. “You’re not a prisoner here, Bailey. I want you to feel free to go and do as you please. Tyla’s here to show you around and be your friend. If running away is what you want, then go. I’m not going to force anything on you.”

I studied him, narrowing my gaze. “Do you mean that?”

He gently took my hand, rubbing his thumb over my knuckles. My skin tingled like it always did when he touched me. I didn’t want him to let go, but he did. “I do.”

“What’s up, guys?” Tyla shouted with a wide grin on her face. She had shoulder length, curly blonde hair and gray eyes, not an Arctic wolf but a gray. She seemed friendly enough.

“That’s why I thought she’d be a good match for you,” Ryker murmured.

“Okay, listening in on my thoughts is getting kind of weird.”

“Don’t worry, I don’t listen to everything you say. But I do know you’re hungry. Anyone from a mile away could hear your stomach growling. Tyla’s going to take you to get something to eat.”

I looked down at the blanket. “In what? I don’t have any clothes.”

Tyla reached into the backseat of her silver sports car and held it up. “Now you do, sunshine. Let’s get you cleaned up. I’m starved.” She ran up the steps and patted Ryker on the shoulder. “She’ll be fine, boss. We girls are going to have some fun.”

He shook his head, a small smile splaying across his lips. “Not too much.” She winked and sauntered through the door, bag in hand. Chuckling, he turned back to me, smile disappearing. I liked his smile. “I’ll be back tonight. I’m hoping you’ll be here when I return. There’s a lot you still don’t know.”

I watched him walk to his truck and drive away, glancing back at me once before disappearing down the road. “You aren’t seriously thinking of leaving are you?” Tyla asked, crossing her arms over her chest.

Turning to her, I glared straight into her eyes. “What if I was? You gonna stop me?” I challenged.

She lowered her eyes and her head. “No. I’m no match for your power. But I do think you need to give Ryker and our pack a chance.”

I stepped past her into the house and sighed. “You wouldn’t feel that way if you knew what I’d done.”

After shutting the door, she stood in front of me, handing me the bag of clothes. “The past doesn’t matter. You’re Ryker’s mate and a true born alpha. I’ve never met another wolf like you before. It’s nice to have a female around who could kick some serious ass.”

She made me laugh and it felt good. “I’m sure you could too. You don’t take me as the type to put up with much bullshit.”

“I don’t, especially when I’m starving. Now, run upstairs and get dressed. I’m taking you to one of my favorite restaurants.” I stood there, staring at her like she’d lost her mind. “Why do you look like that?” she asked.

I shrugged. “I don’t know. The way you all do things is so much different than what I’m accustomed to. My parents let me go away to college and I loved the freedom, but when I was back with the pack, I was never able to leave the compound. I guess I just figured it’d be like that here.”

“Hell no,” she exclaimed, bursting out in laughter. “We have our own homes, jobs, everything. Don’t get me wrong, we hunt and do a lot of stuff together, but we live like normal human beings. Ryker would never keep you on a leash.”

It was nice to hear that, but I knew I couldn’t stay long. The Yukon Pack would kill them all to get to me. Plastering on a fake smile, I started for the stairs. “Thank you for the clothes. I’ll be right down.” I took a quick shower and put on some jeans and a pink blouse from the bag, along with the pair of boots. It felt good to take a shower. It’d been over a week since my last.

Tyla waited by the door when I got downstairs. “Ready to experience true freedom?”

“You have no idea.” We hopped in her car and she sped us out of the driveway. I was mesmerized by the mountains, by the snow; it was breathtaking. “It’s so beautiful here,” I said.

“Yes, it is. I’m assuming you didn’t see much of this where you came from?”

I shook my head, wishing like hell I could forget everything that happened. “No, and I definitely don’t want to talk about it.”

“Okay, we won’t talk about it then. How about when you went away to school? What did you major in?”

I glanced out the window and smiled. “Teaching.”

“What subject?”

“Chemistry,” I answered, turning to face her. “I loved working with high school kids.”

She pulled into a steak house parking lot and turned off the car. My stomach growled even louder than before. “You could get a job at one of the local high schools! The school year is basically over, but I’m sure you could find one for next fall.”

We got out of the car and headed for the door. “Are you serious?” Excitement fluttered in my belly.

“Yeah, why wouldn’t I be? If getting a job makes you happy, Ryker will be all for it. Not to mention, you could keep an eye on some of our rowdy teenagers. They’d behave knowing one of our alphas was watching over them.”

The thought was so tempting, I actually considered it. But I couldn’t do anything until I knew I was safe from the Yukon pack. “I’ll have to think on it. Again, I don’t know if I’m staying.”

Inside, the hostess sat us at a table and got our drinks. I was so hungry, I ordered two appetizers, an entrée, and dessert. One good thing about being a wolf was, I didn’t have to worry about calorie consumption. Eating every single bite, I garnered curious glares from our waitress every time she walked by. I guess I’d be like that too if I saw someone scarfing down a meal for two.

Sitting back in my chair, I focused on Tyla. “So what exactly do you do around here? Do you work?”

She nodded. “At a ranch down the road from Ryker’s.” Her phone rang, so she grabbed it out of her back pocket and looked at it. “Speak of the devil. It’s Blake, the guy I work for.” They talked for a few minutes, but I chose not to listen into their conversation. Tyla was watching me to see if I was.

After the call, she paid for our food and then we headed on our way.

“What exactly do you do on the ranch?”

“You’re about to find out. Blake needs help with a horse he just bought.”

“Is he human?”

“Yep. He moved out here about eight months ago, a city boy from Charlotte, North Carolina. Anyway, he inherited the ranch from his grandfather which is who I originally worked for. Blake had no clue how to manage it when he came. So I helped him, along with most of the pack. He’s good friends with Ryker.”

“Does he know what we are?”

She shook her head. “Ryker doesn’t want him to know. I wanted to change him, but my request was denied. My parents say to give the old magic a chance.”

“Old magic?”

We drove past the entrance to Ryker’s ranch until we came to another one with a sign that read Three Bar Ranch at the top. She turned down the gravel path and drove slow. “You really don’t know what old magic is?” When I shook my head, she looked nonplussed. “I’m sorry, that’s just . . . so strange. I thought it was basic knowledge for every wolf. What the hell did your parents teach you?”

I clenched my teeth. “Obviously, not a lot. They never even told me about true mates.”

“I see that. I’m sure Ryker will tell you all about it. Anyway, the old magic is the way things used to be in the past. My parents are true mates, the way you and Ryker are . . . or will be, eventually. Many of us wait our whole lives to find that one person. It used to not be like that. Before, you could find your mate easily.”

“What if you don’t?”

She parked the car and looked out the window. “Then we either, find someone else and never be truly happy, or we turn someone. The latter is frowned upon, but some have done it. That’s why having you in our pack and mated to our alpha would give us hope—that one day it could happen for us.”

I grabbed her hand. “It will happen. I have faith.”

“Good, because everyone believes in you. They think you are the beginning to it all.” Opening the car door, she got out and waved for me to follow.

I didn’t know anything about the old magic, but I was sure as hell going to find out.

Bailey

“Do you want to go with me again tomorrow?” Tyla offered.

I stopped at the first step to Ryker’s house and turned around, a huge smile on my face. “You don’t think Blake will mind?”

She snorted. “Of course not. He enjoys watching me prance around in my short shorts while training the horses. I’ll bring you a pair tomorrow.” Then her gaze met something over my shoulder and I could feel Ryker approaching. “Or I’ll just bring you a pair of baggy sweatpants. See ya tomorrow, B.” As fast as she could, she sped out of the driveway, laughing the entire time.

“Did you have fun?” he asked.

I turned around and my heart thudded at the sight of him, dressed in a pair of ripped jeans and no shirt. “I did,” I answered truthfully.

“What all did you do?”

Narrowing my gaze, I stalked up the steps. “Can’t you just listen to my thoughts?”

He smirked. “I can, but I’d rather hear it from your mouth.”

“Okay, let’s see . . . she took me to eat lunch, and then we went to Blake’s, where I got to ride the horses and watch Tyla train one.” I walked inside and the smell from the kitchen was so heavenly, I moaned.

Ryker chuckled. “I’m glad you had a good day. You hungry?”

“I’m always hungry.” I followed him into the kitchen and sat down at the table. There was food everywhere. “Did you cook this?”

He gestured for me to take the open chair across from him and sat down, cutting a bite of steak. “Yes.”

“It looks amazing.” I dug in and swallowed a bite of my own steak, savoring every minute of it. “Tastes good too.”

“I’ve been on my own for many years, so I had to learn.”

“Where’s your family? Are they not a part of the pack?”

His jaw tensed. “They’re dead.”

“I’m sorry,” I murmured, hating the guarded look in his eyes.

“Me too. I was just a child. It happened shortly after I met you.”

I choked on my food and coughed. “How is that possible? Why don’t I remember ever meeting you?”

He stared at me as he chewed, like he didn’t know how to answer. “I tell you what . . . let’s finish dinner, and then we’ll talk all about it. You’re going to need a drink, or ten.”

I hurried with the rest of my meal. When I was done, he poured me a large glass of wine and ushered me to the couch. His hand brushed my side and the same electric current from before shot through my veins. It took my breath away.

“Don’t worry, the same thing happens to me,” he confessed, sitting beside me.

“Will it always be like that?”

“Not always. Only until we complete the bond. It’s one of nature’s ways of making sure we know who our mate is. What I want to know is, why didn’t your parents tell you about true mates?”

“I don’t know, but that’s a damn good question. Tyla told me a little bit, but she left most of the explaining to you. She mentioned something about old magic.”

Leaning over on his elbows, he looked down at his hands, and then over at mine. I could tell he wanted to touch me, but resisted. “It’s called old magic because no one has seen it recently, except with me and you. There have been a handful of wolves over the past few decades who’ve found their true mates, but it’s not common. The first time I met you, I was ten years old, which would’ve made you around seven. You had gotten lost in the woods and stumbled your way into our territory. You were scared and upset, so I brought you back to my pack and we watched over you for a time.”

I put a hand over my mouth. “You lived in Canada? Can you tell me why I don’t remember this? Surely I would’ve remembered meeting you.”

“That’s what I thought too when I came to your school. When you stayed away from me, I knew something was wrong. Someone must’ve erased your memories.”

“And I don’t remember our second meeting either. None of it makes any sense. I didn’t even know there was another white wolf pack other than mine and the Yukon’s.”

He lifted his gaze to mine. “There’s not. I was part of the Yukon pack, until my family was banished. I never found out why because on the way out of Canada my mother and I were attacked and she was murdered. My father was killed before we even left. I barely escaped, but I crossed the border into the states and was saved by another wolf pack who took me in.”

“And now you’re their alpha.”

He nodded. “And you will be too . . . as my mate. Surely, you have no doubts about that, right? The signs are all there. I think I’ve proved them to you. You can’t deny you feel it, can you?”

“I’m not going to lie, I feel things when you’re around, but I have choices too. I’m not just going to spread my legs because I get all tingly when you touch me.”

His lips spread into a mischievous smile. “Tingly, huh?”

“Get over yourself,” I said, rolling my eyes. “What I do want to know is, how you can hear my thoughts but I can’t hear yours? I don’t like that.”

“Don’t worry, it won’t stay that way for long. As soon as you taste my blood, you’ll be linked to me and be able to hear whatever the hell you want.”

“How did you get a taste of my blood? I don’t remember offering up a vein.”

Sighing, he bit his lip and licked it, as if he could still taste me on his tongue. “When I subdued you in the forest, I had to bite you to calm you down. At that point, I swallowed your blood and the connection opened. Did you not have any friends who were mated in your pack?”

I shook my head, lowering my gaze. “No, all of my friends were human, except Sebastian, the one who was with me the day I left college. Everyone else stayed away from me like they were afraid, or maybe even told to. I’m not sure. I don’t know why my parents didn’t tell me any of this.”

“I’d like to know too. The legend of mates is more like a folktale of sorts, a bedtime story; except everything about it is true. The magic of the wolf binds us to the moon, and also to our other half. Obviously, the first sign of finding your mate is that feeling in your gut which draws you to the other, almost like magnets. It’s stronger in the males. The need to claim can be almost unbearable. That’s why we’re more violent the older we get without a mate. Did you feel me close by?”

I nodded. “All the time, but I just thought you were a rogue. What else happens when you meet your mate?”

He paused and cleared his throat. “I’m sure you remember the visions?”

My heart sped and my body tightened between my legs. I crossed them to help suppress the ache. “Are the visions always like that?”

“No. From what I’ve heard, they vary. Sometimes they’ll be from a hundred years in the future, where you’re holding your grandkids, or ones like ours that were recent.”

“Does that make a difference?”

He closed his eyes, releasing a heavy sigh. “It does.”

“What does it mean?”

“Visions can always change though, depending on the choices we make.”

“What aren’t you telling me?”

He smiled, but it didn’t reach his eyes, hesitating before responding. “You read me well, angel. If you want to know the truth, usually when the visions aren’t of our extended future, it means something will separate us; whether it be running away, death, or another tragedy.”

“Or someone else,” I whispered.

His temper spiked, his eyes flashing green. “That’s not going to happen. No one will take you away from me. Again, the visions can change. The future isn’t always set.”

“How many times do the visions occur?”

“Every time blood is exchanged. The females are usually the ones who experience them, but the males see them through the bond.”

I leaned my head against the couch. “I see. So if we want to know our future, we just have to bite each other. How messed up is that? Not to mention you can control my emotions.”

Ryker moved closer. “It’s used to help the other, not control them. I’ve deliberately not tried to calm you down because I know you don’t like it. Believe me, it hasn’t been easy. But as far as the biting, I think we could both enjoy that.”

I elbowed him in the side. “Not if I’m biting off your ear.”

He chuckled. “You can’t hide the truth from me, angel.”

I’d never bitten another wolf out of pleasure, only pain. I was curious to know what it’d be like, drinking his blood and feeling him inside me. The vision said it all though; we would complete the bond, even if it was short-lived. Gazing out the window, the sky was gray, with sheets of snow blanketing the ground and mountains in the distance. It was beautiful, but I knew I couldn’t stay there, even if Ryker was my mate. Eventually, I would be hunted down and I couldn’t bring that kind of war to him and his pack.

“All I want was to be normal, to live my life by my own choices, making my own decisions. What’s the point of being an alpha if I can’t do that?”

Turning my face toward him, he looked straight into my eyes. “You do have choices, Bailey. I’m not going to make them for you, unless I absolutely have to. You’re my equal and I know that.” He moved closer, his lips so close to mine. I didn’t even want to move away. “However, I can’t promise I won’t be the alpha in the bedroom.”

I leaned into his touch and let him comfort me. “If we complete the bond, will I be able to alter your emotions as well?”

“Yes. But I’m not in a hurry. Right now your mind is everywhere, you’re not ready. I only want you to come to me when you’re absolutely sure this is what you want.” He brushed the hair off my face, placing his forehead to mine. “We have time.”

Sighing, I held onto his hands and closed my eyes before pulling them away. Why couldn’t my life be simple? With furrowed brows, he stared down at me with those emerald green eyes of his. I couldn’t believe the amount of power coming off of him; it was exhilarating and more powerful than any other alpha I’d encountered. My wolf stirred and I knew what she was thinking. Mine.

I swallowed hard, dreading my next words. “There’s something I need to tell you.”

“What is it?”

Taking a deep breath, I let it out slowly, lowering my gaze to the fists clutched in my lap. “I was never happy with my pack. I always dreamt of something more—something else for my life. When they let me go to school, it was the best time in my life. But my parents had made me promise that when I turned twenty-three, I would come back to the pack and fulfill my duties. I was willing to do that; at least until a week ago.”

His body tensed. “What happened?”

“My parents had promised me to another wolf. The day I ran away was the day he came to claim me.”

Eyes glowing, Ryker growled and his fangs lengthened, but he drew them back. “They promised you to someone who wasn’t your mate? Why the fuck would they do that?”

I shrugged. “I don’t know. I haven’t spoken to them since I left. I kept running until I found my way here.”

Taking my face in his hands, he tilted my chin, demanding I look at him. I knew he was trying to see into my mind, but I couldn’t let him. With as much force as I could muster, I envisioned a wall to block him out, just to see if it could work. Thankfully, it did. I could feel him attempting to penetrate through, but with no success. “What aren’t you telling me, Bailey? You can’t keep me out forever. That kind of power only lasts for so long.”

He was right. “It’s not easy to talk about. I don’t even know where to begin.”

“How about the beginning? If you can’t speak it, show it to me. Don’t make me force my way into your mind. I’ll do it if I have to.”

Judging by the heated look in his eyes, he would do it. “Fine, I’ll let you in. Then maybe you’ll understand why I can’t stay here.” Reluctantly, I closed my eyes and let the memories of the night with Kade flood my mind. Everything from the beginning when he tried to claim me, to the part where I ripped out his throat.

Trembling with rage, Ryker was close to shifting, but he held it back. If we were bonded I could help control his wolf, but at this point, there was nothing I could do.

“Ryker, look at me.” His eyes flashed and his fangs lengthened again. “I’m sorry. I didn’t want you to know, but that’s what happened. Now you see why I can’t stay here. I will be found and there will be a war. I don’t want you in the middle of it.”

He growled low, his voice more animal than human. “It’s too late.” Getting to his feet, he stormed toward the front door and kicked it open, sliding his jeans and boxers to the floor. The magic began to shimmer around his body, but disappeared when I spoke.

“You’re not a part of this fight, I am!” I shouted.

He turned to look at me, his gaze heated and full of rage. “You are my mate, and he had no right to fucking claim you. If his pack comes for you, they will have to get through me first.”

“I can protect myself. I’m an alpha and just as strong as any of them.”

“That’s not the problem.” He rushed down the front steps toward the woods.

“Then what is?” I shouted, going after him.

He paused and turned around, his shoulders rising and falling with his rapid breaths. “Kade was my brother, Bailey.”