My sleep was a black void of nothingness, no dreams, no pain, no worries or troubles. Just blackness. It was peaceful. Movement roused me though, and as consciousness poured back into me, I became aware of Ryder's voice talking softly into my ear. "Kate... I need to get up. Can you sit up for a sec?" he asked, gently lifting me off of his lap and placing my back down gently on the couch. I groaned, missing his presence, but I didn't stir, still in a state of semi-consciousness. There was some shuffling in the background, an exchange of muffled voices, but nothing that concerned me, so I ignored it and tried to find my way back to the deep sleep I'd just been enjoying. Moments later, Ryder's footsteps returned and he gently lifted me again, placing me back on his lap as he rested his arm on my shoulder. His fingers absentmindedly traced over my skin in gentle, swirling patterns, snaking their way up, under the sleeve of my top. Suddenly, a delicious smell hit my nose, waking me
The admission hung between us. I took a deep breath before I revealed my own truth. "I don't know what I want to do either. You're my mate and Tyler is my mate, but the pack will need a Luna, and I don't want to be Luna, and I'm trying not to think about it because when I do, I start freaking out, and I'm freaking out now, and I don't know what to do!" I finished, breathing hard and heavy as panic gripped me. "If I won't be Luna, then I can't be his mate... But I want to be his mate. I don't know what to do," I confessed as my lower lip trembled. The thought of losing either of my mates was heartbreaking. I didn't even want to think about it, but I suppose it was a potential reality I might have to face. There was no way Tyler's parents would let him be mated to someone who wouldn't stand as the pack Luna. He himself would need that support. But it was a role I felt I just wasn't cut out for. I wasn't confident and charismatic like Tyler was. People didn't take me seriously. People
It was probably close to noon when I finally woke up and decided it was time to get up. I'd been so comfortable lying beside Ryder, his body warm, his heartbeat reassuring, his very presence just a comfort. But I was also very eager to get my cast removed, so I figured it was probably a good idea to get a move on. Ryder was still fast asleep, his breaths soft but deep. He looked so calm and relaxed, it felt like a shame to wake him. I realized this was probably how he felt about waking me up the night before. With gentle fingers, I traced along the curve of his jaw. His skin was soft, but a little stubbly here and there. A smile flickered on his lips, but he didn't stir. "Ryder," I whispered softly, my fingers tracing over his lips now. He smiled again, shifting a little this time as if trying to get comfortable. "We need to get up," I whispered, my touch returning to his jawline. "No..." he groaned miserably, wrapping his arms around me more tightly and snuggling into me. "I nee
The drive to Dr. Kelly's office was a blur of green and grey, the landscape flying past us as Ryder navigated the streets with a familiarity that spoke of his years living in the area. Every now and again he would glance over at me, a soft smile playing on his lips."What?" I asked as I fumbled for the socks that were tucked away neatly in one of the combat boots at my feet."I'm just looking at you. Am I not allowed?" he asked, his tone one of a challenge.A blush crept over my cheeks, but I replied, "You can look."I tried to pull a sock on, but it was impossible. The cast came too low down on my knuckles and, as a result, my fingers weren't as capable as I needed them to be."Just leave it, I'll help you when we get there," he assured me before resting his hand on my thigh as we sped along the narrow roads.I smiled as I rested my casted hand over his.With a sigh, I watched out the window looking at the grey sky above us. My thoughts made their way to Tyler and I wondered what he
He set his tools down and peeled off his gloves, heading over to the lightbox with the X-ray mounted on it. His eyes scanned over the image thoughtfully and carefully before he looked at me. "It looks perfect. The bones align well and the break appears to have healed. I assume the pain you experienced yesterday may have been muscular," he suggested. "You said it's subsided now though, is that correct?" he asked, seeking clarity. "Yeah, it's fine today. No complaints at all," I went on, flexing my fingers in the cast. "Well then, if you're ready, I'd be happy to remove the cast for you," he replied with the tiniest hint of a smile. I smiled in return and nodded, "I'd love that," I replied. The removal went well. There were no hiccups and Ryder stood beside me the entire time, which was an immense comfort. When we left Dr Kelly's office, I noted that Mary was nowhere to be seen. Can't say it broke my heart or anything like that. As we made our way to the coffee shop next door, Ryd
This seemed to bring a smile to his face. With newfound enthusiasm, he climbed out of his car, then came around to open the door for me and help me out. I looked around for Tyler's car, but there was no sign of it. Still, it could have been in the garage, I hoped. The thought was short-lived though, as Ryder took my hand and all but dragged me into the forest that surrounded his house. It started to drizzle as we trekked deeper in, then he turned around and announced, "This is a good spot," as he started to pull up his shirt. I turned around quickly, pulling my own damp shirt up over my head as I kicked my shoes off. "Are you serious? You know I've seen you naked, right?" he asked with a chuckle. "I know," I replied nonchalantly, my back still turned as I unhooked my bra and slid my pants off along with my underwear. "So then... what is the issue here?" he asked. He sounded simultaneously confused and mildly offended. I didn't want to answer, so instead, I shifted into my wolf
"What do you mean?" Ryder asked curiously."I mean, I had a dream about you, and I saw these tattoos, well, at least the placement of them. I was really mad at you in the dream and I wasn't really paying much attention to anything but how angry I was," I explained, my gaze still firmly planted on the gargoyle as if it were taunting my sanity."You had a dream about me?" Ryder asked, completely glossing over the part about me having been angry with him and the fact that I was having dreams that turned out to be premonitions."Don't be silly now. I'm being serious," I scolded him."What kind of dream? Was it, like, a sexy dream?" he asked, ignoring my plea."I'm serious, Ryder. Something feels weird about this," I pressed, feeling like he was treating this like it was trivial."Relax," he brushed me off. "Maybe you saw it in a photograph or maybe it was a lucky guess. It's not like I'm the only person on the planet to have this particular tattoo placement. You're reading into it too muc
"Why?" he asked me, his voice ringing with concern and suspicion. "Because I need to talk to him. I left my phone in your car, I need to call him," I went on, taking long strides back the way we'd come as I wiped the tears from my cheeks. The rain was coming down harder now and I was drenched within moments after leaving the shelter of the dense pine tree. He chased after me, spinning me around by the shoulder. "Come on, Kate. Don't do anything stupid now," he said, giving me a searching look as he tried to figure out what I was thinking. I snatched my shoulder away. "I just want to talk to him," I insisted, walking on through the pouring rain, determined to somehow get to him. "Kate!" he called after me as I stalked through the forest. I heard his footsteps behind me, snapping twigs with just about every step he took until he overtook me this time, standing in front of me and blocking my path. "Please move," I murmured with a sniff. He shook his head. "Listen to me, I don't kn