Page 61 of To Challenge a Wolf

“You met a vampire,” he said.

Vivian nodded, waited, then relaxed when Rhett didn’t react to the word. “I was there a lot, digging into any wolf lore I could requisition, which as you know isn’t much. Blaine was curious about my interest, and I told him…well, the abridged story. How I grew up around wolves, and one in particular was my best friend. How I had lost track of you and wanted to find you, to see if you were okay, because your dad was a questionable parent, and because…” She slid her hand into his and squeezed. “Because I missed you.”

She’d left out so much, it hardly counted as an abridgement. Rhett could live with that. Wouldn’t think twice about it, if Blaine Calder were human.

“I’d also like to repeat that he was brotherly toward me from day one. We’ve never even flirted. That’s the truth, Rhett.”

“I know,” he said.

She blinked, and a blush flooded her face as embarrassment surfaced in her scent. “Of course you do. I don’t know why I got so forceful about that.”

“I don’t mind.” He managed a convincing smirk. Then he allowed himself a real smile, because a vampire had never held the heart of his—of Vivian. He pulled her into his arms and kissed the top of her head, then gently kissed her mouth. “There. See. It’s fine.”

“I’m not sure, Rhett. Fifteen minutes ago you were in distress.”

“I’m quite the adaptable wolf.”

“Well, don’t adapt too much. I really like you the way you are.”

“It’s mutual, Vivian.” The words left his mouth easily, almost without thought.

She tilted her face up toward him, her lips forming a slow smile, her eyes inviting him. With a laziness that set his blood on fire—not fever this time but pure desire—she said, “I know.”

He kissed her hard. He reclaimed himself from whatever had taken hold of him. With his mouth he took hers. His kisses traveled to the side of her mouth, over her jaw, down her neck, to the hollow of her right collarbone. He kissed her breathless, made her happy, and held his—and held his—and held Vivian. But the howling inside held no joy, only…fear. Words formed in his mind.

Something’s wrong. Something feels…I feel…wrong.

Well, feelings weren’t for him. He buried the words. He shut down the howling. He was holding Vivian, and she was happy, and nothing else mattered because he wouldn’t let it.

Sixteen

Rhett wasn’t distant, not exactly. But when she met him for breakfast Monday morning, he held himself differently. He seemed on guard, ready for a fight with the entire world. On Monday and Tuesday they had breakfast as the diner opened at seven; neither of them were capable of sleeping in. Both days they hung out in town, Monday walking every inch of the park’s wooded trails, Tuesday driving one town over to tackle a commercial obstacle course complete with the best rock wall Vivian had ever seen. Tuesday night they grabbed a late dinner, and she finally got her milkshake. She told Rhett his diner won a very close second place in her personal strawberry milkshake rankings. He didn’t press the point or she’d have admitted the contest was too close to call.

They were good days. Days with Rhett. But Tuesday night, she drove “home” to Trevor and Kelsey’s comfortable pullout sofa with a pinch in her chest.

She had to figure this out.

The lights were on in the living room when she parked her little hatchback behind Kelsey’s aqua SUV at a quarter tomidnight. Her headlights shut off after a minute, and still she sat there while the heat seeped out of the vehicle and the chilly night seeped in. Something wasn’t right with Rhett, hadn’t been since whatever had caused his body to attempt spontaneous combustion.

She pulled out her phone and dialed Blaine.

“Hi, Viv.”

“Doesn’t sound like I woke you.”

“You didn’t, but I don’t want to talk about it.”

Worry dripped into her. She wouldn’t pick up distress, not from Blaine, not if he were flat on his back and somehow, against all vampire science, actively dying.

“Do I need to reiterate why there’s nothing to say on this topic?”

“No,” she said. “Doesn’t mean I can’t be concerned for you.”

“Mmm.” He all but sang the word, as always. “There’s no need. Now tell me why you called.”

“I’ve got a question about wolves, and I’m wondering if you know the answer.”

“Try me.”

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