Page 62 of Tangled Fates

“There's braised short ribs left over,” he said, walking into the kitchen.

“Braised short ribs?” I raised my eyebrows. “Did they issue a welcome mat because I don’t think that’s what went on.”

“No, they didn’t, but it was just a girl who was here,” he said, popping the plate into the microwave.

The kitchen was a lot more modern than I expected. Actually, the entire inside of the tower was not what I was expecting. That scent was making me feel edgy.

“Soren, who the fuck lives here?”

He looked up at me, like he was choosing his words carefully.

“Holy shit, you're finally here!” Gray yelled, coming down another set of steps. “I heard you, but I thought I was dreaming.”

I met him in the middle of the room, and we hugged. The moment we threw our arms around each other, my emotions ran high. The stress of the last few days was catching up to me. My grief was rearing its ugly head. It was only a matter of time before the dam of my sadness broke.

“I’m so glad you are ok,” I said, taking a deep breath.

There was that damn scent again.

My body reacted to it and I pulled away immediately.

“Whoa, Ryder,” Gray said, holding his hands up. “It’s just me.”

He was trying to appear non-threatening, but that scent was doing things to me that I couldn’t ignore. My wolf was ready to shift, to find that scent.

“What is that smell?” I growled, trying to stay in my human form, but my wolf was adamant about shifting.

“What smell?”

Gray looked at me confused, as Soren silently moved next to his brother.

“Ryder, your eyes are yellow, man,” he said calmly. “Maybe we should head outside.”

“I feel like you are keeping something from me,” I snapped.

My wolf was making me irrational, he was pushing at me to shift.

I shook, trying to get him under control, but he was pushing for me to shift and find that scent. That delicious scent that smelled like a sunflower field and the summer rain.

Stop it. I commanded.

Ours.

“Ryder, can you please calm down?” one of the twins asked, sounding like they were in a tunnel far away as my arm started sprouting fur.

Ours. My wolf growled, pushing forward against my consciousness.

“Ryder, you need to calm down or get the fuck out of the tower,” Soren snarled, and my wolf growled at him.

We locked eyes in this battle of dominance.

“Don’t antagonize him,” Gray said, getting in between us.

The sound of walking above us made me snarl.

“Ryder, can we please go outside?” Gray pleaded with me, looking nervous.

“No, you tell me what that scent is and who the hell is upstairs,” I snapped, my wolf changing my voice. “You better do it quickly before he takes over.”

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