Page 19 of Wolf Touched

I rolled my eyes, though he couldn’t see it, and Lucy linked with all of us,Please tell me you got away. I’m about to turn around.

The easy moment between us vanished, and Raffe replied,We did.

Thank fucks,Adam interjected.We were worried but didn’t want to link in case you were under attack and needed to focus.

When someone says thank fucks, is that singular or possessive?Keith asked, posing what he must have felt was a significant question. ’Cause I’m sorta torn. I could see it either way, so I guess it depends on how many fucks the person speaking has left.

Raffe growled.I have one fuck that I’m about to take care of if he doesn’t stop interrupting with stupid shit.

Possessive it is,Keith amended and went quiet.

“Sometimes, I wonder why I’m friends with him,” Raffe grumbled to himself and shook his head.

As entertaining as this is, where are we going? Do I have time for a nap?Josie linked.I’m exhausted and wound up riding with Lucy in Raffe’s car so I can keep an eye on Octavia and deal with the demon cat.

My body sagged against Raffe’s. I’d been so focused on making sure we didn’t leave Dave that I hadn’t even thought about Cat-Keith. If that wasn’t proof that Lucy was now his official owner, I wasn’t sure what was.Thank goodness you got her.

Wouldn’t have been upset if the mangy beast got left behind,Keith added.I’d rather that if you guys refuse to change her name.

And that right there is why it’s never changing,Lucy said.We know how much it infuriates you.

Raffe glanced in the rearview mirror.Head back to the pack. They won’t risk coming there to attack right away. We need to inform Dad and his advisors of what’s going on, but I don’t want to tell him before we get there, not after how ourlast meeting went. I need him to see us and smell we aren’t lying.

A shiver racked me. Though my body temperature was naturally warmer now, between the rain and having caused the chasm between Raffe and his father, I was an emotional mess. I wasn’t cold; it was all stress.

Raffe growled.We’re stopping soon to get jackets and helmets. I just want to put some distance between us and campus and make sure no one’s following us.

I hadn’t considered the possibility that they’d get into their cars and chase us, not with the injuries they’d sustained and the glass shards lodged in their skin from the exploding windows. With the shattering windows and the scared students who had to be racing from the building, not understanding what was going on, the coven members would be forced to handle chaos. But we had no clue how many members the Veiled Circle had. They might have the resources to send someone after us.

A Chevron appeared on the left, a little more run-down than the gas stations in the city. Raffe slowed and coasted onto the gravel road and parked at one of the pumps out of the drizzle.

He went to the back, opened the storage container, then removed two full-face helmets and two leather jackets, one of which seemed to be my size.

Should I be jealous about the second jacket?I didn’t like the icky sensation that crawled over my skin and the way my wolf edged forward, wanting to hurt whoever he might have bought it for. I wondered if it was Josie. She had pretended to be his girlfriend foryears.

Raffe mashed his lips together. A raindrop fell from his dark hair and rolled down one cheek. “I ordered it when wewere secretly dating.” He winced as the tightness of his shame flowed between us. “It got here while we were broken up, and I didn’t have a chance to think about giving it to you until now.” Then the corners of his lips tipped up, and a smile broke through. “I told you no one has ever ridden with me before, and the only other person who’s driven my bike is Keith. That was only because you were frozen and needed to get warm.”

Warmth swarmed my chest, and I stepped closer to him. I stood on my tiptoes and kissed him, linking,Right answer.

I’m glad I didn’t disappoint you.He leaned back and booped my nose. He then placed the larger jacket and the two helmets on our seats and held my jacket up for me.I hate to cut this moment short, but we need to get going.He frowned and said out loud, “We probably should’ve taken the car, but the bike is faster in case they followed us.”

He had a point, and honestly, I didn’t mind the bike, though I wished we were riding it for pleasure rather than fleeing for our lives. At least I could snuggle into my mate and feel him between my legs for the entire ride to Seattle. Best of all, I didn’t have to share him with anyone. Now look who was being possessive, but I didn’t feel a bit of shame for it.

As I slid into the jacket, he asked,Do you want to see if we can meet up with Lucy and you can ride with them?

I shook my head so hard that my neck popped, and I wondered if I’d given myself whiplash. Being parted from him was the worst thing I could do.That never turns out well for either of us.

He exhaled.You’re right. But I still—

Stop.I placed one hand on his chest and, with my free hand, snagged the helmet.There’s no getting rid of me.Now, let’s go to Seattle and talk to your dad—and maybe finally relax for a moment.

He glanced over his shoulder and tensed.Yeah, you’re right.He quickly put on the jacket and his helmet, and we climbed on and took off, barreling out of the parking lot.

I glanced over my shoulder and saw a car getting smaller as he pushed the bike faster.Is that someone from EEU?

I’m not taking any chances.

With that, I leaned against the backrest, not wanting to crowd him while he drove, and settled in for the long ride.

---