Without Seth, I faced an emotionally barren life.
Dad put his hand on my shoulder. “Son, if you have something to tell me, let it out. I’m here for you. I can help.”
I shook my head, unable to look him in the eye. “Nope. It’s all good, Dad.” I gulped. “I just want to look over these files by myself.”
“All right.” His voice had softened. “Contact me with your decision by the end of the week. I mean it, Indy. Call anytime if you want to discuss it.”
“I will.”
Dad left after that. Only then did I realize I’d been such a terrible host to him. I hadn’t offered him anything to drink. Or any of the oatmeal cookies I’d just bought, which were in plain view on the counter. Or a chair. I hadn’t hugged him goodbye.
Of course, he knew something was up. And I knew it had to end. But how?
I picked up my phone and cradled it in my hand for a long time before going to the living room couch that sat before the flickering fire. I hugged a satin pillow to my chest then opened my phone to Seth’s contact page. Taking a deep breath, I sent him the most difficult text of my life.
My father cornered me today. I have to choose a mate.
Immediately, I got a response.Mine, too.
There was a pause. Then Seth sent another text.Indy, we have to obey. You know that. As difficult as that is, we’ve both always known it.
The edges of my eyelids stung as I typed,Meet me one more time.
A quick yes was his reply. He didn’t have to say any more words, nor did I. We had our favorite meeting place between townships. It would take us each about twenty minutes to get there.
As I walked to my car, my forehead tingled again. I could feel Seth’s energy all around me. In me. As if we were already bonded, though we’d never consciously done the bonding bite. In my mind, my beast let out a tiny neigh. How, if I felt all this, was it not meant to be?
I pulled into the driveway of the tiny Highway Inn. The innkeeper knew us and our secret. He had a stable out back converted into a beautiful loft that we paid him to keep clean and ready for us. We rented it by the month. We could park in the back behind the ancient oaks, so our vehicles would not benoticed from the highway. There, we could make love all night long if we wanted.
The lights outlining the stable and its small porch were on, all white, bright, and glowing. It was a setting right out of a fairy tale. Unicorn appropriate.
As I turned my car off, I heard another vehicle pull in behind me.
Before I could blink, I was out of my car and headed toward Seth’s driver’s door. He jumped out and faced me. We didn’t speak. We both knew what was happening, that this might be our last time together. There were no words as we threw our arms around each other.
A sob started to escape my mouth, but Seth stopped it as his lips met mine and the outside world disappeared. For now.
Chapter Four
Bram
Leaving my pack hadn’t been on my radar. I always figured I’d stay there forever. How that would look? I didn’t get that far, but in the back of my mind, it was mine and always would be.
Of course, I had no idea my father was going to pull something as wild as wanting me to mate a stranger, either. If it hadn’t been for my grandfather insisting I had a way out all those years ago, I’d have been stuck and mated to that grunty wolf, living a life I never wanted.
Not that I was sure my new life was going to be any better.
Less than a half hour down the road, my father called, letting me know the car wasn’t mine, even though I’d bought it with my own money. It was tied to the pack insurance and had my father’s name on the title, something I hadn’t considered. He thought that would have me turn around. Instead, it had me pulling into a rental car place and trying to get a vehicle.
Operation rental car failed epically. They didn’t want cash. They wanted a credit card. And if my father was already telling me my car was undrivable, he was a million percent canceling any plastic I had.
I’d been far too trusting, and my accounts were all connected with his. At the time, it made sense. What a fool I’d been.
Not willing to give up, my next stop was the bus station. “Where’s the farthest you can get me from here?” I asked.
The man behind the glass window looked at me like I had six heads. “When do you need to be there?”
“I want to leave as soon as possible and go as far as you can take me.” The longer I was at the bus stop, the more likely my father was going to figure out his threats weren’t working and come and get me.
