After eating with Reuben, I instantly regretted my choice of asking each other questions. To be more specific, I regretted my last question.
Though he didn't say it, I could practically feel the change in Reuben's mood as we walked around. I wanted to say something but bit my tongue. I didn't know what to say and knowing Reuben, it could potentially do more harm than good. So instead, we walked side-by-side in silence.
Truthfully, I wasn't expecting him to stay long after we finished eating—especially not walk with me. I was heading back to my apartment and I couldn't help but keep shooting glances over at him. He was looking straight ahead, but his eyes weren't focused on where he was going. I could practically see the cogwheels shifting in his mind. I frowned, did my question really cause this?
When the hotel came into view, I thought he'd turn away and leave but surprisingly, Reuben followed me up to the door. Finally, I let out a quiet cough to get his attention.
"Reuben, are you okay?" I questioned slowly, breaking the silence.
Reuben blinked and glanced around as if he'd only just realized where we were. A faint pink took over his face and he turned away from me slightly.
"I'm fine," he responded.
"Are you sure?" I pushed. "Because you didn't even realize where you were going. I can always walk you home—"
"I'm fine," he repeated more firmly, however, it did little to convince me. Seeing my face, he sighed and said, "I'm fine, Eli. Really. Since I'm here I'm just going to visit a friend so you don't have to worry about me, okay?"
A friend?
"Do you mean the blue-eyed guy?"
Reuben stared at me for a moment before an unreadable expression passed through his eyes. "Yes, him. I'm going to visit Cronan."
Cronan. That was his name. I briefly remembered hearing it in the past but forgot it.
"Then it looks like we get to walk up together," I smiled.
Reuben didn't return it, but I didn't expect him to. I opened the front door and stepped to the side so Reuben could enter. He looked at me with an amused expression but entered nonetheless. The two of us walked to the elevator and once inside, Reuben hit the button for my floor. The two of us were the only ones inside and honestly, I'd be lying if I said the tiny space wasn't affecting me. Reuben's hazelnut scent was strong and it was messing with my wolf.
When the door opened, part of me wanted to stop him from going to Cronan's place and drag him back to my own. However, I knew that doing so would only make Reuben not want anything to do with me, so I held back even though everything was telling me to do otherwise.
I glanced at him and I expected to see a neutral expression, but instead, I saw one of...dread? My brows furrowed and I opened my mouth to ask him, once again, if he was okay, but I didn't get the chance to before we reached the doors and he abruptly turned to me.
"I'll admit, this wasn't as bad as I expected," Reuben told me and I grinned.
"See? I told you it'd be fun."
He raised an eyebrow. "That is not what I said. Don't get ahead of yourself."
I scoffed. "Come on, admit it. You had fun with me, Reuben."
His amusement returned. "Bye, Eli."
My grin grew into a wide smile. "Goodbye, Reuben."
I fished my keys out of my pocket while he knocked on the door. I quickly unlocked it and fought against my wolfish desires to pull him inside with me. I stepped in and closed the door just as I saw the door to Cronan's place open. I locked it and sighed.
Today had been a good day—there was no doubt about it; however, today had also shown me what it would be like if Reuben accepted our bond. I was given a small piece of a cake and the selfish part of me wanted it all.
Reuben had said that he was going to prove to me that we weren't meant to be; however, he'd inadvertently done the opposite.
Reuben had unknowingly fueled a new, stronger desire inside of me and I wasn't sure there was anything he could do to extinguish it.
...
When nighttime rolled around, I grabbed another apple, a water bottle, and my bag before heading out once again to locate the wolf in the woods.
After last night, I was more hopeful about my mission. Before, I was worried that I wouldn't be able to interact with the wolf at all. I feared that it would continue to run away from me and eventually leave the area or worse. However, taking the apple told me that I could potentially gain its trust, and the water bottle from yesterday lying on the ground, empty, only backed up the idea.
Finding the wolf proved to be rather easy today. It was curled underneath the same tree only it wasn't asleep, but sitting there and staring at the nature around it. When it saw me, its eyes snapped in my direction and it raised slightly. It, however, didn't run away. Its eyes were glued on the apple I carried. Similar to yesterday, I lowered myself to the ground to prove I wasn't a threat and nudged the apple in the direction of the wolf.
The hesitation was still there, but once the apple was out of my reach, the wolf lunged for it. It took the apple in its mouth and carried it back to the tree where it watched me with suspicion.
I called out to the wolf, loud enough so that it could hear me but low enough to where I wouldn't scare it off or attract unwanted attention. Its head tilted at my call revealing a patch of missing fur. There was no wound so I assumed that whatever had happened was old and the fur around the area just hadn't grown back in yet. Though, it did add to my concern. What had caused the injury in the first place?
The wolf opened its mouth as if it were going to respond to my call, but it stopped and its eyes darted around at the sound of footsteps in the distance. The wolf quickly took the apple and took off in the direction before I could react.
No, we were making progress!
I stood up and turned in the direction where the noise was coming from just as another wolf came into view. Its dark coat made it difficult to see, but those blue eyes told me everything I needed to know about who the wolf was.
Cronan.
However, that wasn't what truly surprised me. No, it was the fact that he wasn't alone. My eyes trailed past him. A person was standing behind him with a hoodie on. They seemed to be trying to blend in with the darkness, however, thanks to my werewolf's enhanced vision, it was clear as day who the person was.
...Callie?
YOU ARE READING
Escape | ✓
Manusia Serigala**BOOK FOUR** Reuben is running. Running from a life he never wanted; one he never fit into. Eli is chasing. Chasing a future he is desperate to call reality. After Reuben's rejection, Eli thought he'd never see his mate again. However, when repo...