“We’re ready to go home,” Remi tells me as she puts some of the first-aid supplies back into the box. “We got what we could bandaged up, but mom also sent a text to Doctor V, and she’ll be waiting for us when we get there. I’ll drive us back if you want to hold her.”
I look over at Grey and see she looks peaceful. “No, I don’t want to move her again. I’ll ride in the back.” I open the rear door to Grey’s Jeep and climb in. “Let’s get her home.”
Home. I never thought I would call it that again, but now it sounds right.
“I forgot to tell you.” Remi starts the car and looks at me through the rearview mirror. “Guess what we found in her art studio.”
I carefully unfold the piece of paper Remi passes back to me, and my breath catches in my throat when I see my wolf’s eyes staring back at me from the page. His golden eyes look realistic, and the fur is perfectly illustrated, I swear I could reach out and touch it. She had even gotten the white patch of fur that sits on my chest right.
“What do you think that means?” Remi asks.
“It means I have more questions.”
7
Pruitt
The black wolf patiently waits for me across the clearing like always. The cold wind picks up and causes a chill to run down my spine. There is electricity in the air I haven’t sensed before. I’ve lived this dream many times before, but it feels different this time. The air around us buzzes and hums, drowning out the sound of my breathing and heartbeat.
I stand there watching the large wolf, afraid if I move, he will disappear like always. I stand as still as possible, willing him to stay longer. Just a minute longer this time, I plead to myself. But it will never be enough time.
The wolf cocks his head to the side as he watches me—almost like he’s wondering why I haven’t moved yet. I wish I could tell him I’m worried if I do, I’ll lose him, but the humming in the air is too loud to hear anything else. And then he does something he’s never done before.
He takes a step toward me.
I hold my breath expecting to be pulled out of the dream the second his paw leaves the ground, but to my utter shock, nothing happens. Nothing happens as he takes another step forward. I finally release the breath I’ve been holding when he makes it halfway across the clearing. My legs quake when I take my first step in his direction, but with each one, they get stronger.
With every inch closer, I expect to be jolted awake. And even as I’m standing a foot away from him, I’m bracing myself for when I’m inevitably pulled away, but it never happens.
When I put my shaking hand out, and he presses his large head against it, the air around us stills, and the rain that had been pouring down on our backs freezes. The deafening buzzing sound silences and I can once against hear my pounding heartbeat.
It’s the calmness and feeling of completeness that settles in my soul that shocks me the most. My fingers dig deep into the fur at his neck, holding on tight to him.
All I can do is stand there and stare at him. I already have his face memorized, but I still take it all in, from the way his ears twitch and move when he hears something to the way his fur feels against my fingers. I take it all in, wanting to remember everything about him. And this time, when my surroundings swirl and grow dark, I don’t panic about leaving him. Because I know in my heart this isn’t goodbye.
When I wake from the dream, I notice a few things. The first thing is I actually woke up in a bed instead the woods like I have the past couple of mornings. The second is I have the worst headache, and my body is sore and tender. The third is I know I’m not alone by the soft breathing I hear coming from across the room.
I stifle a groan as I slowly pull myself into a sitting position on the bed. I take a quick scan of the room I’m in and find I’m in one of the Weylyns’ guest rooms. I have never actually slept in here but have passed this room many times when walking to Remi’s.
In the far corner, Ryker sleeps in the dark leather accent chair, his thick tattooed arms crossed over his chest. His head hangs at an awkward position, having fallen asleep sitting up. The only part of this scene that concerns me is the golden glow still surrounds him as the bright morning sun dances across the room.
Great. I really did see it yesterday at the party before I left.
Wait! Memories of last night flash through my mind. The red wolf I had foolishly chased after, the wild wolf hunted me through the woods, the other wolves that showed up after it had attacked me. All of it comes crashing back to me, and I cringe when I remember the sound my head made when it hit the rock. I flinch when I reach back and feel stitches under the bandage that sits there.
Oh no, please tell me they didn’t…
“They didn’t shave your head,” a deep, sleepy voice murmurs from the corner of the room. Looking over, I find equally sleepy blue eyes looking back at me. “If that’s what you were wondering.” A small smile appears on his face as he shifts into a more upright position.
“Read my mind.” I can’t help the shy smile growing on my own face. “Did you sleep here all night?”
“Yes.”
“Why would you do that?” I blurt before I can stop myself. “Sorry. I mean, wasn’t the chair uncomfortable?”
“I’ve slept in worse places.” Ryker grins at me. “How do you
