Chapter 12
Nathan
I rolled my shoulders, trying to shake off the restlessness that had been plaguing me all day. The scent of sweat and old mats hung in the air of the training gym. Across from me, Gavin cracked his neck as he stretched.
"You good, old man? You look distracted."
I grunted. "I'm fine."
We started circling each other, falling into the familiar rhythm of sparring.
My muscles burned as I tried to focus, but my wolf paced beneath my skin, agitated and out of sync.
Gavin moved fast, going on the offensive and forcing me to react.
I blocked and parried, but I was a split second too slow.
Again. Before I knew it, Gavin had me pinned to the mat.
"Damn, man. You're slipping," he said, shaking his head.
Scowling, I shoved him off. "I let you win."
Gavin laughed as he stood up. "Right. And I'm the alpha now."
I climbed to my feet, frustration simmering in my veins. Gavin was right. I was distracted, and my instincts dulled. I needed to get my head on straight. My pack was counting on me to lead and protect them. I couldn't afford to be off my game.
Gavin wiped sweat from his forehead, his expression turning serious. "You've been acting weird for weeks, man. What's up?"
I shook my head and looked away. "Just got a lot on my mind with this missing person case. I hate that a wolf could be involved." The thought made my stomach churn. One of our own, abducting an innocent woman. It went against everything we stood for.
Gavin's face darkened. "Yeah, I hate it too. But we'll find her and her captor."
I nodded, but deep down, I feared the worst. I just hoped the woman was still alive when we did. Needing to change the subject, I asked, "You coming to training tomorrow night?"
Gavin shrugged. "Depends. You inviting someone special?"
I glared at him, not dignifying that with a response. Grabbing my water bottle, I stalked out of the gym, Gavin's laughter echoing behind me.
Night had fallen by the time I headed out, the crisp air helping to clear my head as I walked through town. The streets were mostly quiet, just the distant hum of cars in the background. Lost in thought, I barely noticed where I was going until I found myself at the edge of the park.
I froze when I spotted her there, sitting alone on one of the playground swings. Rissa. My wolf immediately perked up, straining against my control. I hesitated, torn between approaching her and walking away.
An invisible force pulled me toward her, like a current I couldn't fight. My feet carried me closer before I realized I'd decided to move.
She looked up then, as if sensing my presence. Her eyes widened slightly in surprise, but her voice remained casual as she greeted me. "You again."
I leaned against the metal frame of the swing set, trying to appear nonchalant. I shifted my weight, searching for the right thing to say. Finally, I exhaled heavily. "Look about last night. I was an ass."
She tilted her head, studying me. "Which part? The jealous interrogation or the possessive attitude?"
I gritted my teeth, fighting back the growl that threatened to rumble up from my chest. "The part where I assumed you were on a date."
Rissa watched me for a long moment before nodding slowly. "Max and I are just friends and co-workers. It wasn't even remotely a date."
I crossed my arms, an irrational flare of irritation surging through me. "You sure about that?"
She rolled her eyes. "Trust me, he's not interested in me. And I'm definitely not interested in him."
Relief washed over me, startling in its intensity. I had no right to feel this way, no claim on her. And yet, the thought of her with someone else made my wolf snarl with barely contained rage.
I didn't understand it. I'd barely spoken to Rissa since she'd returned to town. She wasn't mine to protect or possess. But try telling that to the beast pacing restlessly beneath my skin.
I cleared my throat, trying to shake off the unsettling thoughts. "You ever think it's weird we never ran into each other when you visited Gavin and your dad?"
Rissa shrugged, her long dark hair spilling over her shoulders with the motion. "Maybe. But I was only here for a couple of days at a time. And you had your own life."
I nodded slowly, a dull ache throbbing in my chest. "Yeah." A life that had included a mate whom I’d thought I’d have forever.
There had been no room in that life to notice Rissa. No reason to seek her out or wonder what might have been. But now, with her sitting just a few feet away, it was impossible not to wonder.
I swallowed hard, steeling myself for the question I wasn't sure I wanted the answer to. "So, uh, were you? In a relationship, I mean, are you?"
Rissa lifted a brow, surprise flickering across her face. "Are you asking if I'm currently dating anyone?"
Heat crept up the back of my neck, and I scratched at it self-consciously. "I guess I am."
She studied me for a long moment, her expression unreadable in the dim light. "No."
The words hit me like a punch to the gut, knocking the breath from my lungs. I swallowed thickly, an unexpected wave of relief rolling through me.
The air between us shifted, the teasing playfulness fading into something heavier. Something charged with a tension I couldn't quite name.
My wolf urged me to reach for her. To pull her into my arms and claim her mouth with my own. But I resisted the desire, forcing myself to remain still.
Rissa kicked at the dirt beneath her swing, the scuff of her shoe against the ground, breaking the silence between us. "So, why are you really here?"
I exhaled heavily, the weight of the day settling on my shoulders. "Couldn't sleep."
She nodded, her gaze distant. "Same."
I hesitated for a moment, warring with myself. But the pull to be near her was too strong to resist. I gestured toward the empty swing beside her. "Mind if I join you?"
A smirk tugged at the corner of her mouth. "Depends. You planning on brooding the whole time?"
A surprised laugh huffed from my chest. "I'll do my best to contain the brooding."
I lowered myself onto the swing, the old chains creaking under my weight. The seat was too low, my knees nearly level with my chest, but I didn't care. Not when she was close enough to touch.
We sat in silence for a long moment, the cool night air whispering against our skin. I tried to focus on the distant hum of crickets, the rustle of leaves overhead. Anything to distract me from the heat of her presence.
Finally, I spoke, the words tumbling out before I could stop them. "Come to the pack training tomorrow night."
Rissa glanced at me, one brow arched. "I already know how to fight."
I smirked, the challenge in her voice stoking something inside me. "Good. Then you can help me make the boys look bad."
She chuckled, the sound low and rich. "All right. But only because I'd love to knock a few cocky teenagers on their asses."
I grinned, the tension in my chest easing slightly. This was familiar territory. The banter, the teasing, the easy camaraderie. It was good. Natural.
Like something I could get used to if I let myself.
I got up and pushed her swing lightly, my fingertips brushing against the soft fabric of her shirt. A jolt of electricity shot up my arm, searing into my veins.
Rissa stiffened slightly but didn't move away. For a moment, neither of us spoke. The world narrowed to the place where my hand had just been, the lingering heat of it.
I cleared my throat, forcing my wolf back. "All right. That's enough fun for tonight."
Rissa looked back at me, something unreadable flickering in her eyes. "Yeah. See you tomorrow, Alpha."
She stood, the swing creaking as it swayed in her absence. I watched her walk away, my wolf growling low in my chest. It took every ounce of self-control not to go after her, to pull her back and finish what we'd started.
But I wouldn't. Not yet.
Not until I was sure I could give her what she deserved. A man who was whole with a heart that was healed.A future that wasn't haunted by the ghosts of the past.
I sighed, running a hand through my hair. Tomorrow. I would see her tomorrow at the pack training. And maybe I would find the strength to keep my distance.
Or maybe not.