Page 45 of Resisting Fate

“We are going to help you in any way we can,” Ryker says when he sees me.

“I’ll do whatever it takes,” I tell them.

We get to work, but Ryker has to force the shift on me a few times before my wolf completely comes back instead of hiding.

I’m fucking glad he has decided to come back. It felt like a part of me was missing.

Though Scott Thompson is a hard ass.

The training he puts me through is grueling.

I’m exhausted when it’s over, and I drop onto my back as I gasp for breath.

Ryker and Scott head out to talk, and Max sits beside me. He’s breathing just as hard as I am, since we all trained.

“I think it’s about time we talked,” he says, breaking the silence.

I look over at him and sit up. I can’t help but stiffen at his words.

“I know you care about Hailey. She’s a special woman,” he starts.

“She’s the best thing that has ever happened to me,” I tell him simply.

“She’s amazing. I know it’s not a secret that I wanted her to be my mate. I always knew she was incredible. I wanted her for a long time, but I couldn’t take her as my mate because I would always have to worry that one day, I might find the mate that I was fated to. I worried about leaving her for the mating pull because I knew how strong it was. My parents tried to deny the pull and had told me stories about how it was pretty much impossible to do so. I didn’t want to hurt Hailey that way,” he says.

My fists clench thinking about him wanting Hailey, but I know she wants me now. I can’t help but smirk at the thought of her this morning completely insatiable for me.

“I hated that you were her fated, but I can see I was wrong about you. I didn’t think you were going to be good for her, but I can see now that I was wrong. I’m more than happy to be proven wrong. I can see that you cherish her as much as she deserves, and that’s all I ask,” he says.

“She’s everything to me. Maybe she always has been, but I know nothing will stop me from doing anything and everything to make her happy. That woman has me wrapped around her finger, and I have no fucking problems with that. When you find your mate, you will understand,” I tell him.

“I already did,” he tells me.

I turn to look at him in shock.

“You found your mate?” I ask, looking at him in disbelief.

He nods his head. “Yeah, she was someone who came out of the barrier. Now she’s staying in one of the accommodations that the pack had set up.”

“Are you talking about Willow?” I ask him.

He looks over at me in surprise. “Yeah, that’s her. She scented me and I could tell she knew who I was to her, but she didn’t seem all that interested in getting to know me.”

I chuckle. “Yeah, well that would be from the shit my father put her through. He always was an asshole. She has been through a lot. She wasn’t feral. She was just trying to hide from my father and then was too scared to cross the barrier. She didn’t know what she would be coming back to if and when she was able to cross it,” I tell him.

“How do you know that?” he asks, looking at me like he’s eager for any piece of information I can give him about her.

“Well, she attacked me during the Rite of Passage ceremony, but I didn’t know who she was. Then, when I ended up back in there, she tried again but we ended up talking and getting to know one another. I gather it will be hard to trust after the shit she has been through,” I tell him.

“I don’t care how long it takes; as long as she gives me a chance, I will be definitely taking it. We were fated for a reason,” he states.

I nod my head in agreement. “The fates are a funny thing. I believed in it my whole life. I had hoped there would be someone out there for me who would love me for who I am and not for my past. I always knew people were meant for each other for a reason. Look at Penelope and Ryker. Fate never gets it wrong. Some people might try to fight it, but eventually you see why that person was always meant for you.”

“I’m glad you aren’t the person everyone thought you were,” Max tells me.

I give him a small smile. “Me too.”

Ryker comes back after a few minutes. “You did good today. Same time tomorrow?” he asks me.

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