Chapter 2 #2
Abby snorted. “No you don’t. I’ll see you soon. Text me or call me back if you think of more questions.”
“Alright. See you.”
The call ended, and I tucked my phone under my thigh so I didn’t lose it beneath the furball on my lap.
I’d definitely think of more questions. I was going to end up with a whole list of them.
I worked on said list until Finn pulled onto a dirt road. The old truck handled it surprisingly well, which told me that at least some of its parts had been replaced.
Given Wyatt’s job, it wouldn’t surprise me if he’d restored or redone the whole vehicle. My dad had never done anything like that, but one of the guys he worked with specialized in that.
Eventually, we reached a few cabins. My mood lifted immediately when I saw Stella’s truck in front of one, and when Finn parked there. He was blocking the road, but he didn’t seem to care. Something told me there weren’t many people coming and going.
“This is where Stella’s been living,” Finn said.
He stepped out of the truck, so I opened my door too. Wyatt’s wolf jumped out before me, the motion so smooth that I didn’t even hear him land.
My feet weren’t nearly as quiet, but I climbed out too.
“This is Graham’s place,” Finn said. He wasn’t attempting to stop himself from glaring at me, and it seemed to be making Wyatt’s wolf restless. “And Stella’s, I guess. She bit him a few days ago, so unless his wolf rejects her, they’ll be together permanently.”
He headed to the front door before giving me a chance to reply, so I went ahead and followed him up to the porch.
Finn knocked on the door while the wolf and I were still moving.
We stopped next to him, and all three of us waited.
Finn knocked again, louder.
“I don’t think they’re here,” he finally said.
“Where else could they be? There are two vehicles in the driveway. That truck is Stella’s.” I pointed to it.
“I don’t know. They could’ve shifted and gone for a run. Or they could be in the middle of something,” Finn said.
“You said she was here,” I countered.
“I said she’s been living with Graham,” Finn growled.
“And I’m just supposed to take your word for it?”
Before he could answer, Stella’s voice called out, “Hey!”
I spun to face her, every muscle in my body relaxing at the sight of my friend.
She was okay.
Completely fine.
Healthy, alive, and not buried six feet underground while people insisted that she would reply to me when she was ready.
The wolf at my side growled viciously. I didn’t know why, and barely paid him any attention. He was a wolf. Wolves growled.
“I’m out,” Finn grumbled.
I wouldn’t complain about having more space from that asshole. At least fate hadn’t paired me with him.
“The climax just started. Can you find Abby and Nico?” the guy I assumed was Graham asked Finn, as the grumpy werewolf strode past.
“They’re on their way,” Finn said, already walking in the other direction.
I looked Stella up and down pointedly. “You were supposed to be sick, not a fucking werewolf.”
“Not fucking a werewolf would be more accurate,” Stella teased.
“Don’t make jokes right now,” I said with a scowl, though I was already moving closer to my friend.
“You love my jokes.”
“You’re ridiculous.” I hugged Stella tightly, and she returned it with just as much ferocity.
“I know. I missed you, though.”
“I missed you too. I was scared out of my mind for you. Maya was being weird about everything for months. Is she a werewolf too?” I checked.
“You’d have to ask her.”
I release Stella, so I could wipe my eyes. “She totally is.”
“Looks like you will be too.” Stella nodded at Wyatt’s wolf. “How did that happen?”
I grimaced. “You don’t want to know.”
“I think I do.”
Graham’s arm went around her. The way Stella leaned into him told me she was comfortable with him. I’d never seen her like that with anyone, including our friend group.
The touch was intimate, and just slightly sexual.
I remembered what Abby had said about Stella and Graham. That they were in the climax, which was the final part of the werewolf mating process.
“Abby said the climax involves a lot of sex. She was explaining on the phone on the way over here. Finn didn’t want to.”
“You don’t really want another guy talking to you about sex during a mate hunt anyway. Male wolves are possessive,” Stella said.
“I noticed.” I looked at the wolf nearby, and warned him, “I can’t go missing for multiple months.”
He stepped closer, rubbing against my side.
I tried not to let myself like him, but failed. And ended up scratching his head again, my fingers feeling like they belonged in the thick, soft fur that smelled like motor oil.
“I can’t believe Abby actually found werewolves in Moon Ridge,” I said. “And neither of you told me they were real.”
“Sorry.” Stella made a face. “It seemed like the best call in the situation.”
“I get it. Wrapping my head around it is just going to take some time.” I dragged a hand through my hair before I finally looked at Graham. “Are you going to introduce me to the sexy giant who’s holding you like he can’t wait for me to leave, Stella?”
Wyatt’s wolf snarled, putting himself between me and Graham.
Apparently that joke hadn’t hit right.
Whoops.
“I’m Graham. And I think you might want to get Wyatt back to his house before his possessiveness pushes him to bite you earlier than either of you want,” Stella’s new man said. He sounded friendlier than I expected and seemed fairly laid-back too.
I rolled my eyes at the wolf next to me. “I wasn’t hitting on him. I was stating a fact. Look at him.” I gestured toward Graham.
The wolf held my gaze for all of one second.
Then he lowered his head.
And lunged.
I was so shocked, I didn’t even scream when his teeth pieced the skin around my ankle.
I did scream when a wave of agony like nothing I’d ever felt before rolled through me from head to toe. My body arched, and I sank to my knees.
Vaguely, I heard Wyatt start to ask Stella and Graham to help me, but he stopped himself.
Stella kneeled down next to me and grabbed my hand. Her grip was iron, and kept me centered on that one part of my body.
The pain was unreal.
Everything hurt in a way I’d never even imagined it could.
“Don’t fight the wolf,” Stella said.
I met her eyes for a moment, before pain had me arching again as fire burned through more of my body.
It was awful.
Intense.
Brutal.
It felt like it went on forever.
But eventually, the pain ended. Though I could see, everything felt far away as I looked through the eyes of a creature that certainly wasn’t me.
My wolf stared at Stella for a minute, before turning to Wyatt.
He was in his human form again, completely naked, and wearing a deep grimace.
After a moment, he patted my wolf’s head awkwardly. “Might be better to go to my place.”
My wolf didn’t respond, but didn’t look away either.
After a moment, Wyatt waved for her to follow him. She stayed close to his side, walking down the dirt road with him.
The silence wasn’t awkward, and I didn’t get the feeling that Wyatt had any desire to chat as they walked.
If I’d been able to talk, I would’ve asked about his truck. And my bag, inside it. And his clothes.
The man clearly wasn’t worried about the clothes thing, though. For good reason. If I looked like that, I might walk around naked all the time just for the hell of it.
Okay, fine. I wouldn’t.
But I wouldn’t complain if he did.
Ahem.
Anyway.
We walked to his place, and I crossed my currently-nonexistent fingers that the awkwardness would fade before my wolf made me take over again.