Five

Veronica

Once it became clear that I was not going to escape the room without having some sort of conversation, I backed up, putting some distance between me and the wall of muscle currently blocking my retreat.

Sandalwood and peppermint wafted into my awareness with the breeze created by my movement, invading my air supply with a fresh dose of the intoxicating fragrance and leaving my wolf balanced precariously close to the edge.

I had not made time to shift since arriving, and the prospect was not looking promising for the immediate future unfortunately.

Jax would never allow me to go off on my own with the recent attack that had occurred, and I could guess who he would suggest as a guard if I dared to broach the topic. I contemplated sneaking off for a transitory moment but, in the end, discarded the idea as my pragmatic side won out.

I balanced in one of the chairs at the table, continuing to nurse my creamy drink while Jax elected to remain standing tall in the center of the kitchen as we conversed.

His position obscured Ryker’s face from my view, but I could practically picture every square inch of it by memory anyway, right down to his shaggy black hair, which was always hanging down to his russet-colored eyes, and his strong jawline that was also usually covered in morning stubble.  

I knew that I was being hardheaded with Ryker prior to my brother’s entrance, but I was learning that it was more trying than I had initially believed it would be to let go of my past hurts.

I had never received an explanation for his absence after our one night of bliss together, but I also knew that he had an entire history within the province that I still remained in the dark about to this very day.

It made it hard for me to hate him when it was all that I wanted to do for so long, knowing deep down that there was something awful keeping him away. At least, that was the only reason I could think of why he would abscond without a word after the fireworks that had detonated between us.

“Did you hear me, Veronica?”

Jax’s low-pitched voice intruded into my head space with his use of my given name, piercing into my train of thought.

Subsequently, I realized that I had unconsciously dug my teeth into my plush lower lip while my mind inevitably traveled back to the male who had starred front and center in every fantasy that I’d imagined since reaching maturity.

“Yeah, that sounds great, but I do need to leave no later than lunchtime." I agreed, not truly knowing what I was approving of, but praying that my answer would be sufficient as I went on, "I will help as much as I can before then, but I have things to take care of at home too.” 

I propelled my attention back towards Jax as I responded, so I noticed when he narrowed his eyes and seemed to be considering something. I felt obligated to help here in my birth territory, but I was also anxious to return home where I would no longer be under my brother’s intense scrutiny.

I thanked Luna when he did not question me further, instead launching into what I could expect to see at the clinic. I would evidently need more practice appearing unaffected by Ryker’s presence in the future if I wanted to continue avoiding Jax’s suspicion.

Ryker had made it clear in the past that he was not interested in challenging my brother when it came to our relationship with each other, so I would make damn sure that I was not the one to drop the ball.

He had remained unusually quiet as Jax and I organized the details for my morning at the clinic and beyond, probably because he was getting his way, but I couldn't see his facial expressions well enough to be certain.

I had to consciously keep my ass planted firmly in the chair as Jax talked. My wolf persisted in pushing my boundaries the entire time, eager to keep Ryker within my line of sight, while I wanted nothing more than to sprint from the room altogether.

I had grudgingly agreed to him chaperoning me around town and back to my home in the South afterward at Jax’s insistence, but I had to admit that I was nervous as hell to be spending more time in Ry's general proximity, particularly alone in a restricted amount of space.

Any doubts as to whether he was my mate or not had disintegrated the second my eyes had connected with his stormy brown ones yesterday. My wolf’s fierce claim had rung out in my head unmistakably in the moment, but nothing had really changed other than the distance between us.

Ryker had a mountain of issues to tackle when we got back, and I had to find some way to be okay around him without being pissed or hurt about the future that I was meant to have with him being snatched away.

Although fate seemed to be inexorably pulling us back together once more, I knew enough about the harsh realities of this world to know that there were too many secrets and outside influences for us to ever turn into more than a blazing inferno of broken hearts.

I shook off the sadness as Jax and I finished settling everything, rising from my seat as I said, “All right, I’ll see you in town later with Willow before we leave.”

I strolled towards the sink to deposit my empty cup as Jax left, but my attention was diverted by Ryker, who remained casually leaning up against one of the counters as Jax left the room in search of Willow.

My eyes traced over the bulging muscles of his crossed forearms and his lean physique, though I could tell that his mind was a million miles away judging by the glazed look in his eyes.

“Give me a few minutes to grab my bag and then we can head out.”

I observed his eyes snap up to mine briefly at the sound of my voice, but he didn’t say anything as I sauntered out of the room without another word, adding an extra swing to my hips for effect.

I let out the breath that I had been holding as I entered the hall and made my way to my childhood bedroom. Yet, I caught a faint whiff of Ryker’s unique scent as I closed the door behind me.

I glanced at the bed, recalling how I had tossed and turned all night, simultaneously loving, and hating the fragrance of sandalwood and peppermint that clung to my sheets and immersed me within my own personal hell.

However, I felt a thrill course through me as I grasped that maybe Ryker was not as immune to my existence as I had previously believed him to be if he had been staying in my room all this time.

I snuck one of his discarded t-shirts, which he had obviously missed in his hasty sweep of the room before our arrival, into my bag as I began packing up my few belongings.

I didn't let myself overthink about the reasons behind my actions, or the smugness spreading through me from my wolf in response.

I thought that I had become desensitized to the scent, but it somehow managed to slam into me like a wrecking ball at full force when he had ambled into the kitchen earlier this morning. I knew that it would only get worse throughout the day and during the lengthy car ride ahead of us.

I took shallow breaths as I spun around the room, gathering the belongings that I wanted to take back with me into my backpack while my anxiety hovered over me like a buzzing bee in search of nectar in a desert.

I hesitated on my way out, bracing myself for the coming onslaught to my senses. I wasn’t sure how long I could keep resisting the pull towards my mate if I kept being thrust within his path, but I had to try, for more than just my sake.

Jax was nowhere to be seen when I returned to the kitchen, but I noticed that Ryker had changed his clothes in the amount of time that I had been gone, making saliva pool in my mouth with the tight black v neck that he had selected.

There was not any conversation as we made the journey to the clinic. I was feigning anger at him at his over-the-top insistence to carry my bag, but I secretly reveled in the tingles that erupted internally whenever I felt his scorching eyes on me periodically throughout the morning as I had worked.

I was at war with myself as I helped train a few of the healers who showed an aptitude for the trade. I wanted to remain irate with Ryker after the way that he had left things, but the mating bond was messing with my resolve now that we were in the same locality as one another.

I distracted myself with the job before me, focusing on how disappointed I had been to see the lack of a proper healer within the facility upon my initial inspection.

I was relatively new to the profession, so I didn't want to make unfounded assumptions, but I belatedly realized how strange Jax's entreaty was when I pondered it more thoroughly on the trek to the building.

Werewolves healed extremely fast, even without the use of medical intervention. Just the same, it all made sense when I took in the lack of organization present within the clinic when I breezed through the door a short while later.

The seconds slipped by as I lost myself in my task. I was well aware that there was a great deal more to do than I had time to assist with, but I was determined to do what I could in the allotted space given.

I was stunned when Willow’s sweet voice signaled her arrival and consequently spun in place until she came into view, bringing a matching grin to my face with her appearance.

After a bittersweet goodbye, and Willow’s assurance that she would take charge where my brother had been slacking, Ryker and I took our leave with me feeling better about the situation as a whole.