“It doesn’t necessarily mean from different packs.” He stepped closer to me. “It could mean an alpha and omega from the same pack.”
An unpleasant feeling crawled up my spine. Was it just my imagination or was Neil gripping my arm a little tighter?
“Maybe,” I said unconvincingly. “But all the packs already made this arrangement, so we might as well try it first. It’s our only lead.”
I ripped my arm out of Neil’s hand and shook it off. He frowned and looked like he wanted to say something more, but a voice ringing out through the ravine stopped him.
“Yo!”
A red wolf whose coat burned like fire under the sun came bounding up to us. At the last minute he shifted into the familiar form of Ramsay.
“You finally made it! I’ve been waiting all morning for y’all to show up,” Ramsay said, giving me an affectionate pat on the back. I noticed with some amusement that he barely addressed Neil at all. He grinned down at me. “And I thought I smelled dirt and leaves coming from over the ridge.”
I chuckled. “That’s what I smell like to you?”
“That’s what all the East Pack wolves smell like to me.” Ramsay took the duffel bag from Neil and hiked it over his shoulder with ease. Since he wore a black tank, I had a very clear view of his tanned muscles. Now Ramsay winked at me. “Except you smell a tiny bit sweeter.”
Neil scowled, shooting Ramsay a dirty look that he ignored. “Make sure your pack treats him properly. There is a lot at stake.”
“Oh, you don’t have to worry about that,” Ramsay said. He put a friendly arm around my shoulder. “We’re gonna have fun, aren’t we? It’s like a long sleepover, but for adults.”
Neil wasn’t as amused as the two of us. “This isn’t a game. Our survival depends on it!”
Ramsay’s gaze sharpened as he shot Neil a glare. “I’m quite aware of that, thank you. Doesn’t mean we can’t lighten the mood a little. Anyway, don’t you have somewhere to be? C’mon, Matheson.”
I gave Neil a half-hearted wave, secretly feeling glad that we left him behind. I already felt more comfortable around Ramsay than I did alone with Neil.
Ramsay was bright and easygoing, always grinning and always seeming to be in a good mood. My heart clenched a little. Would he be the alpha I fell in love with? I could imagine it easily enough. Waking up next to him would definitely put a smile on my face.
Especially withthatbody. Ramsay was the definition of tall, dark and handsome. Red-brown hair, like his wolf’s fur, hung messily across his forehead. His tan skin contrasted with his light green eyes, which glittered like the surface of a lagoon.
“So, uh,” I began. “What do you wanna do?”
“What doyouwanna do?” Ramsay asked. “You’re the guest of honor, remember? We have ten whole days to do whatever your little heart desires.”
“I guess you’re right. Though I’m not sure ten days is really enough for…”
I trailed off, suddenly feeling too embarrassed to say the words aloud. Now that I was alone with Ramsay, thinking about the true reason behind this arrangement seemed awkward. I was supposed to find love and break the curse and discover my magic or whatever. That was all fine and dandy in theory, but in practice? I just felt like an idiot.
I stopped walking and stared at the hard dirt beneath my feet. Then suddenly, Ramsay’s fingers gently lifted my chin. He met my gaze with an easy smile.
“Hey. Don’t think too hard about it, all right? Whatever happens, happens. If I’m not the one the prophecy foretold, that’s cool with me.” He winked. “But, hey, I won’t complain if I am.”
He eased some of my worries and I found myself smiling. “So you’ll forgive me if I’m awkward?”
“Duh. I mean, hell, I would be too if I woke up one day, found out I was an omega, and then this weird bird-cat showed up to tell me I wasthe great chosen one.”
I laughed at the dramatic voice he put on. “Okay. Thanks, Ramsay.”
“No problem. Now c’mon.” He shifted into his wolf form and wagged his tail. “I’ll race you to my place.”
* * *
Noneof the South Pack wolves were annoyed or unsettled by my presence. In fact, it was the total opposite. They were all polite to me in passing, and actually seemed a little excited. I really did feel like a guest of honor.
Maybe this won’t be so bad after all,I thought hopefully.
I also learned quickly that Ramsay was quite popular among the pack. It wasn’t hard to see why--his easy-going friendliness was impossible to ignore. Charisma practically wafted off him in waves. It made me feel lucky that I was the one who got to spend ten whole days with him.
