Page 56 of Ravaged Wolf
The last thing I want to do is invade Izzy’s space, though. She clearly needs time alone, and my wolf and I need to accept that.
Except I can’t. I pace back and forth at the mouth of the corridor, and one by one, the females pass me to check on her, stone-faced on their way in, and with sad, encouraging smiles for me on their way out. I feel awkward, embarrassed, and underfoot, but I literally cannot bring myself to leave, not even to go stand by the fire or check on Granddad. Rosie is the first to visit. Nia comes by a little while later with tea. Flora comes by at lunch.
Cadoc drops by mid-afternoon on his break from work, and my wolf leaps to his feet, growling louder with every step Cadoc takes closer to the corridor like he has every intention of busting free and fighting the alpha. Cadoc is kind enough to ignore him. He comes to stand beside me, and we both stare into the dimly lit tunnel with our arms crossed.
“So how’s the elder cottage coming?” he asks. He’s not hassling me. This isn’t Salt Mountain. If he’s asking, he actually wants to know. When Cadoc gives an order or calls a person out, it doesn’t come with a question mark.
“Good.”
“You’ve got what you need?”
“I do.”
“Need another set of hands? I could send Danny over.” Cadoc lifts an eyebrow.
“I’m good.” I’ll keep the little shit busy if I have to, butgiven a choice, I’m not signing up to babysit a pup on the verge of his first shift.
Cadoc snorts. “Can’t blame me for trying.” He’s quiet for a moment, and then he sighs. “Rosie says I’m supposed to tell you that Izzy’s fine. She just needs some time. She’ll come back out when she’s ready.”
I nod. A lump swells in my throat.
Cadoc lets out another deep, aggravated sigh. “She also told me to tell you not to tell Izzy that she told me to tell you.”
I glance over. He grimaces. “I don’t want to be saying dumb shit like that either, but here we are—I sound like a teenage female, and you’re staring at a hole in the wall.”
I nod. We sigh in unison.
We spend a few more moments considering the empty corridor together, and then Cadoc says, “Well, looks like you’ve got things handled over here.” He claps me on the back and strides off toward the pool.
A sharp pain pierces my chest. Six years ago—hell,oneyear ago—I would’ve never imagined that I’d be so close to my mate, having a normal conversation with an alpha I respect, part of a pack, not an exile working my ass off for my keep. The shame is still there. I can’t imagine it’ll ever go away, but it’s not all I feel anymore.
I have hope. I guess that’s what hurts.
What is Izzy doing in there? I wish Rosie had told Cadoc to tell me that.
What if she comes out, and I’m the first thing she sees, and she turns white again?
I can’t keep standing around like an idiot. I’m nearly crawling out of my skin.
Go to her. Hang your head, drop your ears, and show a little neck.
My wolf paces inside me, howling like if he’s loud enough, I’ll listen. He should know better by now.
I’m about to growl back at him when an idea pops into my head. I’ll need human money and a ride. I scan the den, searching for a male who owes me a favor.
Pritchard’s wolf is sunning himself on the small island in the middle of the pool. He owes me, but there’s no way he’s got cash. Same problem with Alec who’s sitting on a workbench, fiddling with a perfectly fine-looking pressure regulator valve while he surreptitiously listens to his mate as she reads aloud to the elders from an old copy of Reader’s Digest. He might have Salt Mountain scrip left, but I doubt he’s got cash.
Then Bevan wanders in from outside, eating a bag of cheese doodles. Perfect.
I intercept him by the fire, and he grins in greeting. “Trevor. What’s up?” He raises a hand to high five me, realizes his fingers are too cheesy, and knocks me with his elbow instead.
“I need a favor.”
“I got you, man. You know I owe you for that still you fixed.” He reaches into his pocket with his non-cheesy hand and whips out a baggie of weed.
I shake my head. “Not that kind of favor.”
“Oh, right,” he says, reaches across to his other pocket and pulls out a baggie of shrooms.
