Page 45 of Cursed Wolf

“Go ahead, then.” I folded my arms, trying to keep my voice flat. “Come clean. What haven’t you been honest about?”

Tryn hesitated. “It would be better if I showed you.”

“Showed me?”

He nodded. “Well first thing is, I’m not from Canada. But I am from a place called Vargmore that’s not too far from here. It’s not on any map though, and you’re not likely to find it unless you know how. What I told you about it being a hidden, close-knit community was completely true.” He extended a palm toward me. “I don’t want anything hidden between us, so I’d like to take you there. To show you my home and family.”

I stared at his hand and then at his face. “You’re still not telling me everything. The night you left. Your work emergency wasn’t true, right?”

Tryn inhaled as if bracing himself. “Right. I’ll explain about that too. But it’s a…lot of information to take in. I don’t want to overwhelm you right away. Can I show you my home first, and then we can talk about my job?”

I shook my head, not in a way that was saying no, but more in a sense of disbelief. “What haven’t you lied about?”

“My feelings for you,” he answered in a low growl. “I swear, Emmaline. Every minute I’m away from you, I’m dying to be at your side. I want a future for us, and I’ve fucking hated lying to you about my life. More than anything, I want you to be able to trust me, and I have so much fucking regret that we started off with lies, but…” He hesitated for a long time. “After I show you everything, I hope you can understand why I couldn’t be honest from the start. I swear to you, I never would have lied unless it was for a damn good reason.”

What reason could there possibly be? My mind started going wild with possibilities. Was he in witness protection or something? What were the odds of that?

He looked so earnest, so sincere. The strange part of me that seemed to awaken whenever he was near, urged, Give him a chance. Let him show you his truth. And my heart, the part of myself that I knew well, wanted to do the same. What harm would it do to hear him out? If I continued to have even a whiff of suspicion after he laid everything on the table, I could still walk away.

“Okay,” I heard myself say. “Are we taking your bike?”

Tryn blinked as if he couldn’t believe what I’d said but recovered quickly. “Um, yes. It’ll be about a two-hour ride, so dress warm.”

“Alright.” My attention returned to the groceries on the counter. “Help me put these away first?”

We made quick work of tidying up, then Tryn went to warm up his bike while I put more layers on.

“Am I stupid?” I wondered, continuing the trend of talking out loud that was going so well for me.

Not stupid. Fair and caring, the other side of me answered. I had gotten used to this other voice, to the point where I found it comforting. Like a friend inside my head that was always listening.

“Maybe crazy and stupid,” I said as I shrugged a jacket on. I really needed to find a residency program. Then I’d have health insurance and would be able to see a neurologist about this. Voices in your head weren't normal. And I’d never heard anything besides my own thoughts until recently.

Until Tryn.

Which was most likely a coincidence. Auditory hallucinations, among other symptoms of schizophrenia, often didn’t show up until people were in their thirties. What was strange, though, was that I hadn’t developed any other symptoms of mental illness. No paranoia, major mood swings, memory loss, depression, or mania. It was just a voice, and a sense of feelings and wants separate from my own, but also interwoven with my own emotions and desires.

I found it all very curious but not at all alarming.

Tryn’s motorcycle rumbled with a low, steady growl while I locked up and headed over to join him on the metal beast. A sigh left my mouth the moment I settled behind him, and I was grateful that he couldn’t hear it over the engine. It felt so right being here, even though I’d only ridden with him a handful of times.

My arms felt like they belonged around his waist. His broad back was the perfect support for my cheek or forehead to rest on. Wrapping around him felt like we were two puzzle pieces locking together. The ache in my chest immediately soothed into a gentle, warm glow.

He didn’t touch my legs as he drove, and while I was grateful that he respected the boundaries I had established in my hurt, I fiercely missed him touching me the way he used to.

God, I hope this all makes sense, I prayed. I hope the truth comes out and he really is the same person I’m falling for.

Chapter 16

Tryn

As eager as I was to show Vargmore to Emmaline, I never wanted the ride to end. It felt right, having her on the bike with me, holding onto me as we leaned into the turns. Our fate thread sparked brightly, as if pleased with our reunion.

This was how we were meant to be. Together. Winding through mountain roads on a motorcycle in our human forms, and, if she had an animal side, running through the dense trees in our wolf forms.

All I had to do was unfuck everything I’d fucked up.

After about an hour of riding, I turned off the main road onto a barely-marked gravel road. The kind of road no one saw unless it was exactly what they were looking for.

---