AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“You mentioned that your wolf has been with you all along,” she said. “Talk more about that.”
I uncrossed my arms as I shifted from teasing to serious again. “I know that my wolf was lost in my mind after my mother was murdered,” I said. “But I don’t think she was ever completely gone. I can think back to moments when I felt pulled in a certain direction or protected in some way. There are times when I swore I heard a whine in my mind when something was about to go really badly.”
Violet and Tavi glanced at each other and smiled. “That sounds familiar,” Tavi said.
“Yes. That’s what your wolf is supposed to do, Bryn. She’s aware of things that your human mind isn’t. If she’s got a bad feeling or if she’s pushing you to do something you don’t understand, listen to her. Trust her.”
I nodded. “I’m getting better at that, but there’s something that’s been holding me back.”
“Oh?” Violet set down her tea. “What do you mean?”
“Well, it happened when we were m-mating. Or—I mean, it didn’t happen.” I stopped, getting flustered. “Night didn’t claim me.” Each word felt like a mouthful. “Okay, this is really, really embarrassing to talk about, but I have to know because it’s eating me up inside, and my wolf is so upset about it.”
“Bryn, tell us,” Tavi said.
I took a deep breath. “She’s worried that Night might not actually want us to be his mate, and it’s hard for me not to think that too.”
Violet and Tavi went quiet for a few seconds. I shivered, shame burning from my face down my neck, my heart beating quickly. I didn’t like having to admit that I was ignorant about something that was so fundamental to wolf culture, but I hated telling them that some part of me doubted Night’s feelings for me. It felt like I was betraying him by doing so.
Still, my wolf and I couldn’t stand not knowing.
“Bryn,” Violet’s soft voice encouraged me to lower my hands from my face. She and Tavi were looking at me with empathetic smiles. “You’re not missing some vital part of mating. Remember what I said about your wolf? If she has doubts, you should trust her.”
“But…” My lower lip wobbled. Large, sorrowful tears that I hadn’t noticed building up slipped down my cheeks. “But doesn’t that mean that Night is—”
But Violet was shaking her head. “Neither of us can answer that for you. It wouldn’t be our place.”
Tavi stood up to grab a few tissues and brought them back for me. “Anyone can see that Night would break his own legs if it meant he could do something for you, Bryn,” Tavi added. “But, I mean, I think you have to ask him yourself. That’s how relationships work.”
Oh. It sounded so simple when they put it so plainly. I had been in my head, so worried that I had done something wrong that I hadn’t even considered that I might be able to talk to Night about this. Another tear slipped down my face, but I caught it with my tissue. I wiped my face while Violet stood to get some more tea.
Tavi leaned in while Violet rummaged around in the kitchen. “So, Bryn,” she whispered, “how was it? I mean, like, was it as amazing as those books you’ve been reading?”
My eyes widened.
She giggled. “I borrowed one or two from your room while you were with him. No wonder you were so focused on reading.”
My face warmed, but I pressed my hand over my mouth when it filled with giggles. “I can’t believe you looked through them when I wasn’t here!”
“I looked through them too,” Violet called from the kitchen.
Tavi and I gasped that she’d overheard us.
“Don’t even think about trying to give any more detail than you’ve already given, Bryn,” she called. “There are some things a mother isn’t meant to know.”
We cracked up, leaning against each other as the laughter bubbled free. It felt good to relax, to let off some steam.
“I’m gonna freshen up a little,” I said, wiping away another stray tear, though it was caused by laughter this time, not sadness. “I’ll be right back.”
As I mounted the staircase, I felt my wolf stiffen. I paused on the steps, confused at the shift in her mood. Downstairs, someone knocked on Violet’s door, and the sound of it caused my wolf to howl, scratching for me to let her out.
Night
I paced back and forth in my kitchen. Dom sat at the table, watching me lose my shit with a smirk on his face. I had dropped Bryn off minutes ago, but I was going crazy not having her at my side. Was this how everyone felt with they found their mate? How did men not just lose their minds completely? There ought to be so much in-fighting that being part of a pack was impossible.
“Night,” Dom said. “Did you hear me?”
I stopped and looked at him. “Of course I did,” I grumbled. “You were talking about the trade.”
