Kyren
Forthefirsttimein years, sleep eluded me. I’d tossed and turned ever since Tate had gotten up for the day, which had been hours ago. The sun was just about to set now, meaning I could give up the facade that I was going to get any sleep today without him.
Shoving the covers off my naked body, I threw my legs over the side of the bed and rubbed my eyes.
Tate wasn’t in the apartment. He didn’t have to tell me where he’d gone. I could tell by the feelings of anxiety and excitement flowing down our bond that he was going to see Jack and not class.
A part of me wanted to tell him not to go — to stay with me — but I knew I was just being selfish and petulant. I wanted Jack, and yet it’s my fault that we weren’t together. Since I couldn’t be with her, a part of me didn’t want Tate to be with her either, but I couldn’t take that happiness away from him… or her.
They deserved to be happy together, even without me.
My fingers curled into the side of the mattress, the room darkening around me as my shadows portrayed the turbulence in my heart. Images of my future filled my head. Jack and Tate laughing together. Kissing, making love, making plans for the future. All without me.
The sound of wood cracking snapped me out of my thoughts. My eyes shot to where my shadows had wrapped around the bedposts, squeezing so tightly tiny fissures had formed in the wood.
Closing my eyes, I forced myself to clear my mind. I took several breaths, more for the psychological clarity than the need to breathe, before opening my eyes once more.
The room brightened to its usual dimness, my shadows tamed for now.
Pushing myself to my feet, I stalked to the bathroom. While I showered and prepared myself for the day, I came to the conclusion that the future I’d envisioned would come to pass if I let it. The longer I kept this yawning cavern between myself and Jack, the harder it would be to close it.
While there was still a part of me that felt the need for justice against the Durands, I could no longer deny the fact that Jack was not to blame. If the positions had been reversed, if someone had attacked, kidnapped even, Jack or Tate, I would not hesitate to retaliate. Except their death would not be as quick as my sire’s had been.
My emotions and loyalty to Kleon were clouding my judgement just as Tate said they were.
I tossed my towel into the hamper after my shower with a groan. Tate was a sore winner and would gloat about being right, I was sure of it. But, in the end, we would all be together again, like it was before.
Walking into the bedroom, I pulled out a pair of dark green slacks and a black cashmere sweater. It was cool enough nowthat walking around outside without some kind of jacket or sweater on would cause the humans to raise a brow. However, if I wanted to get back into Jack’s good graces, it was better to do it sooner rather than later.
After dressing, I sent a text to Tate.
Me: Where are you?
After a few minutes of the text being unread, I closed my eyes and let my mind pull forth the shadow I had attached tomi lobo.
My brow furrowed at the scene before me. Humans walked along the sidewalks, shopping bags in hand. The streetlights gave the area a warm, golden glow.
Tate had taken Jack shopping. That much I knew. Except it looked just like any other shopping district, and I couldn’t quite tell where they were at.
I flicked through my phone and found the app that lets me track Tate’s location.
For a moment, I mused over the times Jack accused me of being a stalker. If only she knew how far I’d go to keep what was mine safe. Thankfully, the human world was not low on options for tracking ones loved once. So paranoid about their children being snatched up that they would go to extreme lengths. Even so far as to plant microchips in their skin.
Tate and she should be lucky I hadn’t gone that far off the deep end just yet.
I could have used the blood bond between us to track him, but it wasn’t a hundred percent accurate. It would only give me a generalization of where he was until I got close enough to feel him near. The app was faster.
Glancing down at it, I saw my werewolf was downtown. It showed him moving down the street at a leisurely pace, likely dragging Jack into every store the way he did anytime he was with me.
My lips twitched at the thought.
With more pep in my step than a long time, I made my way to the garage and climbed into my car. The engine purred, making the steering wheel vibrate beneath my hands before I was out and on the road.
Luckily, no cops decided to try their luck with me today. I was not in the mood to be deterred from my mission or patient enough to abide by the speed limits. It was just after eight when I pulled into a parking spot along the street. The app showed Tate’s location to be about thirty feet away from me inside a building.
My eyes lifted to the store in question. My brow rose at the bright neon-colored sign and cartoon kittens painted on the windows.
Killing the car, I stepped out of my vehicle and started toward the store. I entertained myself with thoughts of whose idea it had been to go in it when I was stopped by a vaguely familiar woman.
