I’d slowed down in the middle of the kitchen but started to pick up my pace again. I needed to see him. To look in his eyes and feel that crazy feeling again. The one that let me know that, despite what anyone said, we had a connection. Something deeper than the friendship we wore like armor. As soon as I saw him, I’d be able to push Aubrey’s nasty words aside and forget them.
I was so used to relying on that pull deep in my stomach that let me know he was near, but it was absent and when I got to our table, he wasn’t there.
I sat down slowly, my eyes raking the kitchen to see if he was anywhere else, but that feeling in the pit of my stomach let me know I was wasting my time. When I was sure he wasn’t there, I finally voiced my concern. “Do you guys know where Wyatt went?”
Evey and Del glanced at me curiously, but I ignored them.
“I think he went back to the house, dear,” Nora finally answered. “Said he had something to do there before the full moon.”
“Oh.”
My shoulders slumped with the news and I started to pick at my pie half-heartedly. I’d just have to wait until later to see him. Thankfully, the sun would be setting in a few hours and I’d be able to get these doubts out of my head for good.
Unfortunately, things didn’t work out that way.
The sun set and the moon rose as the magic that came along with it transformed me and the rest of my pack into our other forms, but Wyatt was nowhere to be found. I trotted around the field, noticing my packmates were sticking closer to the lodge than usual. And when I finally spotted a brown wolf with a bit of black mixed in, I raced over to him. As I got closer, the wind shifted, and I realized it was cedar and not leather I was smelling, and that meant this was Wes.
“Hey, Wes, do you know where Wyatt is?”
“He decided to keep watch over the house tonight.”
I titled my head in confusion. “I thought since your mom wasn’t a secret anymore you guys didn’t have to do that.”
Wes shook his head, exasperation clear even on his wolfy face. “Yeah, that’s what I thought too, but he didn’t agree so I left him to it.”
I turned to look toward where the pack houses were. “We were supposed to hang out tonight. Maybe he’d like some company.”
Wes snorted. “Good luck with that. I don’t know what crawled up his ass, but I hope it dies and falls out soon because he’s annoying the shit outta me.”
“Lovely, Wes.”
He laughed, which sounded more like a bark in this form. “Sorry, Callie. Just statin’ the truth.”
“Well, maybe I’ll go over there and see what’s going on with him.”
“You’re braver than me.”
With those ominous words hanging over my head, I took off for the pack houses. When I arrived at the third one, it seemed quiet and lonely. I could hear Nora inside humming tunelessly, but not much else. I walked around the side of the house to the backyard, following the feeling in my belly that told me he was nearby.
“What are you doing here?”
I heard the voice before a small twig snapped right behind me and I spun to find a dark shape coming out of the woods. My heart shot into my throat as the black wolf stepped into the moonlight and I could see it was Wyatt.
“What are you doing? You just scared the crap out of me!” I panted.
“I’m wondering what you’re doing here.”
I stood up a little straighter and tilted my head to the side, sure I’d heard him wrong. “I just came by to see what you were up to. I thought we were supposed to hang out tonight.” My voice sounded small and unsure, which wasn’t like me, but I was having trouble acting normal with his caramel eyes boring into mine like he could see right through me.
“Well, plans have changed.”
“Okay,” I said slowly, “We can hang out here if you’re worried about your mom.”
“No, thanks. I’d rather be by myself tonight.”
I shook my head, positive I’d misunderstood him. “I don’t mind keeping you company. We can even race around the house if you’re in the mood to lose.”
He snorted once and turned his head. “I’d rather not.”
All right, now I was officially confused.
Everything had been fine between us a few hours ago. We’d been laughing and joking like always in the lodge. What happened between then and now to change his attitude so drastically? It couldn’t have been something I did because I hadn’t seen him since then. So, why was he taking it out on me?
The confusion slowly dissipated, leaving annoyance in its wake. “What’s going on with you?”
He kept his face pointed away from me as he answered. “Just seeing things clearer now.”
“What the heck does that mean?”
“Nothing.”
I growled softly. “Of course it means something or you wouldn’t have said it.”
“Callie, I’m really not in the mood to do this with you.”
“Do what?! I’m just trying to have a normal conversation with you! What–”
“Wesley!”
We both went quiet and turned to the sound of approaching footsteps. I just barely held back a snarl when Aubrey stepped out of the shadows. Her light brown eyes raked over me once before she tipped her head in the air and turned to Wyatt.
“Hey, Wes. I was looking for you.”
Wyatt glanced at me before turning back to Aubrey. “I’m Wyatt.”
She laughed, coughing and barking out loud but also giggling in our heads like an idiot. “Oh, I’m sorry. It’s so hard to tell you two apart.”
