Forever Yours

EIGHT

Isaac grunted with effort as he gave the shifter around the wheel nut another shove. One of the loaders had blown a flat tyre and with everyone else running around like ants in the rain, it was up to him to get the monstrous wheel off. His impatience and annoyance escalated when the nut didn't budge. A year ago, he could've gotten the stupid thing off with his bare hands, the spanner would've bent in his grip. So this is what life as a human was like. What a joke. After a quick glance around to make sure the coast was clear, Isaac lifted his leg and sent the steel cap of his boot ploughing into the handle of the spanner. He breathed a sigh of relief when it moved half a turn. Only seven more to go.

After finally undoing all the nuts, Isaac was leaning against his truck while guzzling down mouthfuls of water from his bottle. Sweat beaded on every inch of his skin, soaking through his t-shirt and into his high visibility vest. The hard hat on his head was like a sauna as his sweaty scalp couldn't breathe and if he took it off his hair would make it look like he'd gone for a swim. Before he'd been cursed with the blood wolf, he'd thought summer was gruesome with his hot body struggling through the warm days, but now it was pure hell with the persistent fevers burning inside of him.

Feeling his legs weaken beneath him, he quickly popped open the back door of the truck and sat on the seat, tossing his hard hat from his head. Without the pressure of his hard hat, the headache which had been a dull throb now turned into a painful pulsating which made it feel as though his head might explode. Groaning, he reached through the cab and popped open the glovebox, rummaging beneath the paperwork he'd camouflaged the pills Maria had given him with. With the girls borrowing his truck more frequently he hadn't wanted them to worry more. And if Roxy discovered the strong painkillers – and the amount he was consuming – he'd be put on house arrest. He loved his soulmate with every fibre of his being but he was becoming agitated with her constant fussing and worrying.

Tossing two tablets back with a mouthful of water, he sighed with relief when the throbbing headache quickly subsided and his boiling temperature slightly cooled. As he stared at the large tyre now hanging precariously on the loader and dreaded how he was going to get it off, he allowed his thoughts to drift to Roxy. Just the thought of the sunshine which seemed to radiate from her constantly made a small smile quirk his lips. Their afternoon by the waterfall had been pure magic and even though his body had weighed with exhaustion throughout their lovemaking he hadn't been able to stop, pushing his weakened body to the brink just to be with her in such a way again – twice. It was a far cry from the first time they'd visited the waterfall. He'd still been stupidly pushing her away, resisting the urge not to look at her naked body as he faced away from her. Those early days of their relationship felt like only yesterday but years ago at the same time. So much had happened since then. They definitely weren't the same people. Although Roxy remained to be her kind and gentle self, there was now a layer of toughness to her. And as for Isaac, the more time he spent with Roxy the more he found himself smiling and turning into a wolf marshmallow.

He hated it... at least that's what he told himself.

With Roxy taking up more duties to allowing him his rest, he was left alone with thoughts beginning to drown him. Of course there were the girls but they were barely home these days, too busy socialising with their friends on the weekends while the weather remained pleasant. It pleased him. That was the whole reason why he'd been determined for them to move in with him and Roxy after all – for them to have a normal life. But as he laid in bed with his body sweating profusely beneath the sheets, willing for his aching body to rise, staring at the spot Roxy usually slept, the darkness of the blood wolf curse got a hold of him. He would worry about the future, one which was beginning to look more likely he wouldn't be a part of.

Tobias would naturally step up to take over the pack since him and Roxy didn't have any children, unless an Omega challenged him for the Alpha position. That was if Roxy was willing to step down from the position, which he feared she wouldn't. Already she'd shown she was killing herself with guilt and if he were to die, he knew she'd blame herself further. He wouldn't want her to stay in Moonlight Ridge because it'd been their pack. He'd want her to be where she was happiest no matter where it was whether it was back at Saltwater Woods or requesting to join a whole new pack. Then what would happen with the girls? Would Tobias take them under his wing to train them when he'd be grappling with his new Alpha role? Or would they follow Roxy wherever she went, abandoning the idea of reviving Big Sky pack? Or maybe Roxy would join Big Sky pack.