Page 65 of Taming of a Wolf

“The moment I was exiled. He’s from the future, but he’s ulfhednar, like us.”

“What’s it like, living among humans?” Lyall asks as we walk, our feet carrying us back toward the shore where I arrived.

“It’s… not what I expected.”

Lyall elbows me. “They’re not all bad, are they?”

“Not all of them,” I admit grudgingly. “I’m a ways off from trusting them completely, but they have yet to betray me. How have things been in the village?”

We leave the village behind as Lyall catches me up on recent events. A few of the villagers got mated. Trade is prosperous. No hunters have prowled our shores. All seems well.

“Everyone seems happier without me,” I say, casting my gaze to the road.

Lyall sighs beside me. “Anders…”

“Do not lie to me. I’ve seen for myself how at ease Wulfric is.”

“It’s true, people are at ease knowing nobody will challenge our Alpha.” Lyall knocks his shoulder into mine, making me smile half-heartedly. “But if you’re truly sorry, then apologize. Prove you’ve changed. Mayhap you’ll be allowed back.”

“You think I have changed?”

Lyall grins. “You didn’t kick in the door and challenge Wulfric to a duel. So yes, I think you have. That mate of yours has been good for you, it seems.”

Could I earn my pack’s forgiveness? Hope blooms in my chest. “How?”

“I can’t tell you that. You’re smart. You can think of something.”

We arrive back at my boat. “Thank you for coming to see me,” I tell him.

“Of course. You’ll be coming back, won’t you?”

I don’t know how to answer his question. I want to return, but only when I’m sure I can right the wrongs I’ve committed against my family. “I hope so.”

Lyall pulls me into a hug. Closing my eyes tight, I bask in the warm glow of my pack. Gods, how am I only just realizing now how much I have missed being among the pack that raised me? I want to find a way to make things right. I just don’t know how, and I’m scared nothing I do will ever repair the damage I’ve done.

“Safe travels, brother.” Lyall’s voice is raspy and full of emotion. “Odin guide you.”

“Farewell.” I squeeze him tight, then step out of his arms. He smiles, though his eyes are damp, and I turn away before he can see how saying goodbye has torn a hole in my heart.

Turning my back on the home I’ve lost, I look to the future.

Chapter 17

Jamie

The café buzzes withactivity, but I can’t focus on any of my duties. So far, I’ve spilled someone’s drink, given someone the wrong order, and handed someone a croissant when they asked for a cheese Danish. So my day is going just great.

I miss Anders, and he’s only been gone two hours.

He promised me he would come back, but my stomach churns with doubt. I should have been more cautious, tried harder to protect myself. If Anders doesn’t come back, I can’t imagine ever giving someone else my heart again.

Fact is, I don’t know why he’d want to return when he has a family in his past. His whole world is there, where everything is familiar. Why would he want to come back to the future? To me and my broken little family?

“Is Anders coming back?” Jace has stuck to my side behind the counter all morning. When he isn’t bringing people their orders, he picks at his fingernails in that nervous way he does.

I make the corners of my mouth twitch up. “Yeah. Sure he will.”

“Does he not like us?”

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