Chapter 24
Riley
When I wake up the next morning, all the memories of last night come flooding back.
I groan into my pillow when I remember how I acted around Reid.
I don’t want to see him this morning, but I know there’s no avoiding it.
“Might as well get it over with.” I throw back my covers and pull on shorts and a t-shirt.
A quick glance shows me that Reid’s door is still closed.
I make my way to the kitchen where Quint’s hard at work making breakfast.
“Smells good. What can I do to help?”
“Morning, Riley. I’m just about done. Hungry?”
“Starved.” I pull out a few plates and napkins. “Is Reid in the basement?”
“No.”
“Is he outside for a run?” I ask.
“No.”
I frown. “He’s still sleeping?”
“Also, no.”
“Well, where is he?”
Quint finally turns fully to me. “Your dad called in Zane and Reid and Slate to take a trip.”
I plop down on the chair at the table. “That’s never good. Do you know what’s going on?”
“Not much. All I know is they went to check out a location. They left a few enforcers behind since the guys are all gone,” he says, nodding at the front door. “Apparently, I’m not enough to keep you safe.”
I frown at that. “That’s not true. Besides, I don’t need anyone to keep me safe. I can shift now.” I cross my arms over my chest. “I wish everybody could remember that.”
“Oh yeah, about that.”
“What?” I ask warily.
“Reid asked me to go for a run with you.” He looks over at me. “Apparently, you wanted to jump his bones or something last night.”
I feel my face instantly flame. I shove my chair back. “That is not—”
He laughs and holds up a hand. “I’m totally kidding, but based on that reaction...”
I sit back down. “What did he say for real to you?”
“He just said you needed to go for a run in wolf form and asked if I’d go with you while he was gone. He said you were pretty worked up; I interpreted that how I wanted to.” I feel my face heat again when I think of last night. Quint puts down the knife he’s using. “You okay, Riley?”
I blow out a breath. “Yeah.”
He grabs two plates and brings them to the table. “Omelet?”
I look down at it. “Wow, this looks really good.”
“Are you so surprised at my ability to cook?”
I shrug. “I just didn’t know you could cook.”
“Yeah. Well, that’s about the only thing I know how to make. Hopefully, my mate loves omelets.”
I smile; I can’t help it. It’s just that way when Quint is around. I take a bite after letting it cool a moment. “Oh, yeah, this is good. This will get to your girl’s heart; that’s for sure.”
Quint grins and takes a big bite. “Want to talk about it?”
I raise an eyebrow and look over at him. “Are you a therapist now?”
He shrugs. “You look like you’re going through something. I’m sitting here with nowhere to be. Your mate’s gone. Figured you could use a listening ear. How’s your first week of practice?”
“You really want to know?” I ask.
“I wouldn’t have asked if I didn’t.”
So I tell him. I tell him all the nitty gritty details from this week. I finish with telling him how things went down after practice last night. “I’ve never felt that way before; my emotions felt so overwhelming.”
Quint grins. “So, I was right. You really did want to jump his bones.” I scowl at him, and he just laughs. “Okay, sorry. I just had to get that out of the way. What are you guys waiting for? Why haven’t you bonded?” He puts up a hand. “And if you don’t want to share, that’s okay too.”
“I just wanted to experience college life and be free for a little bit. This last year was such a mess. I couldn’t go anywhere without at least one enforcer following me around. And I was confined to the house so much. I just wanted some time before we take the next step.”
“I get that. I also get why Reid wanted you to be able to go for a run but couldn’t go with you.”
I look up from my plate. “Why?”
“As soon as your wolf starts running, his would give chase. And he probably doesn’t trust his wolf not to mate with yours when he catches her.”
I take that in. “I hadn’t thought of that.”
“I can guarantee Reid has,” he says in return. We eat a little longer.
“Thank you; that was really good.”
He pushes his plate away. “You’re welcome. Ready for that run now?”
I pick up both of our plates and take them over to the sink and wash them. “Yeah.”
“I’ll leave the door open for you; one of the enforcers can close it behind you.”
“Thanks, Quint.”
I head to my room and strip down and then let my wolf come to the surface.
It’s not as painful as it was the first time I shifted.
The front door is open, like Quint said it would be.
I step outside and breathe in, clocking two enforcers.
My wolf bounds down the steps and follows Quint’s scent into the woods.
It doesn’t take long to find him. As soon as we get close, his wolf bounds off.
We take off after him, but it’s nearly impossible to catch up to him.
Still, my wolf gives chase. I can feel her joy, and I make a mental note to try to let her run more often.
I have no idea how long we run, but Quint’s wolf finally turns back towards the house.
The two enforcers that followed us part ways, and I follow Quint back to the house.
He shifts, and I wait for him to throw on a pair of sweats and open the door before following him in.
Once I'm in my room, I change back. I open my door and call out to Quint.
“Thank you.” I check my phone and notice I have a missed call and voicemail.
I listen to the voicemail while I get dressed.
“Riley, it’s Coach Parella. Give me a call at your earliest convenience.”
I frown, wondering what she could be calling about first thing Saturday morning. Before I talk myself out of it, I return the call. “Coach, it’s Riley,” I say after her greeting.
“Thanks for returning my call. I’ll get right to it; I just wanted to clear something up.
All freshmen have to live on campus during their freshman year.
I wouldn’t be able to have someone playing for me that wasn’t abiding by the rules because others on the team would complain about it and the unfairness of it.
I can’t say whether or not you’ve made my cut, but if you were to make the cut, that would need to be cleared up. I’m sure it’s not an issue though.”
I try to process everything she’s saying. “I didn’t realize—”
“I’m sure it’s not an issue. I told others as much.”
I take in what she’s saying. “Uh yeah. It’s not an issue.”
“Good. I’m glad we cleared that up. Goodbye.”
I hang up and stare at my phone a moment. Without another thought, I grab my bag and start packing up. I head out to the living room where Quint’s studying and stop. “You’re studying. Is the world coming to an end?”
“Hey, now. I study...occasionally.”
I laugh. “Sure, you do. Hey, random question. Are freshman required to live on campus?”
He cocks his head. “Maybe? I never really thought about it, but Tessa and Evie both lived here their freshmen years.”
“Yeah, but is that because my father pulled some strings?”
He shrugs. “Maybe, but I don’t think it’s a big deal. Why?”
“Coach Parella just called and made no bones about the fact that if I’m going to play for her, I have to live on campus. Apparently, somebody was making an issue of it.”
“Who?”
“I don’t know.” I’m not exactly sure, but I have a feeling I could guess if I had to. “So, I’m moving back, not that I really moved in to begin with.”
“Did you tell Reid yet?”
“Nope. I’ll tell him when he gets back. That way he can focus on whatever it is my dad has him doing.”
Quint gives me a look. “You should probably tell him before then.”
“Why?”
Quint shrugs. “Oh, I don’t know; maybe so he doesn’t rip me to shreds when he gets here and realizes you’re gone.”
I laugh. “Reid’s not like that; he’s chill.”
Quint lifts an eyebrow. “Right. You keep telling yourself that.”
“Okay. Well, moving on. I’ll see you when I see you. Thanks for letting me crash here the last few days.”
“You’ll still be over here all the time, so I‘ll see you.” I head to the front door. “Don’t forget to tell Reid,” he calls out right before I close the door.
I make the drive back to campus in silence. When I get to my room, I open the door and head inside. “Morning,” I call out to Ashley, who’s getting ready in the bathroom.
Ashley turns around, makeup in hand. “Hey, Riley, what are you up to?”
I drop my bag on my bed before walking over to the bathroom doorway. “I’m back to stay.”
“Really?”
“Yeah. Did Stephanie move in yet?”
“No, she hasn’t had a chance to talk to admin yet.”
I take that in. “Good. I feel bad, but at least she won’t have to move back after just moving in.”
Ashley sets her makeup down. “Did something happen between you and Reid?”
“No, no. He’s good. My coach called me and said I have to live on campus my freshman year.”
She doesn’t look surprised. “Well, yeah. That’s the rule.”
“Really? Why didn’t anybody say anything?”
She shrugs. “It’s your life. You’re dating a high profile athlete; I figured they just kind of look the other way for you and Evie and Tessa.”
I feel terrible. “Well, I’m here now. I’ll tell Stephanie.”
“Okay.”
And that’s that. She doesn’t say anything else about it, and neither do I.
We settle right back into life as roommates.
Reid reaches out a few times, but I can tell he’s busy.
I don’t tell him that I’ve moved back, and we never talk for long.
I’m still trying to recover from my embarrassment with him.
Sunday afternoon doesn’t happen since the guys are still gone.
So, when I leave my dorm room early Monday morning, I’m surprised to see Reid.
I pull my earbuds out of my ears. “You’re back. When did you get back?”
“A few hours ago.”
I take in the tension in his shoulders and the intensity radiating off of him. “Did it not go well?” Worry for him and the others, my dad and brother included, fills me.
“It was fine.”
I study him a moment. “If you just got back a few hours ago, what are you doing here? You should be slee—”
“Why are you here, Ry?” I blink. Whenever he calls me that, it takes me back. He used to call me that all the time. Honestly, he’s the only person who really ever did.
I remember his question, thankfully. “Quint didn’t tell you?”
“Haven’t talked to him. He’s asleep.”
“Oh.” That makes sense. I look up at him. “Coach Parella called and told me that as a freshman I have to live on campus. I know Evie and Tessa both didn’t, but somebody on the team must be making a big deal about it and said something to her about it.”
“That’s ridiculous. Nobody abides by that rule.”
I shrug. “Well, apparently Coach Parella does.” He growls low in his chest, and I reach out and put my hand on his arm.
“Hey, it's okay.” His muscle jumps beneath my touch, and I stroke his arm. But he doesn’t relax, and I know what he needs.
I step right into him and wrap my arms around him.
His arms come around me immediately, and I think we both sigh at the full-body contact.
His arms tighten around me. “I missed you,” he breathes against my temple.
“I missed you too,” I admit.