Flames might as well have ignited in her irises, they glowed a dangerous light gold before she whirled around, marching away from me.
Shit. Shit. Shit.
“Isis!” I rushed after her. “What are you doing?”
“I’m going to have a very ‘spirited’ conversation withmy Alpha, that’s exactly what I’m going to do,” she growled, heading straight for the Alpha’s cabin.
No. No. No.
“Isis, please stop.” My words rushed as I struggled to keep up with her ridiculously long steps, guided by her indignation and her she-wolf’s speed. “He’s going to hurt you!”
A loud, derisive snort escaped her. “I’d like to see him try. That self-entitled, misogynistic, gaslighting, piece of—” The words muddled under her breath, and then she quickened her pace. “What the hell was Ryker thinking?" she asked rhetorically, I assumed, since she didn’t exactly wait for my answer or my protest.
“This is exactly why I didn’t want to tell you,” I growled, fully running after her now since my she-wolf’s speed was still trapped inside of me, with her. “Stop, damn it. You are going to end up in a challenge with my uncle and hewillkill you, Isis. Can’t you understand?”
Gripping her arm, I yanked her toward me, forcing her to stop.
“I’m going to lose you!” I blurted, breathless.
“Okay, give me some credit, will ya? I can take his old ass any day of the week.”
“I can’t—” My head shook, trying to push the emotion back down to the depths of me, where it hid from everyone except her. “I can’t lose you, Isis. You are the only Mom I have.”
All lightheartedness gone, her eyes glistened, and she pulled me into her arms the next second, holding me fiercely.
“Listen to me, baby girl. I am always,always,going to be there for you.”
Her lips pressed gently but meaningfully against my temple, and she pulled back, cupping my cheeks until our gazes truly connected.
“There is no force in this world that can take me away from you becauseyouare the true reason that I refused to leave this pack. You hear me? It was you, Natasha. I fought to survive as hard as I did, killing shifter after shifter because you gave my life new meaning. You gave me purpose and I wasnotabout to lose that. But right now, I need to delay your mating with that asshole. There is nothing more important than that.”
Whirling around she began to march toward our Alpha’s house again… And after her, I went. “Wait!”
“What?” she stopped willingly this time, glancing at me expectantly.
“I know you don’t like Ryker and you hate the fact that my uncle wants us together, but Ryker was always meant to be my mate,” I explained, seeing sadness grow in her eyes. “It’s not the same,” I whispered, knowing the cause of her hurt. “I know you want to protect me, and you think our Alpha is forcing me to be with Ryker like he wanted to force you with his Beta, but?—”
“I know that you think you love him, baby girl,” she rebutted, holding my hands, “so just do one thing for me. Block your uncle’s, and Ryker’s voice from your mind. Heck, block my voice while you are at it, and everything we have ever told you that you should do. Now, look inside your heart and ask yourself, is this really what you want? If you could choose a new life, a new future right here and now—regardless of pack hierarchy, Alpha, or supernatural rules—would you want this life? Would you choose Ryker?”
Releasing a burdened breath, she tightened her hold on my hands.
“If the answer is yes, I will walk back to our home and you can mate with him as man and woman tonight, then tomorrowas wolves. I’ll even move all your things to his cabin for you. But it has to be whatyouwant. So, what doyouwant, Natasha?”
Images of Ryker and I together began to flash in my mind. He’d been part of my life for so long… Still, I couldn’t stop the unexpected racing of my heart at the sudden possibilities slamming into me as I searched for the answer inside me. Glancing away from her, my attention shifted beyond the ever-changing trees to the city, to the world that awaited. One I dreamed of every night. A throbbing yearning for the unknown spread through my veins, overwhelming me.
My wolf stirred too, sending a feeling of familiarity and acceptance through me, the feeling capturing my chest briefly. She wanted to meet Ryker’s wolf, she wanted a mate. Even then… Did that mean I wantedhim? Behind her willingness, anxiousness flourished, bringing with it both sadness and confusion.
When my gaze returned to Isis, I opened my mouth to speak, but surprisingly, I had no words to give her.
Understanding filled her gaze and she slowly nodded. “That’s what I suspected… Don’t worry, I’m not going to challengemy Alpha.”With a small wink, she gave me her back, leaving me behind as she headed for his cabin.
Biting my lower lip, and low-key still questioning my entire life, I turned around too, heading back to the clearing.
The excitement once again danced in the air when I arrived, and I caught the moment the Hunters brought out three massive, wooden chests from the mystical forest. Kellan, Ivara, and Barret carried them between their arms like they weighed nothing, while Ryker proudly led the way. Only our Alpha knew where the crystals were safeguarded in between ceremonies—it had to be that way to protect them. With the Witch that created us long gone and the natural crystal source now barren, those were the only stones left.
My heart started racing again, but for an entirely new reason.
The ancient crystals and the source of our mystical power had finally arrived, making it all so very real. Renewed exhilaration coursed through me, my wolf’s happiness mixing with mine.
