Page 49 of Fated to the Wolf Cowboy

Not seeing any cars in the parking lot was a huge relief. It’s not that I thought Kenneth was setting me up or anything, I was just nervous to encounter them again this soon.

I’d never seen that look of disappointment in Peyton’s eyes before.

At the time, I’d been too worked up to care. But now in hindsight I got to relive every moment I’d screwed this up so spectacularly.

As I let myself into the house, I would swear I could still smell her.

Tricia.

There was absolutely no way I could stay here again anytime soon. All I would remember washer.All I would think about washer.All that would torment me to the depths of hell washer.

With a big sigh, I took the stairs two at a time. The faster I got this over with, the better.

Passing by Kenneth’s room was the hardest part of all. It was there that I’d blown it. Standing in that doorway, yelling at her like a madman. What had I been thinking?

I hadn’t. That was the truth of the matter.

After all the Clementine shit and the Pack ridicule. To know how badly I’d misinterpreted things. Understanding now that it had been her scent, and not a stupid horse’s, just made me feel like such an idiot.

None of my outburst was purposefully directed at her, or Kenneth, or Peyton, any of them. It had been a self-degrading breaking point for me. They just happened to be the ones I lashed out at in the moment.

Was that what it had been like for dad too?

Maybe Kenneth was right and I really was just like him.

I couldn’t allow myself to sink down that hole knowing it would swallow me up. I didn’t want to be like him. I didn’t want to be the man who lashed out the worst to those he loved the most.

My jaw locked as I tried to get a grip on my emotions.

I forced myself to keep moving and not linger at that door where it had all turned into a dumpster fire.

Instead, I focused on the task at hand and walked to my room.

I took a deep breath still swearing I could smell her scent.

Would it always be that way?

Was it so committed to memory now that I would recall it this easily?

I shook my head, opened the door and pushed inside.

The room was dark.

As I flipped the light switch an ear-piercing scream rang out through the room.

I covered my ears and looked around for danger.

“What the fuck?” I yelled.

It took me a moment to realize it washer.

Mate!my wolf howled his approval.

I immediately went into over-protective mode trying to identify the threat.

It didn’t fully recognize that she had jumped to her feet from where she’d apparently been laying in my bed until my backside was fully pressed up against her body as I looked around the room.

“What are you doing?” she protested.