Chapter 10 - Ryder
Well. When Ryder had gone to the bar last night to try to calm his nerves, this wasn't how he'd envisioned the following day going. Right now, whatever petty worries he'd been obsessing over before seemed laughably irrelevant compared to the situation where he currently found himself. He exhaled deeply and sank down onto the dusty sofa opposite the narrow mattress in the tiny living space of one of the hunting shacks the pack used as a safe house, closing his eyes and lowering his chin onto folded knuckles. What a damn mess.
This cottage hadn't been in use in months. It was fairly new, built in the last few years because most of their other safe houses had been compromised in one way or another. That meant no potential exiled pack members would be aware of its existence. It was nestled deep in their territory, far from the last known rogue attacks. The rogues would be looking for him in town, or, at worst, in the other known safe houses. For now, this was the safest place to be.
Since Zach took over, though, they rarely needed to hide out this close to town. Bellefleur had been remarkably peaceful since he took charge. Since there were no threats in the direct vicinity, the closest safe houses went largely unutilized except for the occasional training session. Therefore, the lodge was sparsely decorated with whatever cheap furniture they had to spare and only the most basic supplies. There was no reason to believe it would need to be used.
Well, no longer. Danger had come to their sleepy little town, and it was all Ryder's fault. Hopefully, if he was no longer in the middle of town, the rogues would have no reason to terrorize the rest of the population. He didn't have any better plan right now. This was his best bet until he spoke with Zach and formulated some kind of strategy.
Of course, the major snag in that plan was having Elena here with him. Right now, she was sleeping heavily under the effects of magical exhaustion, but when she came to, the fireworks would no doubt start up again. There was no way she would calmly accept the idea of being trapped out here without a proper explanation, and if he tried to explain, she might decide to do something foolish. Or lose control again and level the whole bloody forest, since that was apparently something she could do.
Good gods. Deep in the woods with a beautiful witch with no control over her powers and a temper fit for a demon, with feral rogues who wanted him dead lurking just around the corner? Fantastic. Absolutely marvelous.
For now, though, she was sleeping, and he had to take that opportunity to ensure their safety. In his frenzied, panicked state, he hadn't taken the proper precautions when going into hiding. He needed to scout the perimeter, hide the car somewhere out of sight, cover their tracks, and fortify the property. Honestly, that storm she'd summoned up, terrifying as it had been, would likely be useful. The chaos was likely to make things difficult for anyone trying to hunt them here and throw off their scent. On the other hand, if anyone had been around to witness it, they would be unequivocally aware that there was a witch somewhere in the woods. That might be a double-edged sword. Damn it.
Restlessly, Ryder got to his feet once more and paced agitatedly back and forth across the length of the house. The electrical equipment in the improvised armory had been hit in a recent storm and would need some TLC before he could use it to contact headquarters, so that would have to wait. Once he was sure they hadn't been pursued and that there was no immediate threat, he could circle back around to retrieve his bug-out bag from the SUV. A few rounds out to check the surroundings was his first priority.
He glanced into the bedroom to check on Elena. She was still asleep, looking like a mess, in last night's dress, pale and covered in sweat and dirt. Breathing steadily, though, without signs of waking any time soon. He gently brushed a loose strand of auburn hair back from her face, noting how impossibly delicate she appeared and how she burrowed deeper into the blanket at the slight touch of his fingers against her skin. That witch was going to be the death of him. Which, admittedly, was infinitely preferable to him causing her demise, which had been a very real and pressing concern an hour ago.
Hesitating at the bedroom door, he pulled out his keychain again and pulled it shut with a deep breath. If she had been furious before, this would cause quite a scene when she awoke. He could only imagine the string of obscenities and accusations she would throw at him. Still, he couldn't risk her waking up and deciding to wander off while he was away. Most likely, she'd be out for hours yet, but that wasn't a risk worth taking. He swallowed hard as he slid the lock into place with a resounding click, securing her in place for the time being—yet another problem he'd have to deal with later.
Moving quickly, he stepped outside, scanning the area for any signs of life as he quietly clicked the door shut behind him. All around him, the world was silent, except for the sounds of insects buzzing, crickets chirping, and the occasional cry of a bird flitting through the trees. He caught sight of several raccoons nosing around near a row of bushes across the clearing, and a pair of squirrels chased each other through the lower branches of a massive old oak towering over the shack, but nothing indicated people anywhere. Satisfied that he wasn't about to be ambushed, he breathed a low sigh and took off in a swift jog along the wooded path.
As he ran, the familiarity of his surroundings settled over him. He was intimately acquainted with this whole region, and his body began to move without conscious thought, instinctively heading toward his destination while he tried to straighten out the tangled knot of anxiety twisting his guts. The fresh air and smell of pine needles mixed with soil, decaying leaves, and fallen berries filled his nostrils as he made his way through the densely packed woods, moving with fluid agility through the thick foliage. His lupine nose picked up various woodland creatures in the underbrush, mice, chipmunks, and rabbits scurrying out of his path, but no unfamiliar shifter scent in the immediate vicinity. Good. At least there wasn't an army of rabid feral wolves hot on their trail.
Eventually, he reached the clearing where they had left the car. Earlier, he had been too high on adrenaline and worried for Elena's safety to take in the scene properly. Now, he was able to fully process the destruction caused by the violent magical whirlwind. It looked like a miniature hurricane had blown through this one specific area, devastating several trees and scattering branches, sticks, and rocks everywhere. The black SUV at the center of it all was completely untouched. It stood in the midst of the wreckage like a monolith, unscathed aside from a coating of dust, and blocked on all sides by fallen logs and debris.
The scene made him shudder. It wasn't the first time in the years he'd known her that Elena's lack of control over her magic had caused a kerfuffle. The girl was quite notorious among the townspeople for her utter lack of competence in the magical realm, and the witches' coven generally just sighed and groaned at the mention of her name. At thirteen, she had accidentally charred the curtains in her high school art class, the Sterlings' garden had been known to sprout monstrous plants overnight due to her magical mishaps, and there was that incident involving the swimming pool at last year's winter formal. This, though? This was a whole new level of magnitude. An actual gale that had toppled a full-grown oak.
As he got to work clearing enough of the wreckage that he could move the car to a safe location, Ryder felt a renewed pang of guilt stabbing through him. He had been so focused on getting Elena out of Bellefleur that he hadn't been paying attention to her emotional state, resulting in that explosion. He kept screwing up and getting other people hurt, especially her. Lifting a large, fallen branch into a nearby patch of bushes, he rolled his neck and shoulders, cracking the tension out of his muscles. The best thing for him to do right now was complete his task as quickly as possible. The sooner he cleared the path and made it to his bug-out bag, the faster he could put together a real plan to ensure her safety.
It took the better part of an hour to clear enough rubble to maneuver the massive black SUV through to the other side. It required a great deal of patience to weave back and forth slowly, keeping an eye on the underside and adjusting course every time he heard a bump or scrape. This vehicle was equipped with extensive modifications thanks to their mechanics in special forces, including armor plating and bulletproof windows, and it was virtually impossible to destroy, but it was heavy. He wasn't keen on replacing any important or expensive components due to carelessness.
With careful finesse, he was able to ease it safely through the newly made tunnel between fallen trees and down the hill to the road that circled back to town. An old barn that had fallen out of use stood at the far end of an abandoned orchard, with a big hay field concealing it from the view of travelers. He was able to pull the vehicle safely inside, out of sight of anyone passing by, and tuck it away in a corner.
Once it was safely parked, he retrieved his backpack from the trunk and stuffed a few emergency rations from the stash of supplies hidden away inside a secret panel. To the naked eye, it appeared to be a normal junk pile full of old farm tools and random piles of scrap, but to anyone in the know, it contained a wealth of equipment suitable for surviving even a long period out in the field.
Once he'd wrangled the necessary items, he headed back outside. Immediately, his nostrils flared, picking up a mix of scents, all unmistakably wolven in nature. They all blurred together, faint traces of several wolves all overlapping, none of them familiar to him. His gaze darted rapidly for any sign of movement, but the midday sun filtered brightly through the overgrown fields of tall grass, lighting up a wide swath of barren land. Not a single movement except straw swaying in the breeze.
He homed in on the scent, closing his eyes momentarily to focus as much on his senses as possible. Recent, but not immediately so. At least a day old, maybe two. Coming south, from Bellefleur, moving eastward. Away from the forest and the safe house. That was a relief. They hadn't entered the barn while they passed—no trace of them in there. Just passing by, then. It didn't necessarily have to be the rogues from his mission, considering other non-hostile shifters occasionally visited the region. However, given the events of the morning, he was reluctant to take any chances.
Moving swiftly, he began circling around the edge of the field. Using a specialized masking spray that the operatives had developed with some help from the witches' alchemical concoctions, he covered the area in the disorienting substance, ensuring that anyone who passed by wouldn't pick up on his scent. It was a very recent development they'd come up with in his absence, and so far, its capabilities hadn't been fully tested. Judging by how it confused his own nose and threw his sense of direction into disarray, he would venture a guess it worked fairly effectively.
Heading back toward the safe house, he kept using the solution as a precautionary measure against any pursuing wolves, making a circuit around the parameter of the woods leading up to the property. Just to be on the safe side, he ran a few laps back and forth in more or less random directions to throw off their potential trackers. After several hours spent pacing around, leaving confusing trails everywhere, he returned to the cottage with little doubt that his movements would be difficult to follow. Even the most skilled tracker would struggle to trace his steps through the woods. He didn't feel as confident as he would have liked to, but it was certainly better than staying in town and waiting for them to strike. It would have to do.
It was late afternoon when he finally returned to the old wooden lodge. He was sweaty, sore, hungry, and thirsty when he trudged into the kitchenette, tossed his heavy backpack on the floor, and gulped down an entire glass of tap water. As soon as the water started running, though, loud banging came from the bedroom, accompanied by shouts and curses. Ah. Apparently, Elena was awake, and she was angry.
With a heavy sigh, Ryder dragged his exhausted body over the creaking floorboards and unlocked the bedroom door. Slowly, he inched open the entrance to find a wild-haired, red-eyed, tired-looking Elena staring daggers at him from the center of the room, fists curled in frustration. Her complexion was still pale from earlier, and her lips looked dry and parched. Despite her evident lingering exhaustion, however, her indignation seemed to overrule it, and her eyes narrowed dangerously at him. She crossed her arms over her chest, but the gesture was somewhat marred by the trembling of her muscles, likely a combination of fatigue, fear, and rage. It was a strangely endearing sight, really, this petite, gorgeous redhead looking for all the world like an avenging angel.
“Hello there, Elena,” Ryder said casually, leaning against the doorframe and grinning widely. “Good to see you're finally awake. Sleep well?”
His voice sounded calm and unconcerned. After a few hours in the wilderness, the lingering vestiges of his hangover had cleared, and he had regained enough composure to fake an air of bravado. At least outwardly, he gave the impression that he was unfazed, even though inwardly, his heart thundered, and his palms grew slick with clammy sweat. The scent emanating from her sent his heart racing and his wolf whimpering. Even after hours in a dusty old bed, the vague trace of lavender seemed to cling to her skin. In his head, images flashed unbidden of the previous night, of how lovely she had looked beneath him, trembling and moaning. It took more concentration than it should have to force the memory away and stay focused on the present.
“No, I didn't sleep well,” Elena shot back venomously, pushing past him roughly and stalking off into the living room. Her gaze flickered uncertainly from side to side as she surveyed her surroundings. “How dare you keep me locked in here? And where is here? You owe me so many explanations right now that I don't even know where to begin.”
Ryder shrugged, watching her warily as she made her way gingerly to the old sofa in the corner. Her legs were still shaky from her magical overextension, so she collapsed down onto the cushion and turned her attention back to him. With a frustrated sigh, he ran a hand through his hair and followed her, then slumped down on the cushion opposite her. He leaned forward, placing his elbows on his knees. For a long moment, he simply sat and regarded her silently, chewing his lower lip thoughtfully, unsure how much to reveal. He would have preferred not to tell her anything about any of this, but, well, she was in the middle of it now. It was only fair that he offered her something in the way of answers.
“We're in a safe location north of town,” he said carefully, measuring his words. “This is one of the pack's safe houses. We—”
“Why are we here?” she cut him off sharply, her lips pressed together into a thin, unamused line. “Who was that wolf? I need to know what's going on, Ryder!”
Ryder grimaced and shook his head dismissively. “The truth, Elena, is that I don't know much,” he admitted as calmly as possible, “except that we are in danger. The wolf that attacked you was looking for me, and now he knows who you are as well. If we go back to town, they’ll track us both down easily. For now, we need to stay here.”
She raised an eyebrow at this, scowling. “What sort of danger? Is this related to those people who have gotten attacked recently?” she demanded suspiciously. “I don't believe for one second that you don't know anything. Tolliver has been cagey all week, and I saw you all with that wounded shifter at the clinic. You're all acting strange, and I deserve to know why. Come clean, or else—”
“You have got to stop making threats when you can't possibly execute them,” Ryder said exasperatedly, rolling his eyes. “I need you to trust that I am doing everything I can to keep us both safe. So quit demanding information, and let me handle this.”
At that, Elena threw up her hands angrily and let out a bitter laugh. “Seriously?” she retorted, visibly incredulous. “How am I supposed to trust you after the way you've acted today? I want to go home.”
The sudden vulnerability in her voice caught him off guard. Behind the fiery anger, there was a deep well of fear in her expression, along with helplessness and exhaustion. A twinge of guilt pricked at him uncomfortably. It reminded him too much of how he'd hurt her this morning, rejected her affection with harsh words and cold dismissiveness.
At this moment, it felt like he couldn't do anything right by this girl. All he had ever tried to do was keep her safe, yet here they were, right in the middle of the mess he'd made. He would make it right, though. They’d stay hidden away here until the immediate danger passed and Zach and the others could get a handle on the situation in town. A part of him recoiled at that idea—he didn’t like having others clean up his messes. It was the responsible thing to do, though, wasn’t it? Elena would be safe here, and he would stick around to make sure no one found her. Right now, it was the only plan he had.
He ran his fingers through his hair and groaned loudly, sinking back against the lumpy couch cushions. When had life gotten so complicated?
“Ryder, please, I need to understand what's happening,” Elena begged, desperation creeping into her tone as she stared him down. “You were as freaked out as I was earlier, which terrifies me. You're never scared of anything. Please.”
Ryder stared resolutely at his sneakers for a long, quiet minute, gathering his thoughts in an attempt to formulate something resembling an appropriate response.
“Look, Elena,” he finally said, “it's been a long day. We're both exhausted, and I need to get some things set up. Tomorrow morning, we can talk things over, all right? For tonight, try to get some rest. We've got some canned soup, beans, and stuff like that in the pantry. It isn't fancy, but it's food, and the water in the shower still works. Let's try to relax, all right?”
That was not the right thing to say. From across the coffee table, Elena's face transformed into a furious scowl. Summoning forth renewed strength despite her still pale complexion, she leaped from where she was seated on the worn-out couch and marched toward the front door, every step oozing determination and fury.
Instinctively, Ryder jumped up, moving inhumanly fast, and planted himself in the way. Elena nearly collided with his massive frame but jerked backward just in time, barely avoiding impact. For a moment, they stood staring at each other in deadlocked silence. She glared furiously up at him from where she stood inches away, practically vibrating with outrage. He sighed heavily and crossed his arms over his chest, returning the glare with a hard expression.
“We have to stay here for now,” he said as patiently as he possibly could. “The shifter who attacked you is still out there somewhere, remember? There are several of them. This place is still unknown to anyone outside of the pack. That makes it the safest place around. Don't be stupid, kid. It isn't safe to leave.”
“What, you're going to keep me locked up here like some kind of prisoner?” she exclaimed indignantly. “I'm going home!”
“No, you absolutely are not,” he growled back, far more menacingly than he had intended. “Did you not hear me? Those rogues will come looking for us again. If you can't be trusted to make good decisions, then yes, I'll have to keep you locked up like a child. I am not going to let you put yourself at risk, no matter how stubborn you decide to get.”
His wolf prowled to the forefront of his mind with his hackles raised. He wanted nothing more than to protect his mate at all costs, which meant stopping her from storming off into the woods and potentially getting herself killed. Even as her eyes blazed defiantly at his comment, her posture rigid with anger, that protective instinct didn't budge an inch. A flicker of surprise washed over her delicate features, and he realized he'd instinctively pushed her back until her spine was pressed up against the wall. His hand was pinned hers above her head, palm flat on top of her wrist.
He inhaled deeply and tried to get his emotions under control. . His nostrils filled with that delicious floral scent he'd tried to erase from his mind. Gritting his teeth, he stepped back, allowing her enough room to breathe. Her breathing was rapid and uneven, her cheeks flushed pink. Gods, that was distracting. It reminded him entirely too much of—oh, shut up, stupid wolf. She stared up at him in absolute silence for a long moment, stunned speechless. Then, in a flash of motion, her hand connected with his cheek in an earsplitting slap that cracked off the walls. Shocked, he pulled back and rubbed at his jaw.
“You are the biggest jerk I've ever met!” she yelled angrily, pushing herself off the wall and shoving him backward with both hands on his chest. “How dare you!”
With that, she spun on her heel, marched into the bedroom, and slammed the door behind her with such force that the whole house shook. Ryder was left reeling, his hand pressed to his stinging cheek as he stared helplessly after her. Okay. That had gone, uh, about as well as he'd expected. Brilliant.
Sighing, he sank back onto the ratty, discolored cushions of the ancient sofa, leaned back against the cheap upholstery, and stared up at the ceiling.
This was going to be a very long few days.