“I…” I hesitate. I look between them, and both are looking at me expectantly. “I’ll ride back with Ryker. I’ll see you back at the house.”
I wave her off before turning to look at the man who has been in my dreams for almost a year now but in his wolf form. “I’m sorry I pushed your hand away,” I tell him. This is the first time I’ve really looked at him since the fight, and I see now his face has dried blood on it from various scratches and cuts. A long one starts at his forehead and makes its way down to his nose. I also notice he has a slight limp, and there are puncture wounds covering his calf.
“You have nothing to apologize for,” he says. “This is all a lot, and I know there’s going to be a period of adjustment. I hope one day you can trust me and know I would never hurt you.” Moving slow, probably as not to spook me, he raises his hand to cup my face, and I instantly lean into his touch, finding comfort in it. “Now, let's get you home.”
“Do we need to get you to a doctor? You’re limping pretty bad and your face…” I reach up and carefully wipe away some of the blood on his cheek, revealing a cut underneath. “That looks like it needs stitches.”
“No. Most of these wounds are superficial. They’ll be healed before we get home. My leg should be okay in a couple hours. Wolf shifters heal quickly, although some of the more serious wounds leave permanent scars.” He points at a couple raised lines that zigzag across his chest. “Like these.”
“Are those from other wolf shifters too?” I ask him, the term wolf shifter feeling foreign and odd when I say it.
“Yes.”
He doesn’t offer more information, and I don’t ask him for it. Instead, I change the subject. “What about all this stuff?” I motion to the campsite, where everything still stands, including the tent that took us forever to set up.
“We’ll send someone to come gather everything,” he assures me. “Let’s go get some answers.” He climbs onto the four-wheeler, and I take his offered hand and hoist myself up behind him.
“About time, don’t you think?”
Like on the jet ski, I wrap my arms around his waist and rest my head on his shoulder. I may be confused about everything else, but I’m not confused about my feelings for Ryker Weylyn.
12
Pruitt
I’m still struggling to understand what I witnessed when we walk through the front door of the Weylyn house. Ryker and I had both kept quiet the whole way back, I assume, because like me, he didn’t know what to say. Part of me wants to just blame this all on a bad hallucination, but the other part of me is too curious to walk away.
Other than almost being used as a chew toy, again, I had a really good day. I enjoyed my time with Ryker a lot. The pull I feel when I’m around him is hard to ignore. And even now, as I watch him speaking in hushed tones with his father, I want to go to him because the distance between us doesn’t feel right.
Margot comes running out of the kitchen, a panicked look on her face. “Pru! Are you okay? Ranger told us what happened. I’m sorry you had to see that!” She pulls me into a tight hug and rocks us back and forth. “We hate those rogue wolves, so I can’t say I’m upset Ryker had to kill him,” she adds before letting me go.
“Yeah, it was pretty…bloody.” I nod, feeling my face drop as I remember the gruesome sight of the torn-up body. “But Ryker was pretty amazing out there.”
“Of course he was, he wasn’t going to let anything hurt you.” Margot grabs my face gently before turning to look at her husband, who’s coming toward us. His face is stern, like it always is, but his eyes soften when he looks at me.
“I’m glad you’re okay,” he tells me. “I believe there’s someone here who would like to say hello…” He turns to the side so I can see around him.
Her light brown hair is disheveled and falling out of the low bun she’s wearing it in, and I can also see the dark circles under her eyes from here. “Addison!” I call, breaking into a sprint across the room. I throw my arms around her and hold on for dear life. I knew I wanted her here, but I didn’t realize how much until I feel her arms hug me tight. “I’ve been trying to call you!”
“I got an earlier flight, and in my rush to get home, I left my phone at the hotel. I was pulling into the driveway when Ranger came back.” Addison pulls back and looks me over, her hazel eyes full of worry as she scans for any signs of injury. She touches the spot on my face where the tree branch had cut it the night before. “He told us what happened. I’m glad you’re okay.” I follow her gaze that’s now aimed behind me, and I find Ryker standing there. “Thank you for protecting our girl today. And last night.”
“I wouldn’t let anything happen to her,” Ryker tells her, similar to what Margot had told me a minute ago.
“I know.” She gives him a knowing look before turning back to me. “I guess it’s time for me to come clean.”
We all find a place to sit around the living room, and I feel all eyes in the room on Addison and me. Ryker refuses to sit down, opting to pace behind the couch Addison and I sit on. He had called Sawyer and Avery in to join us, and they’re both leaning against the far wall. Avery has her usual scowl, and Sawyer looks relaxed as he
