Page 4 of Tide Touched

I inhale, a smile spreading over my face as I take a deep lungful of air. For a moment, I think I see something—a flicker of movement—along the shore. Probably Levi bored out of his mind come to fuck with me again. Well, good luck. Come get me, I think, knowing he can’t swim. In the water, somehow, my injuries don’t feel so bad.

I kick so that I’m floating on my back, staring up at the endless expanse of sky; stars glitter and wink at me around the big, bright moon.

This time tomorrow, I’ll have my wolf. Maybe even a mate. I can’t imagine what a fated mate would be like. Someone to care for me? Or is it like they have to care for me? I don’t know.

I let the water wash my interaction with Levi away. My naturally warm skin keeps me comfortable even in the chilled water. I float for a while, making sure I don’t get lost in the current. The water is one of the few places I feel safe, the stars dancing above me, the ocean at my back.

Eventually, the small, smart portion of my brain tells me I will need sleep if I’m going to get through turning for the first time tomorrow. I pad out of the water, up onto the shore.

I pause at the footprints. They’re too big to be mine. Most of my pack don’t come to the beach. For a moment, I worry Moira’s noticed I’m gone and come after me. But even if she had noticed, she wouldn’t worry. It must have been Levi. Or whomever I saw as I breeched the surface of the water.

I wring out my hair, glancing down at my sopping-wet pyjamas. It would be really handy to be able to warm myself dry, like other Fire Pack can. But I shrug and pad home.

When I say ‘home’, what I really mean is ‘the dump where most of my stuff is’. I approach the shack as quietly as I can because waking Beatrice is always a terrible idea. I push the front door open, glad I recently re-oiled the hinges as it slides open silently.

The entire place is about as big as a shoebox, the smallest in our Fire lands, because I’m pretty unlucky that way. The little living room is small and sparse, but perfectly fits a two-seater couch on which lays my passed out stepmother. That’s how I like her, passed out. I close the door behind me. Still clutched in her hand is a new bottle of Jack. Well, new-ish. She must’ve received the pack-allowance today.

I groan quietly, then pad into the kitchenette, my hopes as low as ever. I open the pantry and shock, it’s empty. ‘Brilliant, thanks,’ I murmur into the near-darkness. At least I’ve had dinner. Maybe when I have my wolf, I could go to the alpha and ask if some of Beatrice’s pack allowance can go to me. It probably won’t, but it’s worth a shot.

It’s only when a shard of moonlight spills through the window that I remember I’m dripping wet. That, and the blaring tv on mute are the only illumination.

I’m tempted to take a swig of the Jack, because why the hell not, but I learned the hard way that it is so not worth the risk of waking Hurricane Beatrice. Even when she’s drunk off her ass, her aim is pretty good, and it takes a long time for wounds from bottles to heal.

I slip quietly into the bathroom to clean up. I can’t shower. That would wake her. But I can quietly dry off with my small towel, then climb the ladder to my own little version of Moira’s attic. This one, however, is pitiful by comparison. Barely the size of a bedroom, it fits me, lying down in the sleeping bag I call a bed, and a small stack of books. That’s it. Home, Crap, Home. I hate this place. Cinder, it’s called. These lands. I’ve never left.

Tomorrow, I get my wolf. At least I’ll have the strength to stand up for myself. It’s quite high on my to-do list to punch Levi in the face again—because I can, and he deserves it, and because this time I might actually do some damage.

I don’t know what to expect in a mate. My hopes are to at least get some more respect from the pack. I don’t want to be the Pack Freak who likes water. As much as it damns me, I love the water, the call of the ocean. I’d really prefer not to take shit for it, though.

As I look out the window onto the beach, I nestle back into my sleeping bag, hating the chill of the worn plasticky fabric. The only good thing about this tiny, quiet haven, are my books and a view that occasionally consists of the pack hottie running shirtless along the beach.

I take a deep breath and stare at the bright moon. Come on, I pray. Please let my life change tomorrow.

I wake at dawn, sunrise spilling through the window. I blink a few times, stretching. I mentally feel myself out; still store from Levi’s attack. I gently prod my ribs. Ow, but not cracked, just bruised. I roll my shoulders. It could be much worse.

Even if it were, I wouldn’t care. Today’s the day I get my wolf! About bloody time. Even if all my ribs were broken, they would be healed by tonight, when I meet my wolf. Another part of my soul. A part designed to strengthen me. I crack a real, excited smile that would make Moira gape.

I climb quietly down the stairs of my little loft, taking my clothes to the bathroom. I should wash up and get out of here before Beatrice wakes. She’s in the same position she was in last night, just with more drool dripping from her open mouth. Ew.

Pulling the bathroom door shut behind me, my stomach rumbles, and I hiss for it to be quiet. When I’m done, I pad outside, quietly shutting the door behind me. It’s a good start to a day when I get out unnoticed.

I only own one pair of shoes, but I don’t bother picking up the old boots. I head straight for the beach in the chill, early-morning air that slices through my thin jumper.

I raise my head and take a deep breath, letting the watery sunlight wash over me, slowly drying my still-damp hair. Today should be a good day. Moira promised to hang out all day, then turn with me tonight.

I wish I had another book to read, or some paint to work with, but those are luxuries I rarely come by. While Cinder is where our alpha and most of our pack live, it’s a remote community, and most don’t like to venture away from their homes. For the most part, each family has what we need here. Every now and then, travellers come through, selling their wares, but I imagine lugging a cart of books around would be tough. The ones I have belonged to my parents, or are ones I’ve borrowed from Moira. Of course, over the last twenty years, I’ve read everything I can get my hands on here at least once.

With nothing else to do but wait, I stare out at the sunrise.

Movement catches my gaze. The shirtless hottie—Killian—runs here all the time. He can get away with visiting the beach because he’s a pack favourite. I make myself comfortable on the shore, waiting for Moira. I try not to obviously check him out. I don’t need him to think the Pack Freak is perving on him (even if I am, a little bit). Instead, I conjure him up in my mind. The perfectly defined muscles of his torso, the chiselled lines of his abs. The way his short, dark red hair catches the light, making his silhouette burn.

I’ve seen him run here a lot, but only lately. Only for the last few months, just after he got his wolf. I guess he needs to run more now. As I open my eyes, I’m startled to meet his gaze. He usually doesn’t even look at me. As though I’m invisible. But today, he slows, just for a breath, looks me over, then continues on without a word. He’s never spoken to me.

I huff a sigh. Yeah, well, what else is new? It’s not like I’d ever get someone like that for a mate. Though he’s incredibly powerful. Man, that would rocket me up in rank, to the highest female, actually, since his mother died a long time ago. After a moment, totally lost in my own thoughts, someone clears their throat above me.

I start, expecting Moira, or even Levi. My mouth drops open to see the half-naked hottie standing over me.

‘Hi,’ he says. I’ve never heard his voice before, but it’s a soft, smooth baritone. The corner of his mouth kicks up in a small smile, probably at my dumb face and my super dumb reaction.

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