Just hearing her name makes my wolf react. I bite my tongue until I taste blood. “What am I going to do?” There’s agony in my voice.
My dad looks me dead in the eye. “You are going to fight against the effects of the bond and the power of your wolf. I know how hard that’s going to be, but there is no other option. For now, you treat her the same as you always have. You treat her as a younger sister, nothing more. You make sure she’s safe and protected, just as you would if you had a sister. Other than that, you leave her alone. The more you’re around her, the harder it will be. Keep your distance and only interact with her when you have to.”
I take a breath that gets snagged in my lungs. “That feels impossible.”
“But you’ll do it,” my father says, putting a hand on my shoulder. “You’re strong, Reid. You always have been. Now, you use that strength for the good of your mate.”
“Do I tell Alpha?” I ask.
“No, good heavens no.” His answer is swift. “He’ll lose it if he knows. This stays between the two of us. Do you understand?” he asks, meeting my eyes.
“Not even mom?”
“Not even mom,” he affirms. “She’s too close to Riley’s mom; I wouldn’t ask her to keep this from her.” He meets my eyes again, making sure I’m paying attention. “You don’t tell anyone, not even your friends.”
“Not even Zane?”
“Especially not Zane,” my dad says.
“Why would fate do this to me?” I can’t help but ask again. “I have to wait three years for her.”
My father’s voice is stern. “And you’d wait for years after that if you needed to, Son. She’s your mate. You will always do whatever is best for her.” I nod, feeling appropriately chastised. “And don’t see it that way. See it as a gift.”
“A gift? How is it a gift?”
“You’ve got a little over three years to find out everything you can about your mate, to learn everything there is to know about Riley Blackwood. Don’t waste the time you’ve been given. Until then, keep your distance, treat her as you would a younger sister, and claim a front row seat to watching your mate grow up.”
Chapter 1
Riley
“It’s moving day!” I shout in a sing-song voice as I grab my first box from my brother’s truck.
“You are the only one I know that is this level of happy on their first day as a freshman,” Zane says, pulling my ball cap down and obscuring my eyes.
I push it right back up with my arm. “Oh, come on. You were excited on your day of move-in.”
Reid and Quint join us at the truck. “Good grief, Riley. How many years are you moving in for?” Quint asks.
“You probably had more boxes than I do when you moved in,” I tell him with a grin.
“He totally did,” Zane says, siding with me. “Come on. Let’s get this over with.”
I face Reid and Quint. “Thanks for helping me; I really appreciate it.”
“Of course, Riley,” Quint says and jumps into the truck. Reid just nods. I whirl around and join Zane who’s all but jogging for the door.
“Where’s Evie this morning? You're cranky.”
“I’m not cranky, and she’s working at the coffee shop.”
“Oh, that explains it.” He doesn’t say anything, and I can’t help my grin. My brother is amazing one hundred percent of the time, as long as Evie, his mate, is with him one hundred percent of the time. If she’s not, then he’s a cranky bear. I head up the stairs and down the hall where Zane’s already knocked and opened the door. I hurry after him. “Zane, wait.” But he doesn’twait; he disappears inside. Muttering under my breath about impatient brothers, I hurry after him. I knock quickly and then step into the room. There’s a pretty girl standing off to the side. “Ashley?” I ask.
She smiles widely. “I’m guessing you’re Riley.”
“Yes. It’s good to meet you.”
“You as well. It’s cool that this worked out.” She grabs a bag and throws it over her shoulder. “I’m headed out. Make yourself comfortable, and let me know if you need anything.”
