Page 31 of Resisting Fate

She tilts her head and looks at me curiously. “Pain?”

“Yeah, the sharpness of his teeth when he bit down. A wave of pain came over me,” I say with a shrug, figuring that it was normal.

“Well, that’s not right. There isn’t supposed to be any pain. When I bit Ryker, there might have been a sting, but we both claimed each other right away and it was a feeling like I had never felt before,” she says, and gets this dreamy, lust filled look on her face that has me gagging.

“Right. Well, I didn’t get any of that,” I say, starting to get worried. I really fucked this up, didn’t I?

“Maybe it’s because you didn’t bite him back?” Penelope offers.

“Everything is just too much,” I mutter while tears fall down my cheeks. How has this become my life?

At some point, Penelope leaves. I don’t bother moving from the bed. I need to think about a lot of things, and I can’t have anyone try to make me feel bad for not claiming Isaac.

If I claim him out of guilt, then I know I will only resent him in the end.

I nudge my wolf in my mind, but she seems distant and is ignoring me. I guess she’s mad at me, but humans don’t move as fast as wolves do. All the wolves want to do is find their mate, fuck, and claim; that’s it.

If I claim him back, then wouldn’t that be like forgiving him for all the shit he has done over the years? Could I really do that?

Am I still angry at him for everything he had put me through over the years? The hateful words he always said to me?

I know why he said them now, but it still doesn’t erase anything.

Those words caused me a great deal of pain and doubt throughout the years. His words made me believe that I was unworthy of anyone.

I think about everything Isaac has done now since Ryker has taken over the pack. He has shown Ryker his complete support. The other day, he laughed and talked with each little kid that came up to him. Not once did he show any annoyance. I didn’t see his eyes stray to any other women in the room either. I can tell that he truly cares about me.

He has shown nothing but patience. I could see early on that he wanted to have all of me, and I know how much he fought to restrain his wolf this entire time.

But can people really change that much?

Isaac

Days pass by and I haven’t seen Hailey. I don’t think she has left Ryker’s household. I can smell her there, but not once did I get a glimpse of her. I only showed up at night when there was less of a chance that she would see me, so that may be why I didn’t see her. I also came just long enough to know that she’s safe. I did not want her feeling afraid to go out for fear of running into me.

I spend an alarming amount of time walking the boundaries of the forbidden forest.

Ryker told everyone I was working patrol there until further notice, but what he and I haven’t told anyone is the pull I feel towards it.

This place brings me more comfort than it should.

I lose track of time, and the next thing I know it’s morning and the sun is peeking through the trees.

I walk over to the Thompson house for a check before heading home to sleep.

With my wolf being almost nonexistent, it’s easier to leave her behind and rest.

That should worry me, but I barely have it in me to care. I feel so fucking numb.

When I make it through the clearing, Hailey is standing on the back porch looking out at the woods like she’s searching for something.

I stay out of sight. I know she can’t smell me at this distance, so I don’t have to worry about her knowing I’m here.

I watch as she searches through every part of the woods visible from this area. Her eyes move past me a couple times.

Her shoulders slump before she rubs a hand over her face and heads back inside.

I can only hope she was looking for me, but she knows where I live. If she really wanted to see me then she would make her way over there.

---