Page 10 of Exiled Mate

“What if it meant that I was keeping you safe?”

“Bullshit,” I spit.

Rylan steps back like I slapped him.

Good.

“Bull. Shit,” I repeat. I move closer to him, my rage hitting epic levels. “You know what? I’m not buying that. Men say stupid shit like that all the time. Oh, don’t love me because I’ll just hurt you. I’m a bad man, and I’m keeping you safe by staying away. Those are fucking excuses,” I snap.

Rylan blinks. I almost never cuss, so I’m happy that he understands the gravity of the situation.

“They say stuff like that when they’re too scared to man up and do something about it. You’re a shitty person who hurts the people you love? Get better. You’re a problem, and you think people will hate you for it? Tell them how big of a problem you are and let them decide whether or not they want in. When you sit and do this whole lone ranger routine, it’s not brave, and it’s not selfless. It’s cowardly. It’s a way to run away without feeling responsible for abandoning me. So either tell me what the hell is going on, or get out of my apartment,” I say, pointing at the door.

The muscle in Rylan’s jaw twitches. I see him run through a laundry list of things that he wants to say. But every one of them must come up short of the boundary I put down.

Because, instead of just telling me what was happening, or why he was back, or even saying what happened two years ago, Rylan looks at me for one more minute.

He dips his head.

And he leaves.

I stare in shock at the place where he stood not five seconds ago. I can hear him pad down the creaky stairs that lead up to my apartment, and I resist the urge to run over to the back window to see if he goes away.

I know what I’ll see.

A black wolf, bigger than most, with electric blue eyes. Slinking off into the darkness.

Instead of watching Rylan leave, which is a sight that I never thought I’d have to suffer ever again, I sit down on my couch.

Rylan’s smell lingers in my apartment, and it makes me want to throw up.

He’s not dead.

Part of me feels almost validated. I knew that he wasn’t dead. Clearly, he’s been around. He knew exactly where I lived, which tells me that unless he just took a wild guess, he’s seen me come home before. He knew that I left from my mom’s hose for a run, because it’s not like she lives in a well-traveled area.

He followed me today. He’s been following me.

So the fact that I’ve felt him, smelled his scent, that I’ve noticed the hair on the back of my neck prickle for the last two years?

It really was him.

I kind of want to tell my mom. But that would be a terrible idea. She would just worry.

I don’t need her to worry.

Maybe I should tell the alpha? That seems reasonable, too…

I sigh.

I’m tired. My head hurts. My heart hurts. I feel like I’m going to collapse right here, and I’m in my own apartment.

I’ll tell Thorne. Tomorrow.

I lock all my doors, then move some furniture in front of them for good measure. I have no idea how much Rylan knows about me, including where I keep my spare key, but I’m not about to find out.

I don’t think he would hurt me. He’s had a long time to do that, if he wanted to.

However, I don’t exactly want to see him right now, either.

---