Page 68 of Wolf Forsaken

"Screw the sleeping schedule. You're sleeping with me tonight." I took a sip of the water, holding the glass tight as he climbed the stairs.

"We could fit in Cole's bed," I suggested as he reached the top and paused at the landing.

He looked down the hall toward his room and then at Cole's room. "Is that what you want?"

"I want whatever you're comfortable with." I bit my inner cheek because I really wanted him to at least give sleeping in the same bed with Cole a shot.

He turned toward his room but then pivoted and marched toward Cole's. "The things I do for love."

Love? A word had never felt so right.

Chapter Twenty-Two

Xander

Things had calmed down substantially in the last few weeks. For the first time in a long time, I felt like I could breathe again. I’d started seeing a therapist that was in the pack and she’d help me immensely with techniques to use when I felt like I was losing myself to my wolf.

We weren’t completely sure I’d even really smelled anyone from where I was held. I was doubting it too. The SUV that had been supposedly following us could have just been a fluke.

Ivy had quit her job the week before, deciding to embrace her place as alpha of the Arbor Pack. There was no more east and west, and at first, some members had pushed back, but Ivy held her ground and told them they could leave if they weren’t happy.

No one left.

“Are you ready to go?” Ivy came down the stairs, looking like something out of a dream.

She had changed over the past two weeks. An air of power swirled wherever she went, and everyone was taking notice. Including my dick.

“Yup.” I finished rolling the sleeves of my flannel and followed her out to the garage. “I can’t wait to see your house.”

She laughed as we got into her car. “Why? It’s not even going to be mine soon.”

We were on our way to meet the realtor so Ivy could sign paperwork to put her house up for sale. Last week they’d packed the rest of her belongings and moved her out.

“Still, you made it your home.” I wished I could show her my previous home, but I wasn’t sure I could ever go back there. “Eli mentioned you four had a little fun without me, and now I feel it’s only fair I get to leave my mark on the place.”

She backed out of the garage and glanced over at me with a smirk. “Is that why you volunteered to come with me?”

“Damn right.” I buckled my seatbelt and adjusted the volume of the radio. “And I really wanted to get out of here.”

She sighed. “I don’t blame you. I wished I had time to have a normal job away from here, but it’s just not in the cards anymore.”

“You can at least still do your research.” I put my hand over hers on the gear stick. “You’re doing a great job so far.”

She snorted as we pulled out onto the highway and headed toward Arbor Falls. “Only because Cole and Silas are essentially still alphas. They certainly act like it.”

“It will just take time… or this is the way it’s supposed to be. We still have no clue what you said to us.”

The words she had said were in a language I’d never heard before. It sounded like Latin, but I didn’t exactly know Latin. We’d tried remembering some words to search on the internet but had turned up nothing. Whatever it was, was something special. I felt it in my soul.

One of my favorite songs,Lost It Allby Black Veil Brides, came on, and I turned up the volume to sing along.

Ivy said something, and I turned the music down a bit. “What?”

“I said, it’s nice seeing you like this. I’m glad the therapist is helping.” She smiled as she took the exit to her house. “You have an amazing voice.”

“Thanks.” If it wasn’t for the whole wolf thing, I’d have pursued a music career, but that draws too much attention. “This is your house?”

We pulled into the driveway of a family-style craftsman, and I looked at her in surprise. Did owning a family home mean she wanted pups?