Page 58 of Rejected Plus-Size Mate

I reach over and rub his hand gently. “It’s okay. Gina was perfectly understanding about it.”

“I just couldn’t go and sit there with the whole pack, thinking about how he’s gone and it’s all my fault.”

“Kyle, we went through all this—”

“I know!” he snaps. “You can tell me a million times it’s not my fault, but I am never going to believe it, okay? Just accept it, the way I’m trying to do.”

I nod slowly, squeezing his hand. “Okay, Kyle. I can do that. I just want you to know, even though this was a tragedy… I’m very glad I still have you, and I know you did everything in your power to save him.”

Kyle lowers his eyes but grips my hand. I know it will take a long time for him to forgive himself, and I will stand by him through every single second of it.

I’ll walk through hell for you, my love, and I’d do it as many times as I have to if it would save you from pain.

After we finish our food, we head out to a nearby lookout, enjoying the tourist attractions. Standing on a platform that looks out over the nearby peak, I suddenly catch the scent of another wolf.

It wouldn’t be unusual at all to run into others—there is definitely a pack around Montrose—but we should be able to move in and out of territories as tourists without offending anyone. My issue is, I’ve been picking up a hint of this scent for a long time. Not just today.

I’ve caught this scent in Silver Meadows, even near our house.

“Kyle,” I mutter, and he nods, taking my hand.

“I know. Follow me.”

He walks briskly over to the foot track. I yank on his hand.

“What are you doing? We should go back to the hotel—”

“No, it’s fine, I got this.”

“Kyle, no—”

“Shh, Leslie. Head into that rock formation.”

“Kyle!”

“No!” he snaps, turning away from me as we come into a small alcove. I know that he’s planning to take on this situation solo, and the whole thing is terrifying me.

He’s going to get ripped apart right in front of me! For sure, we’re being tailed by the Sawpit Pack. How many of them are there? What can I do?

I take deep breaths, trying to control my fear. Kyle stands in front of me, the main trail not far in front of us. Kyle sniffs the wind a little, his body hardening all over as he gets ready to confront the other wolf.

The bushes in front of us twitch, and I jump, grabbing Kyle’s hand. The wolf got much closer than I thought without either of us seeing him. Kyle tightens his grip on me, growling a little.

Out of the scrub, a young man appears. His hair is lanky, dull, and reddish-brown, and his eyes are a cold, clear green. Deep in those eyes is a horrible blankness, a surrender to the evils of the world and an acceptance of pain. His denim jeans and flannel shirt are old and threadbare, and it looks like he’s gone a long while without a decent shower.

I look around, waiting for others to emerge from the scrub, but there are no others. I can’t scent anyone at all, except for this guy.

“Kyle,” he says in a sharp tone. I feel a shudder run through Kyle as he grips my hand even tighter.

“Rider,” he answers, and in that one word, I sense an avalanche of painful, complicated history.

Chapter 21 - Kyle

I knew by the scent who it had to be. I just didn’t want to believe it.

Rider was my close friend in the Sawpit Pack. After my initiation, he took me aside and told me I’d done well. That so long as I kept Jethro pleased, I’d be safe there.

“This is the place for lost and forgotten wolves,” he said to me as we drank moonshine on a mountain ridge. “The rogues that no one wants and nobody cares about.”

---