Total pages in book: 75
Estimated words: 73170 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 366(@200wpm)___ 293(@250wpm)___ 244(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 73170 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 366(@200wpm)___ 293(@250wpm)___ 244(@300wpm)
Bailey dug and got contact information for Jared’s cousin Olivia and another pack member of Jared’s that he was friends with called Jonathan Briggs who, coincidentally, is a member of Joel’s ex-girlfriend’s pack. Joel said he’d call her mate and ask for information after we meet with Mitch and determine it’s safe to reach out to Jonathan.
That Joel agreed to do that surprised me. Bailey agreed that it’s a big deal. Maybe since Joel knows his mating is coming soon, he’s looking for closure with his ex, who was abruptly identified as the mate of a visiting alpha from another pack over a decade ago. The whole pack was heavily invested in the aftermath of all that. The council guys are eight years older than I am, but I often think of the Joel before that as a different, happier, more upbeat person than the serious, quieter Joel he seems to have become after he split with Susan.
“Listen…” Jared grabs my hands and kisses one, then the other, “It needs to run.”
I tilt my head curiously.
“My wolf. It’s been too long. I’m gonna go for a drive, let it run, then I’ll be back.”
“I’ll drive you.”
“No. You stay here.”
I jump to my feet. “Absolutely not!”
He grabs me and holds onto me, whispering in my ear, “Please, Cicely, don’t fight me on this.” He kisses the mate mark.
I remain stiff in his embrace, panic surging through me. I pull back and search his eyes while I try to sift through our connection to look for signs of whether or not he plans to come back. Is he using this as an excuse to take off before Mitch gets here?
“If you don’t come back…” I warn, “I’ll hunt you down.”
He flinches and laughs before he runs his nose along my neck. “I just need to run. That’s all… I need to let it run and then I’ll be back.”
“When?”
“Whenever I find myself in this form again. It’s usually twelve hours or less. You can stay here, or you can go stay in your apartment. I’d rather you stay here since I’m not ready for you to be around other shifters without me, but I’ll deal if you feel the need to go spend time with your pack, check on your store, or see your girl.”
He's referring to Bailey, because I’ve expressed a few times how close we are and talked about what she’s going through right now with Jase.
When I don’t respond, he chuckles. “Fuck, you’re beautiful when you wanna rip my head off my shoulders, woman.”
I’m still getting used to seeing him smile and laugh. I think he’s still getting used to it, too. It lightens the load a little to see humor, which suggests he’s not trying to pull the wool over my eyes so he can leave me. I’m not entirely convinced, though.
“Back as soon as I can be.” He leans in and takes my mouth in a passionate kiss that I only partly participate in.
I stare at him as he backs away from me, grabbing his keys and his phone.
“Gimme your number?” he asks.
I ramble it off.
“Be back soon.” He grabs his mask before he kisses me again and leaves.
The fact that he acted so casual should make me feel better. He didn’t want to fuck me one more time, suggesting it was goodbye. Though, we did it a few hours ago so maybe that was the last time.
No, I don’t feel better.
25
JARED
The Following Day
I stop beside the two vehicles parked a mile up the old dirt road and wave.
One vehicle has two Arcana Falls pack members in it. I don’t know them, but they both wave.
The other has Cicely’s father. He gives me a kill-stare and doesn’t wave. He didn’t wave when I left yesterday, either.
I roll my window, hoping to clear the air. “Sir…”
“Got nothin’ to say to you,” he replies, gesturing for me to drive on.
“I–”
He cuts me off. “Go to her. She’s been frettin’ since you left.”
Yeah, I’m feeling it.
I move along, catching her strengthening scent. I’ve had a sense of her emotions for the last few miles of my drive back and it doesn’t feel good. In fact, now it feels like something’s off.
I open the door to the Airstream and she’s sitting on the couch. She drops her phone and tries to level me with daggers from her gaze, but immediately, her expression drops and she dissolves into tears, covering her face with her hands.
I set down my phone, wallet, keys, and the muzzle along with the flower bouquet, the box of chocolates, and the bottle of bourbon and rush to her.
“Hey…” I squat in front of her.
She shoves me with both hands, and I nearly lose my balance.
“Twenty-seven hours!” she chokes out.
“Twenty-”
“Why didn’t you phone me?” She shoves me again, harder, and I land on my ass before she puts her hand to her chest and begins hyperventilating.