Page 42

I heard them long before they arrived. The only sound in these woods are the creatures, and after years with only them, I grew accustomed to hearing them.

Which is why two shifters and a god stick out so much.

Well, that and because I had nothing to do but listen.

Recently, when I wasn’t with Serena teaching her about her powers, I was thinking of Serena and things to teach her as I waited for time to tick by so that I could see her.

What is it Serena and her men say in this kind of situation…ah right, fuck.

It’s not as if I can do anything about anything now, and I’m not going to leave.

I’m just grateful Father isn’t here. He’s been missing since the night he turned the bear shifter that Serena’s so set on saving, and I can’t say he’s missed.

But I also know that just because he’s gone for now doesn’t mean anything.

He could be back any time, even years later, the same way he was when Serena finally showed up.

I let my head fall against the doorframe with a thud, feeling the pain as it vibrates through my skull.

I should have realized who she was. I’m not sure how I was so blinded, so stupid.

The rap at the door startles me, despite me knowing how close they were. I’d been busy thinking about… Serena, again.

“Ryker?” The very topic of my thoughts calls out to me through the wooden door, and for a moment all I can do is stand there and stare. “Ryker, are you home?” Serena calls out as she knocks again, and I have to physically shake myself to get it together.

I yank the door open with more force than necessary, and there she is… looking a little worse for wear.

“What happened?” I ask before I can stop myself, looking her over from head to toe and back up.

She doesn’t appear hurt, but she’s without shoes or pants and wearing a shirt that is far too big.

Her feet are covered in dirt, and she has some smeared on her cheek.

Twigs and leaves are stuck in her hair, which falls down her back instead of being tied up the way I’m used to seeing it.

Somehow she’s still adorable.

My eyes go to her wolf shifter, who stands shoulder to shoulder with her, their fingers interlocked. He’s shirtless, with dirt speckled on his chest, arms, and face, while twigs and leaves decorate his hair. It only takes me a moment to realize Serena must be in his shirt, but why?

“She’s fine. She and the wolf just sealed their mate bond, and for some reason, Serena had run out into the woods without clothes.

I wasn’t aware that was something the shifters did anymore, not since we helped them to magic the fabric so that they could survive the shift.

” Theo shrugs as if it’s not a big deal before making her way around Serena and Pike, through the door, squeezing past me to let herself in.

“I have a name, you know,” Pike says, almost sounding as if his feelings are hurt. “It’s Pike.” He offers when she doesn’t respond, and I’m almost positive he’s pouting.

“Don’t take it personally, Pike. Theo just isn’t great with people.

Ryker isn’t either, for that matter.” Serena says with a chuckle, her eyes darting to meet mine for a moment before she quickly looks away.

Her cheeks have been red ever since Theo explained what happened, but the color was fading, that is, until she looked at me.

Now she’s almost the color of a tomato again.

Why?

Why is everything surrounding Serena difficult, and why do I suddenly care?

“Ugh, can we come in?” Serena asks, sounding almost hesitant and unsure. I have to fight the urge to drop my head against the doorframe again.

She wasn’t joking when she said I’m not good with people.

Instead, I move to the side without a word, and almost collapse in relief when they walk in and close the door behind them without incident.

Almost without incident.

Serena moves past me, and I choke on the air in my lungs as I scent her. Theo said that she and Pike were sealing their bond. I might not be good with people or the way things work, but I know what that means.

What I wasn't ready for was the way her scent would stir my beast and my own desire. She already smells good, but right now, she smells like the most delicious food, a rich dessert, like the ones I've only ever seen in books and dreamed of making.

She smells delicious, even with her scent mixed up with the mutt.

Her scent is slowly filling the cabin and suddenly I wish I would have stepped outside with them instead of letting them in.

My beast presses to get free, and it takes every bit of willpower I have to keep him locked away. He wants to mix his scent with hers, to have her walk around smelling of us the way she does Pike. He wants it so badly, more than he’s ever wanted anything before.

I’ve never had my beast react like this. For the most part, he remains dormant, knowing I won’t let him out. Whatever Draven did to me affected him as well, and whatever he once was, he isn’t anymore.

We’re both monsters.

So why is he pushing so hard for this? Why is he so drawn to this girl?

Serena clears her throat, and I snap my eyes up to hers despite knowing it's a bad idea. I can't help it, though. With her, I'm weak in a way I've never been before, in a way I never thought possible.

"I hate to ask, but do you, by chance, have pants I can borrow?

" She takes a step toward me, and I can see the embarrassment on her face.

That makes two of us because up until she just asked, I hadn't really been paying attention to her bare legs, too concerned with her scent that's choking me.

Unfortunately, it's the only thing I can think about now, though, as my eyes dart down to run over her pale skin speckled with dirt.

I nod, not trusting myself to talk, and when I move to the ladder that leads to my room, she doesn't hesitate to follow. I can feel her at my back, and it takes everything in me not to look down at her as I climb.

"I'll be right back. I'm not leaving the house." Serena says, and I can hear the slight hint of annoyance in her tone. I don't need to look to know she's talking to Pike; all of her guys are overbearing and protective. I can only imagine it's worse with a bond so new.

Not that I'll ever know for sure.

Making it to the top, I quickly move to the few drawers that are built into the wall near the window under the bookshelf. I have to move some of the pillows, and I silently curse myself for having so many when Serena moves beside me, crouching down close enough that I can feel her warmth.

"Ryker?" There are unspoken questions in that one word, and I hate that I know what they are. I'm not meant to feel anything for anyone. For years I haven't, so why is that different now? Why is she different?

"I'm fine," I grit out, but I know she doesn't believe me. Even if she did, there's no way she's buying it as she lays a hand on my arm and I pull away as if she's burned me.

"Oh, yes, I totally believe that." Her words drip with sarcasm, something I'd only ever read about before meeting her.

There was so much I didn't know, never realized I was missing.

I don't deserve to feel the way I do about her.

I don't really understand it, but I know I'm unworthy because Serena is… everything.

She's kind, beautiful, strong, stubborn, fun, sarcastic, loving, resilient... I could go on forever, and it wouldn't be enough.

She's all the good in the world, and I'm the bad.

Obviously I can't say any of that, so instead I go for the truth… kinda.

"You stink," I mumble, pulling out a pair of pants that I'd long outgrown. I'm not sure why I'd kept them, but now I'm happy I did. If I gave her a pair of my actual pants, I'm not sure she could keep them up. She's so much smaller than I am.

With her this close, her scent is everywhere. I try breathing out of my mouth instead of my nose, but that's worse; tasting her is even more torturous.

Her cheeks turn red, and she pushes her hair behind her ear before taking the pants and moving away, mumbling a sorry under her breath.

It makes me feel like a jerk, or an ass, as they say, but the distance helps, so I bite back the apology that sits on the tip of my tongue.

Unfortunately, it only works for a moment. Serena doesn't hesitate to pull the pants on. Her back to me gives me a glimpse of her butt as she does a hop to get them all the way up before literally walking off the edge, bypassing the ladder.

She's fine. I tell myself. I've been sparring with her and attacking her with dark magic for weeks now.

I know she can handle the drop. But even knowing that, my mind goes back to the first time we met.

Those first few days when she was beastless and terrified of falling off the roof, which is around the same height.

With nothing else to do, I follow her. My feet hit the ground a lot harder, bottles shake on the shelf, and I watch them, daring one of them to fall. None do, not that it would matter. I can always get more, but that's besides the point.

"To what do I owe the visit? I find it hard to believe any of you were deep enough in the woods that I was the closest place for you to go."

Pike laughs as he looks around, and I try to stop the feeling of inferiority.

He's not Garrett, not the prince of the land, the literal opposite of me.

But then again, he doesn't have to be. The only person I've ever met who's more of a monster than I am is my father, and of course the monsters he creates, but they don't get a choice in the matter, not the way I did once upon a time.

"Theo found us and insisted that we come here, wouldn't tell us why," Pike says with a shrug, moving around the table to look at my plants, much the same way Serena had when I brought her here.

I turn to Theo only to find her lying on the pelt rug, petting it with a frown.

Oh, right, nature spirit and all that.

"Draven killed it," I tell her, feeling the need to explain.