9. Skyler
Nine
Skyler
I don’t bother with a glass, just tip the bottle and welcome the burn of the whiskey. Stepping out on the porch, the sunset reflects off the lake. Pulling the black polo over my head and tossing it behind me, I plop down in my chair with a sigh.
What am I going to do?
I would’ve fallen for Amethyst regardless of a mate bond. It has just amplified the feelings, rushing them to the surface. I know without a doubt that I want her. Whatever that might look like for us. But... what does that mean for my life?
I spent years working my way up the chain of command at Burrow’s.
Eventually I thought I might move up again to the district manager position.
Perhaps even higher. Now that I’ve hired Amethyst, if we get involved, her job would be safe.
I’d make sure of that. But because of my position as store manager, having any kind of relations with an employee will cost me mine.
Fucking corporate.
It isn’t the job itself I care about, but my reputation.
Living in a small town like Tarot Lake, one thing is certain — people talk.
Whether the talk is true or false, it holds the same weight as if it was spoken by a monarch.
If the word spreads that I was involved with an employee, it may be difficult to find another similar position in this town.
Without the financial stability of my father, that could ruin me. Another long swig of whiskey slides down my throat as I debate how much it really matters. I could flip some burgers if it came to that. But just as soon as the thought crosses my mind, I know that will not do.
I want to provide for her; to give her everything she deserves. I can’t do that on burger-flipping income. Hell, I can’t even really do that on this income. She deserves the world handed to her on a silver platter.
She isn’t even yours, yet. Get a grip.
Perhaps a run before bed will calm my mind. Climbing up on the railing of the porch, I slip my khakis off and toss them back toward the sliding door. They’re one of the good pairs, don’t need to shred them.
Leaping off the balcony, I relish the feel of bones stretching and snapping as the cool air glides across my skin then tousles my fur. Once my paws hit the ground, I shake out my fur and briefly stretch my muscles, then take off into the brisk evening.
Initially, I thought I would maybe stroll around the lake, then go home. Yet now, a pull akin to gravity sends me deeper into the woods. The night is in full bloom, and the intoxicating scent of vanilla and honey fills my nostrils.
Could she be... here?
I pick up the pace desperate to find the source of the scent. My paws skid across the leaves as I come into a clearing and see her. It’s Amethyst, I’m certain as her scent envelops me, and I greedily drink it in as I take in the sleek, cream she-wolf, illuminated in the moonlight.
Firey warmth flickers up my left leg, proof of our bond and where one day a Goddess-blessed mark will decorate my flesh. If Amethyst accepts me as her mate, of course. I lift my paw to head toward her but freeze instead.
I don’t want to scare her away, and she must not realize I’m here.
She still has her back to me. I lower myself to the ground and slowly inch in her direction.
Amethyst whips around, her stunning sun-touched eyes setting me ablaze.
Gravity tugs us closer to one another. A strand of silvery light peeks through the trees as if fate means to thread us together.
My heart beats erratically as the forest stills around us.
The gap between us closes, her scent consuming me.
Her head brushes against my shoulder and my eyes close as I inhale a deep breath. Her scent floods my senses, and just as I swear that I can taste her on my tongue, she...
Vanishes.
There’s not a trace of her left. No lingering scent, no paw prints, nothing.
A desperate whine scrapes up my throat. Her absence is deafening. Frantically burying my snout in the leaves where she had just been standing, I drag in deep breaths searching for her scent, but all that filters through is dirt and dead leaves.
She seemed entirely real; I don’t understand.
I shake my head to clear it. Great. Now I’m hallucinating. A frustrated growl echoes through the trees around me as I head back home. Living without her is going to destroy me. Seeing her at work will never be enough.
I want to touch her, hold her, worship her. I want to love her.
I need her. Like I need air in my lungs.
Now I know she is a wolf, too. Why is she hiding it? Why will she not acknowledge our bond? Does it have something to do with her pack history — does she even have one?
Fuck! The trees whizz past as I push myself faster than ever before. I’ll never sleep now. Not with this adrenaline coursing through my veins. Even if she rejects me, I’ll belong to her forever. Ten years and counting and I was perfectly content to spend the rest of my life alone.
Now I’m starving for her touch. Glancing up, I beg the Goddess and all her stars that Amethyst accepts our bond. At the very least accepts me into her life. As torturous as it would be to ignore the bond, I just want to be near her.
The house comes into view, and I still have no idea what I’m going to do with all this pent-up frustration. I catch a glimpse of a large fallen stick in my left eye and beeline toward it. Snapping it in half between my jaws isn’t nearly as satisfying as I’d hoped.
I prowl back to the porch, my muscles still tense. Crouching down and using my hind legs to propel myself upwards, I shift, landing on the porch with two legs. Once back in my human form, I’m unsteady on my feet. Guess the last couple of days are catching up to me.
Groaning, I reach down for my phone. Fuck the clothes, I’ll get them later. Thank the Goddess my bedroom is connected to the porch. Stumbling the whole way to the bed, I collapse into it.
Irritation still prickles under my skin. I do the one thing that I know always makes me feel better — be an ass to my sister. She always takes my shit and never holds it against me. I love her, but I’m not telling her that right now.
Skyler
How’s kissing dad’s ass going lately? Fuck you August
Tossing the phone to the other side of the bed, one last grunt leaves my lips as I pull the pillow closer and let the weight of the past few days pull me under.