I stepped out from behind the tree, heard Roman’s voice, and scurried back into hiding. Damn it, Roman. What was he doing here out of all places? He should be at the packhouse or by my window. Not here. On the other side of his property. This wasn’t even along his running trail.
He stood in the clearing and talked to a guard; his muscles were swollen from running, sweat coated the back of his neck, blood dripped from his lips. Was he hurt? Did someone attack him?
My wolf growled inside of me.
“Any more rogues?” Roman asked the guard.
The guard shook his head. “No.”
Roman scanned the woods slowly, like he knew someone was out here, and paused when he looked in my direction. After lifting his nose to the air and inhaling deeply, he pressed his lips together.
I froze. He paused for a few moments, then finally turned back to the man. The guard walked off and Cayden walked up behind Roman. His hands were soaked in blood, almost more blood than Roman’s. “Is everyone okay?” Cayden asked Roman.
Roman nodded.
“Everyone?” Cayden asked.
Roman sighed loudly and ran a hand through his thick brown hair. “Yes, Isabella is at home, safe.” His jaw twitched, and I could tell he wanted to say more.
Cayden arched a brow. “And you’re upset about that?”
The moonlight bounced off Roman’s dark eyes. “No. She just seemed… different when she left. Didn’t even say bye to me.” Roman walked a few steps toward the packhouse, fist clenched by his side. “She likes the hospital.”
Thanks for making me feel worse about this.
“Isn’t that what you wanted?” Cayden asked.
Roman took a deep breath. “Yes, that’s what I wanted, but…”
“But?”
Roman growled. “But she’s fine with it!” He snapped, canines emerging from under his lips and nails lengthening into claws. “It doesn’t even faze her anymore. She’s not putting up a fight.”
I narrowed my eyes at him. Did he want me to put up a fight with him? Is that why he assigned me as a stupid nurse?
Cayden shook his head and walked toward the packhouse. “Why do you always find reasons to get pissed at her?” He turned around and walked backward, his arms outstretched. “You get mad that she hates the hospital. You get mad that she likes the hospital. Next you’ll be mad that she’s hot. It’s like you find reasons to confront her.”
Roman growled and bared his teeth at his beta, but Cayden didn’t back down. “You wanted her at the hospital. She’s at the hospital. Maybe you should leave her alone.”
Thank you, Cayden. Someone was actually talking some sense into him for once. Maybe he would listen. Maybe he would leave me alone.
No. We don’t want that.
Roman clenched his jaw and stormed toward him. “I did what I had to do.”
Cayden snorted. “You had to assign our best warrior to the hospital.” He nodded. “Makes sense.”
Roman snatched him by the collar and shoved him against a tree. After whispering something quietly to him, in that threatening alpha tone, he stormed away. I clutched my keychain to my chest. Something wasn’t right, but I didn’t have time to deal with it right now.
When they had departed from the forest and the other warrior wolves were taking their posts, I took a deep breath and bolted toward Ryker—staying quiet and out of sight.
Chapter 20
Isabella
After almost an hour of running, Ryker and I approached Lycan territory. The trees were bent in every direction, not one of them standing straight, roots crawled along the forest floor, and eerie fog laid heavy around us.
Ryker shifted into his human and handed me some clothes that were hidden inside a tree stump. I pulled the shirt over my head and followed him through the fog, listening to the hoots and howls deeper in the woods.
