Chasing the Moon

Two

I fall asleep at some point, listening to the hum of the engine and Nova's breathing against my neck. No dreams, only darkness.

It matches the sky when I wake some hours later. We are parked at a gas pump, the neon lights from the store shining brightly in front of us. Other cars are here too, filling their tanks or coming back and forth between the store.

The woman who had been driving us is filling the gas tank, while the man who sat in the passenger seat comes out from the store with a single bag.

He climbs in, and pulls two waters out. "Alpha?" He holds them out for Ryder to take.

My mate leans forward to grab them, his arm brushing against my side. Electric shocks fill my body and I become warm. I can feel my cheeks flush, most likely a bright crimson that would match the neon sign on the shop.

I watch him flinch back. He recovers quickly though, and takes the water. He hands one to me as I shuffle Nova around to grab it. She doesn't stir- I wish I could sleep as soundly as that.

"Thank you," I say quietly.

He leans closer to me at the sound of my voice, almost like he can't help himself.

"How old are you?" He asks.

"Twenty."

Ryder nods. "I'm twenty-four."

Well that's not too bad. I wasn't sure what I was expecting.

"Why didn't you wait for me?"

I freeze. Suck in a breath and look up into his accusing eyes. His green eyes bore into mine with such intensity I have to look away.

"It- it wasn't really up to me," I whisper back.

His eyes go wide, as big as saucers and his face is stone cold. Ryder clenches his fists and the veins in his arms bulge. He shakes with anger but doesn't say a word. The two in the front start to fidget uncomfortably.

I gulp. I don't need this guy blowing up in front of Nova.

I put a shaky hand onto his forearm in a comforting gesture. Tingles fill my hand and I try to ignore the warm sensation that seeps through my body.

But it does the trick. Ryder visibly relaxes under my touch and takes a deep breath.

"It's okay," I say to him. "It can't be changed. I don't know how my life would have turned out if it hadn't have happened, but I was waiting. I understand if you don't want me-."

He growls. "I never said that. I want you, I just don't want her."

Ouch. Wrong thing to say.

I scoot as far away from him as I can. "Here's the thing Ryder. Nova and I are a package deal. She is my life, and she will not be removed. I came with you because I wanted out of that pack and I know what it'll do to us if we aren't at least somewhere near each other. That's it. Nothing else is promised."

We glare at each other, a thick, uncomfortable silence filling the van. The only noise comes from Nova's breathing.

He doesn't say anything, just turns to face out the window.

I can smell the scents of wolves as we enter into Ryder's territory, acting as a boundary line. We enter into a small town. A little bigger than the one we previously lived by, and the only difference was this town was apart of the pack. Ryder's pack was large enough for a town of werewolves to be its inhabitants, which was hard for me to wrap my mind around.

"You will meet the pack tomorrow morning," he said. Still looking out the window, still annoyed.

I didn't bother to answer. Not that I had a choice in the matter anyway.