The Forsaken Luna

CHAPTER FOUR

Mackenzie

I feel exhausted. It doesn't matter that I dumped all of my problems on Natalie and I feel just a little lighter. It still drains me when I keep on thinking about Elliot. My mind keeps telling me I can't trust him, but my wolf is rebelling against me. It's a constant war that drains all of my energy and makes me feel frail.

I lay on my bed and look up at my ceiling. Ever since I came home I locked myself in my room to get some privacy from everybody. Elliot understood my exhaustion so he told everyone to leave me alone. Even he kept his distance from me today, letting me lie in my bed and watch the sun slowly set.

There's a knock at my door that makes me turn my head to the side. I look over to the door, seeing the door handle turn and then a figure appears in the gap between the door and the doorframe.

"Am I bothering you?" Ryker questions, his blue eyes locking with mine. I sit up in my bed and shake my head a little. He steps inside of my room and closes the door behind him.

Ryker has been keeping more to himself after he learned Rebecca is his mate. He hasn't seen her ever since the attack on the humans and I can see it's getting to him. His hair is down, brushing against his shoulders and dancing around him whenever he moves. There are bags under his eyes  that indicate many sleepless nights.

Ryker walks over to where I'm sitting on my bed and rests on the edge of my bed. If I move just a little, I might push him down on the ground.

"It's not healthy for you to be inside all the time." His voice is soft when he says that. His steel blue eyes turn to look over me and there is this gentleness in them that melts the ice in my heart. Ryker has grown very dear to me. I could actually call him one of my closest friends right now.

Ever since I learnt about my Kurenai shift I have been distancing myself from everybody. I have been staying inside every afternoon, just lying around on the sofa or bed and watching the seconds pass. I know I shouldn't spend my last days like this, mopping around, but I can't find the energy to be happy. And Ryker has been one of the few people who understood my depression that was slowly settling back into my bones.

"Let's go out for a run." Ryker suggest, making me furrow my eyebrows at him. "I promise I'll keep it slow." He adds, making the corners of my lips lift up slightly. He returns me the sad smile and I can see the hope glimmering in his eyes.

"Okay." I whisper, leaning forward and resting my forehead against his shoulder. I feel his head lean over my own, his hair brushing my cheek.

"C'mon, sleepyhead. Let's go." His voice is still soft as he speaks. His head disappears from my own and he stands up, making me lift my head up. The tall werewolf turns to me and offers his hands to me, so he could pull me out of my bed. I sigh through my nose and let him drag me out from my bundle of blankets and pillows. I'm already dressed in some leggings and a sweater, like I'd be anticipating the run.

We head out of my room and down the stairs to the ground level of the house. I can already hear the voices that come from the living room before I can even see the people in there.

Samantha is the first to notice our descending figures and I notice how her lips stretch out into a large smile.

"Look who finally came out of her hole." She jokes making me frown a little. I haven't told any of them about my Kurenai shift and none of them understand what's going on with me. The only people that actually know about my shift are Elliot, Ryker, Jason, Nova and dad, who is avoiding the topic like it'd be a disease.

Tyler turns around to look over his shoulder, his eyes finding my figure. Across from Tyler stands my mate, his back pressed flush against the wall behind him. His hazel eyes lock on me and I notice how his lips press into a thin line at the sight of me with Ryker.