Page 14 of Riding with the Rejected Wolf

“There’s nothing to talk about,” I cut her off, shaking my head. “You were drinking, upset. It’s best if we just let it go for now.”

Her brow knits, and when I try to step away, she moves to block my retreat. “I can’t do that, Silas.”

I sigh, running a hand through my hair. “Mika…”

“No, Silas. There’s something I need to tell you,” she insists. “I…I keep seeing this wolf when you’re not around. It’s big, black, and…it’s always watching me. Like it’s here to protect me.”

My heart squeezes, remembering the way she looked at me in my wolf form last night and whispered my name like she knew it was me, but I keep my expression neutral. “It’s the forest, Mika. There are wolves and bears…”

“No. No, Silas. It’s more than that. And I know this sounds crazy, but I think you know it’s more than that.”

I hesitate, unsure of how to respond. “Are you saying that you think I have a pet wolf trained to protect you?”

“I don’t know what to think,” she admits, her voice trembling slightly. “There’s something strange going on, something I can’t explain. You see, I’m having these dreams. Ever since I got here. And I swear I saw that wolf in my head before it ever appeared in real life. And you…your eyes.”

“You dreamed about my eyes?”

“No! Yes…I don’t know. I just…I have this feeling.” She touches her hand to the center of her chest. “Right here. And it’s telling me…”

My entire chest tightens and I cease to breathe. “What is it telling you, Mika?”

She bites her lip, looking up at me with those wide eyes that seem to pierce straight through my soul. "It's telling me that you're not just some biker guy from a motorcycle club. It's telling me that you're... different. Important."

Oh, Mika, if only you knew the half of it.

“Different how?” I ask, striving for nonchalance but failing miserably.

“Like you’ve got secrets,” she says, looking away like she’s just dropped a bomb and can’t bear to see the fallout. “And maybe I’m crazy, but I think those secrets have something to do with that wolf.”

She’s closer to understanding than I gave her credit for. But how do I explain this without sounding like a complete lunatic?

I shift a little closer, my eyes locked onto hers as she tips her head back to look up at me. “Does that frighten you?”

She shakes her head. “No. It doesn’t frighten me. I know I should be afraid. But I have this instinct inside me telling me this is OK. That I need you. It’s just…confusing.”

“That feeling is our bond talking.” I take a deep breath as soon as the words leave my mouth, knowing there’s no turning back now.

“Bond?” Her brow furrows, and I can see the gears in her head turning, trying to process everything.

“Yeah, it’s like we’re connected. More than just two strangers who met by chance. Something deeper, ancient.” I'm skating on thin ice here, revealing more than I ever planned to.

Her eyes search mine, trying to decode the cryptic message I’ve just delivered. “Ancient? Like fate? Or are we talking about something out of a fantasy novel here?”

I can’t help but chuckle, despite the gravity of the moment. “A little of both, actually.” Seeing her confusion deepen, I continue, “Look, this isn’t exactly your average 'boy meets girl' story. More like ‘girl meets a guy she thinks is a biker, biker shifts into wolf and girl gets mixed up in a world she never asked for.’”

She blinks once, twice, then laughs—a short, almost disbelieving sound. “So you’re saying… what? You’re a werewolf?” Her voice is low, almost like she’s testing out the words, trying to see if they fit into the puzzle she's piecing together.

“Yeah, that’s one way to put it,” I reply, my tone lighter than I feel. Underneath my calm exterior, my heart is racing.

Mika’s eyes widen, and for a split second, everything is silent. Then she bursts out laughing, the kind of laugh that bubbles up from deep within. “Holy crap,” she says between gasps. “I mean, I’ve had some guys come up with weird excuses not to date me, but this takes the cake.”

I shake my head, a grin tugging at the corners of my mouth. “It’s not an excuse, Mika. It’s just... reality. My reality. And now, apparently, yours too. Those dreams of yours aren’t gonna quit. And that feeling in your chest isn’t gonna go away. It’s just going to keep getting stronger and stronger until, well, until we give in.”

Mika’s laughter trails off, leaving an awkward silence hanging between us. She looks at me, eyes searching mine, the humor fading as the weight of my words settles in. “You’re serious, aren’t you?” she whispers.

I nod, swallowing hard. “Dead serious.”

For a moment, she just stands there looking at me like I’ve grown two heads. Hell, maybe she thinks I have. Then, slowly, she steps back, putting a little more distance between us.

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