Page 30 of Wolf Bound

“Would you listen to me if I said no?”

“Probably not.” Ryker sits down next to me, our arms brushing against each other. “I don’t think I will ever get tired of that feeling.”

“You enjoy feeling like you’ve been shocked every time you touch me?” I ask.

“I spent fourteen years thinking I would never touch you again, so no, I don’t mind it.”

I don’t look at him, but I can feel his gaze on me.

“I remember when I first saw the mating aura around you,” he says. “I was only ten, and you were five or six. I asked my mom why you were so sparkly. At first, she didn’t understand what I was saying, but when I drew a picture of you in art class with a golden glow all around you, she finally realized what I meant. My dad and she had to sit me down and explain it. They told me I was lucky to have found my mate so young since most wolf shifters spend their whole lives looking for theirs, and some never find them. And it looks like I’m still lucky because I get a second chance with you…Pruitt.”

He stumbles over my name when he says it. I can understand how hard it is for him to call me something else after all of these years, and I appreciate his willingness to do so. But after all the changes in my life in the last twenty-four hours, I need to hold onto the things I know, my name being one of those things.

“What happens if they never find their mate?” I ask him, curious about this wholematingthing.

“They go rogue.”

“Was the red wolf from earlier a rogue?”

“Yes. It isn’t really his fault he’s gone rogue, but it doesn’t change the fact he was a danger to others. He had attacked so many women before today. I’m glad I was able to stop him before he hurt anyone else,” Ryker explains.

“Why do rogues attack?”

“Every male shifter has an internal stopwatch of sorts that dictates how long we’ve got to mate before it’s too late. If we aren’t mated by then, we go rogue. Rogues are driven by pure need and desire, like a dog in heat. They have a bloodlust that’s so strong it takes over. I’ve spent the past five years tracking down every rogue wolf I can get my hands on.”

“Why?”

“We believed it was rogue males who attacked your family. I vowed I would kill as many rogue wolves as I could, avenging you and your family. My hope was I would eventually come across the ones that killed you.”

I turn to face him, and a sad look appears on his face. “How were you supposed to know I was alive? Everyone had told you I was dead, and you had every reason to believe it.” I reach over and take his hand. I’m still upset he kissed Avery, but my need to comfort him is stronger than my anger.

“I can’t help but think of all those years we could have been together.”

“I wouldn’t have been ready for you before,” I admit. “I want to believe I am now, but you’ll have to be patient with me.” At the hurt I see in his eyes, I add, “This is all new, and so much of it scares me. You turned into a wolf today and killed someone, Ryker. I have the right to a small adjustment period.”

“Take all the time you need.”

I’ve never found it easy to talk about my feelings, so I take a deep breath before I say, “Please don’t ever kiss her again,” I say. “I don’t know how long it’s going to take me to understand this wholematething, but I don’t like how it made me feel when you kissed her, and that anger is something I never want to feel again.”

Ryker turns to face me more fully. “When are you going to understand the only person I ever want, or ever wanted isyou?” He reaches up with both hands and cups my face, his thumbs lightly brushing my cheeks. I place my hands over his and look into his deep blue eyes that are swimming with emotion. “That I will never want to look at another woman, or touch another woman,” he adds.

“I don’t want you to feel like you’re trapped with me, that I’m your only option. I know you said every wolf shifter has one person they are meant to be with, but I won’t be mad if you decide you want to… I don’t know,look around?” He raises a brow in disbelief, and I wince. “Okay, I’m lying. I will be mad, but I’ll understand if you want to.”

“Even if that were an option, I wouldn’t want them.” Ryker moves one hand from my face, slowly making its way down where it gently cups the back of my neck. His eyes never leave mine. I couldn’t look away if I wanted to.

“I know, but what if—”

“Pru, shut up,” he interrupts, “because I want to kiss you, and I can’t if you don’t stop talking.”

“Okay.” I barely get the word out before Ryker’s mouth crashes into mine.

You know how in movies when the music starts playing, and the background fades away? That’s what happens when my lips connect with Ryker’s. Suddenly the only thing I’m aware of is how his mouth feels against mine and how I can taste the beer he’d been drinking on his lips. My hands wander up to his chest and grab hold of the front of his shirt, afraid if I let go, he’ll disappear.

I’ve only ever kissed two other guys in my life, and both times felt awkward and forced. But kissing Ryker feelsright. My mouth moves with his purely on instinct, and I get completely lost in it. I feel his mouth lift into a grin, and I pull back to look at him. I reach up and lightly touch his face, my hands slightly shaking. Then I smile back at him before leaning up to kiss the corner of his upturned mouth.

“Can you do something for me?” I ask him in between planting small kisses to his lips.

“Anything,” he breathes against me.

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