Page 33 of Strawberry Moon

People were looking out for him. Even Talin, in warning me, was bringing me into the loop, as much as I didn’t appreciate the condescension.

“He’s not a kid,” I grumbled.

But as a wolf, well, she was right. So much of our world was new to him, and I hadn’t made his way into it any easier.

I threw back the rest of my drink and tapped Ridge on the shoulder. “I’m gonna head out.”

He nodded. “We’ll be there in a minute.”

He and Alexis each had half a drink left. They weren’t in any rush to get out, to have the cool night air clear their heads.

When I got to the clearing behind The Cider House, some wolves were already changing, throwing their things into cubbies and lockers and shifting to take off into the night.

It was tempting to follow them, to make myself scarce, but the wolf wasn’t having that. Where I was—where Ibelonged—was right there, patiently waiting to see Archer off.

It was a while before he came out, hovering on the edge of the circle of Linden’s admirers. The pack alpha didn’t have time for every single person, and though he was close enough to Archer, people kept edging in to soak up his attention.

So while Archer wasn’t alone, my wolf saw its chance to talk to him for a second. We edged in closer.

“You doing okay, Archer?”

He glanced up at me through his lashes, all cagey. This once, his creamy skin was stark white. He wasn’t just nervous; he was terrified.

“Yup. Yeah, I’m good. Everything’s good.”

I didn’t believe that for a second, but calling him a liar wouldn’t do a damn bit of good for anybody.

“Good,” I said. “There’s no reason for everything not to be good.”

Great, now I’d picked up his roundabout, redundant way of talking past his fear instead of right at it. I flinched, but he didn’t even notice. Already, his bright eyes had slipped past me, back to Linden.

An alpha he could trust. A man who’d take care of him. Not me.

In my head, my wolf, already riding close to the surface, whined. That should’ve been us.

“You know, if you’re not up for this tonight, that’s okay,” I promised. “We can just go back in. Get a drink. Wait out the moon with Talin.” So it wouldn’t just be us—that felt important, so he felt safe.

Archer stared at me, the whites clear all around his eyes. I couldn’t tell if he was horrified, or that shock came from relief, but I must’ve said the wrong thing. All the sudden his scent turned sour, like fearful sweat and misery.

“No, I—I think I have to do this. I mean, if not now, then—then I’m—” He had his thumbs in his pockets, his fingers curling and uncurling. His eyes scanning the pack full of people who’d grown up with this, grown up wolves.

I could practically feel his pulse racing, his urgency rushing through my veins too.

With a slow, deep breath, I held his eyes, leaned in, and touched his shoulder. I hadn’t meant it any specific kind of way, but the wolf took over. My hand skimmed up his neck. I caught his racing pulse in the cup of my palm, spread my fingers to the ridge of his spine, the swell at the base of his graceful neck.

“It’s okay. Youcando this. Nothing more natural than going on a run.”

He looked at me, eyes full of desperation, like he didn’t believe a word I said.

“We should try it together. Shifting, I mean,” I offered.

Another nervous swallow from Archer. His cornflower-blue eyes searched every inch of my face. “Okay?”

With an attempt at a smile—I got the feeling it didn’t quite land, as all he gave me back was a grimace—I pulled my shirt over my head and balled it up. “You can put your things over here.”

I’d always been a rip it and leave it kind of guy, but Archer’s things were nice. He shouldn’t have to put them on the ground.

He followed me over to the lockers that were set up out back for us, and he took his shirt off. He squeezed it to his front, his shoulders shaking, his breath coming hard and quick as he stood there. He avoided my eyes.

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