I just don't get it. James was supposed to be a human—a shady one at that. I was under the impression that he was a construction worker when he came by the diner one day and asked for my number.
Flattered that I was getting the attention of a hardworking man, I'd ignored the red flags and entertained his calls, which led to him asking me out on a date.
The first two were simple and sweet, but the third one was alarming when, at the end of the night, James wanted to take me home.
I hadn't told him that I had a son waiting for me back home, and I wasn't prepared to let any stranger meet Noah. I said no, and that's when he became pushy, insisting that three dates earned him the right to take me home.
I ended things then, and didn't see him for months until I returned to Portland and found him haunting my nightmares.
James was a creep, but a werewolf? An odd one at that?
It's highly unlikely.
Perhaps it's just the mark he left on me, like a scar that made me swear off men for good, especially a human.
I let out another deep breath, but my throat still feels dry, and when I try calling out Tyler's name, a croaky groan escapes my parched lips instead.
Sighing, I decide to go get water myself, dragging my body out of bed reluctantly as I shrug off the weird nightmare.
I hadn't given death much thought before, until these damn nightmares started haunting me every night. Rolling my head on my shoulders and feeling out the creaks and ticks, I'm just thankful to still be alive.
In a body that was claimed by Tyler earlier…
A blush crawls over my face as the tingling sensations from our passionate tryst in the woods still linger, drawing a smile across my lips as I feel strengthened enough to get to my feet.
The nightmares don't matter, at least for now. With Tyler, I feel so protected that I know he won't let anything happen to me or our son.
I still need to figure out what the nightmares mean, if they mean anything at all.
Then, there's the part about Noah being his son that I've been hiding from him.
But I shouldn't jump the gun. At least, not until we've spoken.
I pad across the room, lifting out one of Tyler's robes from behind his door and lazily tying it, yawning as I step out of the bedroom. Nondescript chatter drifts through the hallway from the kitchen, and I frown, stopping at Noah's bedroom to see that the covers are thrown off and he's not in bed.
A proud smile lifts the corners of my mouth. Noah must have woken up for a late-night snack, and Tyler tended to his needs. I know this, even before I step foot into the kitchen, my smile broadening when I find the two of them at the table, sharing freshly made pancakes.
The sun is nowhere near rising, but they seem to be wide awake as they snack on the sweet treat and share a laugh that quickly fades when they notice me.
Tyler averts his eyes and clears his throat, while Noah grins at me.
“Look, Mama! Tyler makes pancakes for a snack!”
“I see so, Noah-kins…” I giggle as I approach my son, planting a kiss at the top of his head and stealing a glance at Tyler.
To my surprise, he doesn't look up, leading me to wonder if he's just feeling awkward now that Noah is awake.
Pulling my lips into a soft smile, I make my way toward the fridge to get water, passing Tyler and discreetly brushing my hand across his shoulders. Another surprise comes when he tenses like cold stone, the brisk touch hardly eliciting the rousing effect it usually has on my wolf.
Gasping in shock, I stare at the back of Tyler's head as I move toward the fridge, my heart sinking with each step. His sudden coldness is evident in the breath I let out, betraying the autumn air that shouldn't be icy.
What's going on?
Tyler barely looks at me, even when he stands up to take his plate to the sink. He clears his throat with more indifference as he turns to face me, but his eyes remain glued to the kitchen floor.
“I was thinking…” he begins, his voice stoic and void of all the kindness he's been showing me since I returned. “You should take a job at the pack center. It's what you wanted to do, right? I'll arrange it with Brynta. You can start as soon as possible.”
My jaw drops as I stare at him, bewildered by what I'm hearing.
