Chapter Thirty-One

My hand flew to my mouth, stifling a gasp as I looked again at the lifeless animal. Paul, who had been begging for Ryder’s forgiveness, was now dead in the back of Ryder’s truck.

The morning sunlight caught on Paul’s fur, cruelly highlighting the deep red gash across his throat. His lifeless eyes stared at nothing. My stomach lurched.

“Son of a bitch,” Ryder said, his voice dropping to a dangerous growl. His eyes flashed an eerie blue for a split second. “This isn’t good. He’s gone too far this time.”

I stepped back, my breath coming in shallow gasps. “I don’t understand. Why would he?—”

“Everly.” Ryder grabbed my shoulders, his grip firm but gentle. “You need to go inside and get your things. You need to leave. It’s not safe for you here.”

“What?” I shook my head. “But we have more time.”

“We don’t. Something’s wrong.” He glanced back at the truck, his expression dark. “Something’s changed. I don’t know what, but I’m worried sick that something could happen to you.”

“But—”

“Now, Everly. Please.”

The urgency in his voice sent me racing inside. I grabbed the bag I’d never unpacked, stuffing in a few items I’d taken out. My hands trembled as I collected my laptop, chargers, and toiletries from the bathroom.

I quickly got dressed, not even caring that my socks didn’t match. I hauled everything out to my SUV, tossing my things into the back. Ryder stood on the lawn, his phone pressed to his ear as he spoke in a low, intense voice. When he saw me, he ended the call and walked over.

“Learn anything?” I asked, nodding toward his phone.

“Not yet,” he said, running his hand through his hair.

I swallowed hard and looked into his eyes. “I guess this is goodbye, then.”

“I never wanted it to be like this,” Ryder said, his blue eyes searching mine. “I will visit you.”

“Sure you will,” I said, flashing him a warm smile. “I’ll never forget you.”

He reached out, brushing his thumb across my cheek. “Do you have enough money? A place to stay once you get back to Chicago?”

“I’m fine. I’ll just get a hotel until I figure things out.”

Ryder pulled me into his arms, and I breathed in his scent, hoping to commit it to memory. Despite everything, I didn’t want to let go.

“Be safe,” he whispered against my hair.

“Are you kidding? You are the one who needs to be safe,” I said, closing my eyes to stop the tears that were threatening to roll down my cheeks. “Don’t do anything stupid, okay?”

“I never do,” Ryder said, leaning back.

He tilted my chin up and kissed me, deep and desperate. My whole body melted into him. I couldn’t believe this was how we had to say our goodbye.

“Go,” he said, his voice hard as he took a step back. “Before I actually do something stupid and keep you here.”

I gave him one more look before climbing into the driver’s seat of my SUV. I put the key into the ignition, but when I tried to turn it… it wouldn’t move, not even a little, just like the other time.

I tried again, twisting harder. The key wouldn’t budge.

It didn’t make sense. I’d just driven it the other day when Courtney and I went into town.

I cracked the door open. “It won’t turn.”

“What do you mean?” He approached the car, brows furrowed.

“I don’t know,” I said, feeling panicky. “It’s like the key is stuck.”

“Let me see.” He opened the door wider and reached across the steering wheel. The key turned effortlessly in his hand, and the engine roared to life.

“Huh, that’s weird, right?” I asked, meeting his eyes. “What if I get out there and that happens again? What if I get stranded somewhere?”

Ryder rubbed the back of his neck. “You have my number. I’ll get someone to help you. For now, you just need to get far away from this place. Far away from me.”

I frowned, pressing my lips together hard as my head bobbed in understanding. My fingers wrapped around the gearshift, and I tried to put it in reverse, but it wouldn’t move.

“What the fucking hell?” I said, hitting the steering with my palms. “Now the shifter is stuck!”

Ryder ducked back in, placing his hand over mine on the gearshift, and it easily slid into reverse. When I stepped on the gas, the SUV sputtered and the engine died.

“What is going on?” I asked.

“Oh, shit.” He backed away from the SUV, running his hands through his hair. His expression shifted from confusion to realization to what looked like panic. “Everly, get out of the car.”

I narrowed my eyes at him, but complied. “What?”

“Get back in,” he said.

“What are you doing?”

“Just try again.”

I slid back behind the wheel and tried turning the key. Stuck.

“What’s going on?” I asked, throwing a hand in the air. “It’s just like the other time. I couldn’t leave!”

Ryder paced a few steps, then stopped, looking at me with an expression I couldn’t read. “I think something happened.”

“Would you please tell me what you’re talking about?” I asked, getting out of the car and crossing my arms.

He took a deep breath, his hands clenching and unclenching as he paced. “I think I may have done something.”

“What?” I asked, shaking my head.

“I think I may have accidentally imprinted on you,” he said, swallowing hard.

“You what?” The morning sun suddenly felt too bright, too hot on my skin.

“Imprinted,” he repeated, like the word pained him. “It’s a wolf thing. A rare wolf thing. I thought it could only happen with other wolves.”

“What does that mean?” My voice rose, panic fluttering in my chest. “What did you do to me?”

“I didn’t do anything intentionally.” Ryder’s voice was defensive, but his eyes held a mixture of confusion and concern. “Sometimes when wolves...” He cleared his throat. “When we’re intimate with someone, there’s a small chance of forming a bond. An unbreakable bond.”

I frowned as I crossed my arms. “I don’t know what you’re talking about. Are you saying I’m stuck here? I don’t believe that. Give me your keys.”

Ryder handed me the keys to his truck, and I hopped into the cab. I slid the keys into the ignition, and, just like my SUV, it wouldn’t turn.

“It’s like I’m not strong enough to turn it,” I said, looking at him.

“I’m so fucking sorry, Everly,” Ryder said, climbing up in the doorway and reaching over to start the truck. It rumbled and purred to a start. “I can drive you somewhere.”

“Okay,” I said, letting out a breath. “How do we undo this imprint?”

Ryder cut the engine and lowered himself back down to the ground. “I don’t know.”

“Oh, okay. You don’t know. I guess that’s fine then,” I said, rolling my eyes. Anger filled me, and heat raced to my cheeks. “You can’t do this to me, Ryder!”

“I didn’t do anything on purpose!” he said, turning away from me. “The bonds form when there’s something deeper. A connection that…”

“That what?” I asked, my voice sharp.

Ryder turned, meeting my eyes. “A connection that is unbreakable. A connection so strong. It happens when a wolf finds their soul mate.”

“Mate?” The word hung in the air between us. “Like, forever mate? We only just met. Wait.” I swallowed hard. “This didn’t happen last night. I tried to leave before now… you imprinted on me after the first time we fucked?”

“Apparently,” Ryder said, his chest rising and falling rapidly. “The car works fine. It’s the bond that won’t let you leave. You don’t want to leave me. We’re connected.”

I felt my knees weaken as I leaned back against Ryder’s truck. “You’re going to blame this on me?”

“It’s not blame, it’s just how it works.”

“Shouldn’t you have to get my permission to do something like that?” I asked, my brows squishing together like an angry caterpillar.

“It doesn’t work that way,” Ryder said, pushing his shoulders back. “I’m a pack leader. I’m an alpha.”

I covered my face with both hands, feeling the weight of defeat on my shoulders. “So I’m trapped. Oh my god, am I going to die here?”

Ryder winced. “I won’t let that happen. I need to call Trevor… have him take care of Paul. I need to figure this out.”

“Figure what out? How to un-imprint me?” I pushed away from the car, anger rising to replace my shock. “Is that even possible?”

His silence was answer enough.

“Great. Just great.” I pushed past him toward the house. “So much for my escape plan.”

“Everly, stop.”

My feet stopped moving.

He reached out, taking my hand in his. “I didn’t know this would happen. I didn’t even think it was possible with a human.”

“So, what happens to me now?” I asked, searching his eyes.

He glanced at his truck, then back at me. “Now I protect what’s mine.”

The possessive words should have angered me further, but instead, they sent a shiver of something else entirely down my spine. It should have annoyed me, but it didn’t. Instead, I felt something… new. Something I definitely didn’t understand.

“Can’t you just order me to leave?” I asked, looking into his eyes.

He shook his head. “I think it would weaken me. I can’t risk that either.”

“I can’t believe this,” I said, my voice barely above a whisper. “I… I don’t understand. What am I to you now?”

Ryder’s gaze intensified. “Everything.”