Cronan is angry. Angry that after years of waiting, he's mated to the one wolf he never wanted.
Fen is stuck. Stuck in a state of purgatory that he doesn't know how to escape from.
After learning of his mate's crimes, Cronan never expected to see h...
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The next few days pass thankfully without another big incident. The house was still a little awkward after the big scene, but we all seemed to reach an unspoken agreement to put it behind us on the day of the ceremony.
It wasn't until a few hours, but Reed had left early in the morning to prepare which meant my options were either to be alone with Eli who was running around the house like a madman to make sure he had everything, or to take a quick run before I needed to get ready.
Obviously, I chose the latter.
The fresh air and the rhythmic pounding of my paws against the forest floor helped clear my mind. Running always gave me a sense of freedom, a temporary escape from all the pressures and expectations. I let the forest engulf me, losing myself in the sights and sounds around me.
But as I ran, I couldn't shake the feeling that something was off. A nagging sensation tugged at the back of my mind, urging me to go deeper into the woods. Curiosity got the better of me, and I followed the invisible thread pulling me forward.
It wasn't long before I picked up a familiar scent—Judas. I slowed down, carefully weaving through the trees until I saw him. He was standing a little ways off, pacing back and forth, his phone pressed to his ear. Even from a distance, I could see the irritation etched across his features.
"Do you have a fucking death wish?" I hear Judas growl out. "Do you want to spend the rest of your life miserable and alone because that's what's going to happen if you don't grow a pair—"
His words seemingly were cut iffy by the person on the other side of the phone and Judas let out a dry laugh.
"You know, sometimes I really don't get you. You love to lecture everyone else but refuse to take charge of your own life. How does that make any sense?"
I shifted back to human form, grabbing clothing from one of the spare bags the pack had scattered around the woods in case of accidents. I tried to keep my movements quiet as I approached. Just as I got close enough to hear snippets of the other side of the conversation, he turned and spotted me.
"I'm gonna have to let you go," Judas grumbled and hung up the phone. He turned his full attention to me and asked, "How long have you been standing there?"
"Not that long," I admitted but my gaze lingered on the phone still tightly gripping in his hand. "Is everything alright?"
I fully expected him to tell me that it was none of my business and I wouldn't be able to blame him because it wasn't, but he didn't. He gripped his dark hair and turned away from me.
"That was your brother," he admitted. "Your very stubborn, annoying little brother."
The moment the words left his mouth, he seemed to remember who he was talking to and almost seemed like he was going to backtrack, but I just shook my head.
