“Justseeing what dominant females are like these days. You’ve got a strong onethere, maybe even stronger than you.”
“Youdon’t have the greatest set of social skills, do you?” I mocked him.
He grabbedhis belly and laughed manically.
‘He’scrazy,’I told Kai.
‘Theyall are,’he replied.
“MayI join your run? I promise to be nice,” he asked suddenly.
Icould tell Kai needed to tread carefully.
“Whatis your purpose here? Are you looking to join a pack? Are you setting upterritory nearby? Or are you just bored and looking for trouble?” Kaiquestioned him.
“No,no. I don’t want to join your big, fancy pack. I like my small territory inWashington. No. I’m looking for something more …eternal.” His eyesfound me again. There was a sadness there, but just as soon as I had seen it,it was gone.
“Explain,”Kai grumbled.
Thenit hit me. “You’re looking for your mate. You want my help,” I exclaimed, steppingforward. One of the pack members, Jake, had run to a nearby cache of clothesthat we kept hidden in the trees and handed me a large shirt. I slipped it overmy head.
“Guilty.”He took a pair of sweatpants from Jake’s outstretched hand.
“Shedoesn’t find mates on command, and she cannot do it under force,” Kai told himthrough clenched teeth.
“I think we got off to a bad start. It’s been so long since I’vebeen around other wolves, I’ve gotten carried away.” His eyes lost their yellowcolor. They became a deep sea blue. “I’m Kaden.” He reached his hand out. Kaishook it, but I could tell his guard was still up.
“Kai.”
Ioffered my hand. “I’m Aurora, Kai’s mate.”
Thesecond our hands touched, I felt the pull of a vision. I let it take me. I sawKaden as a young wolf, he was scrappy and always getting into fights. Somethingabout his spirit was restless; he felt like he didn’t belong. He didn’t feel athome in a pack. He was always bullied and teased as a child. He thought it wasbecause he wasn’t Alpha, so he fought his way to the top and became Alpha of asmall pack in Tennessee, but he still wasn’t happy. He thought it was becausehis pack was too small, so he found a bigger pack and a more powerful Alpha todefeat. He fought that New York City pack Alpha and won. He thought at leastthat would bring him a small amount of peace, but it didn’t.
That’swhen he knew. His restless spirit was unhappy around so many others, he neededto be alone. So he went rogue. He severed his ties to his pack and left on ajourney of solitude. It was hard at first, but over time it became easier toworry about only himself. He was depressed that life had made him different. Hefelt alone. But there was something else there. A deep, dark secret he didn’twant anyone to know. He was seeking answers to questions that tortured his soul.Am I normal? Do I have a mate? I could feel myself getting confused aboutinterpreting the vision until I saw his mate. Then it hit me. Why he had beenteased, and why he didn’t feel settled. I knew where his mate was and there wasa big problem. The vision broke and I pulled my hand back.
Kaden’seyes were yellow. “What happened?” he asked as he rubbed his hand.
“You’regay,” I said out loud.
“Aurora!”Kai yelled at me, looking embarrassed.
Kadenlooked at me with wonder. “So you really do have visions.”
Inodded. “Is that why you went rogue?” I questioned him.
Hesighed. “Being a gay werewolf doesn’t seem to go over so well with the machoAlpha lifestyle.”
“Iknow where your mate is. I’ve seen him,” I told him with confidence.
Kaden’shand shook slightly. His eyes stilled on mine. “Are you saying ...” His breathwas shaky.
“Didyou think because you were gay that you wouldn’t have a mate?” I asked himincredulously. Kai rubbed his hands nervously on his pants.
“Yeah,I did,” Kaden admitted.
“Well,I’ve seen him, but there’s a problem. A big problem.” I looked nervously at Kai.
Kaistood protectively in front of me as I delivered the news. “He’s rogue too,recently. He went a little crazy and killed a human. The council is going tokill him.” The images that had flashed through my mind indicated the future, soit hadn’t happened yet.
