I feel a pang of jealousy I’m not able to join in. I wish I could be out there, running and playing with them. I never thought I would wish I could shift into a wolf, but right now, I want nothing more.
With a huff, I march back to the house, intent on learning as much as I can about my past and now my future.
14
Pruitt
My feet are tucked underneath me as I sit on the patio, curled up on the loveseat. The early morning sun beats down on my bare shoulders, and I tilt my face up, enjoying the warmth it brings.
I had come inside last night after I watched my friends take off into the woods to find Addison had fallen asleep on the couch. I figured she was tired from her travels, so I didn’t disturb her and decided to go to bed myself. I slept in the guestroom again, and when I woke, I found Ryker asleep in the leather chair again. Instead of waking him up, I pulled a soft blanket over him and left the room.
I didn’t dream about the wolf last night like I have for the past ten months. Instead, my dreams were filled with Ryker and his tattooed body. I was a little bummed at first when I woke up, and my head wasn’t swimming images of my black wolf, but that feeling went away the second I saw Ryker’s sleeping form across the room.
Margot was already awake when I entered the kitchen, and she suggested we drink our coffee on the patio. “I love sitting out here in the morning. It’s quiet and peaceful.” She smiles over the rim of her coffee cup. “I didn’t get many quiet mornings after having four kids. There was always someone who needed something.”
“I love looking at the water,” I tell her. “Our condo in San Francisco was over the marina, and I used to love watching the boats come in.”
“Do you miss it?”
“Not really. It never felt like home. I never really belonged there. Don’t get me wrong, Addison provided me with an amazing life. I went on spectacular trips, and I never wanted for anything. But I never felt like I was in the right place. That was until I moved here.”
“This is your home.” Margot grins at me. “This is where you belong. I’m over the moon happy you’ve found your way back to us. Back to Ryker.”
I blush when she mentions his name, remembering our kiss from the night before. My stomach clenches when I think about how his mouth felt on mine. I’m still not one hundred percent sure on the whole mate thing, but I’m growing more comfortable with the idea by the hour.
“Can I ask you a question?” I ask Margot. Addison still isn’t awake, and I figure Margot can answer some of my questions.
“Of course.”
“Last night, Addison said something about a witch.” After I had climbed into bed last night and replayed all the information I had learned in my head, I remembered Addison saying that she had a witch wipe my memory. “Does that mean witches are real?”
“Yes, and I believe you’ve already met Esme. She’s the high priestess of her coven here in Montana,” Margot explains. “Remi told me you had quite the meeting with her.”
“She read my tarot cards,” I smile when I think about what Esme said. “She told me the one I had been searching for was on his way to me. I guess that was Ryker.”
“Esme’s very good at what she does. It’s not very often she’s wrong.”
“So if there are wolf shifters and witches…does that mean everything else is real?” I’m almost afraid to hear her answer. I don’t know if I can handle any more mythical creatures.
“Depends on what you mean by everything else.” Margot grins. “There are different kinds of shifters. For example, there is a pack of cougar shifters not far away, and there is a large pride of lion shifters based out of Texas.”
“Lions and cougars? Are there bears? What about Coyotes? Foxes? Oh my god, are there zebra shifters?”
“Yes, to everything, but Zebras.” Margot laughs at me, and I blush in embarrassment. “For the most part, shifters tend to be predatory animals like you listed.”
“What else is there?” My eyes go wide when I ask. “Are there vampires?”
“Yes, there are vampires. They tend to stick to themselves, though. I’ve only ever met one before.”
“What are they like?” I can’t help but ask, completely fascinated by the idea of a vampire.
“They’re actually pretty normal. That’s something you have to remember about us, Pru, we’re still part human, and we tend to act more human then animalistic. Most paranormal creatures that exist are that way.” She pauses. “Well, except for demons. You’ll want to keep your distance from them.”
“Demons?” I blink. “Sure, why not. I don’t know why that shocks me. After what I learned last night, nothing should shock me anymore.” I shrug my shoulders dramatically.
“I’m proud of how well you’re handling all this. I would have bet money you would have been running for the hills by now.” She giggles.
“I don’t think everything has sunk in yet. I’m sure I’ll have a complete meltdown sometime soon.”
“Oh, yikes,” Addison’s voice comes from the doorway. “A Pruitt meltdown? Just give us a heads-up so we can all go take cover somewhere far, far away.” She has changed into some fresh clothes and looks much more rested than she did last night.
“Hey! I’m not that bad, and if I did have a meltdown, I think it would be very understandable given the situation! I just found out that one day, I might sprout
