Page 62 of Never His Mate

Audrey’s nose wrinkles when she sees what’s hanging off of the chain. “Is that a vampire fang?”

“Long story,” I say, adding just enough dominance to my words to keep her from asking without making her too suspicious, “but yeah.”

“Not your kill.” She says that like she can’t imagine me being responsible for any kind of death. “Not a sweet, little omega like you.”

I blink. She… she still thinks I’m an omega. After what happened last year, I thought the whole pack discovered what I really am. Ryker definitely knows, and the shock on the faces on the rest of the pack council made it pretty clear that they knew, too.

So why didn’t Audrey? Her brother was the Beta, her mate one of Ryker’s trusted advisers. Both Shane and Grant were there that night.

I decide not to worry about it. That’s not important right now. Ryker… I wait until Audrey holds up her hand before tilting the fang and its chain into her palm.

Almost immediately, I have to admit my mistake. Ryker told me once before that Aleks’s fang was charmed to keep me hidden from him. Why is it only just hitting me that it works both ways? The reason why our bond seems so hazy is because of that fang. I wasn’t wearing it over my heart, so it didn’t cut off the bond entirely, but carrying it in my pocket? Yeah. That wasn’t my brightest idea.

As soon as Audrey’s holding the fang, my side of the bond flares to life. What was only a flicker before is like an explosion. Though I could tell earlier that she was being truth, I know now that she’s right. Ryker’s not behind me—but he is on the mountain.

I track Ryker to the center of pack territory before Audrey gives Aleks’s fang back to me. The second it touches my skin, it’s like a switch has been tripped. He’s near, but it’s a hum instead of a beacon now, all because of the fang.

I almost want to drop it to the dirt; only knowing I’ll have to explain where it went when Aleks inevitably asks has me closing my fingers around the charm. I don’t put it back in my pocket, though. Instead, with a gentle toss, I throw it inside my Jeep.

Audrey watches silently as I do, but when I go to climb in after it, she speaks up again.

“Where are you going?”

Good question. There’s no denying that Trish has gone inside of the Alpha’s cabin, but if Ryker’s not there, then what does that mean? Two seconds ago, I was ready to turn tail and head back to Muncie.

But now?

The pull toward Ryker is hard to resist. Especially now that Aleks’s fang isn’t holding me back, I’m sure I can find him. Should I? I don’t know, but I’ve come this far.

“To find Ryker.”

Audrey’s eyes light up. “Come with me. I know where he is.”

* * *

I offer to drive us,but Audrey insists on walking. Since my wolf is still riled up after seeing Trish act like Ryker’s cabin belonged to her, I agree. Maybe a good walk is just what I need to burn off some of this aggression.

Audrey yammers on happily, catching me up on all of the pack gossip I missed since I’ve been gone. I get to hear about new pups and the latest mated pairs and what packmates have moved on in search of their own mates. She innocently mentions Trish—I change the subject as soon as she does—and she tries to ask me about Ryker, but that’s a big no-no, too.

Except for where he is which, pretty conveniently, Audrey promises to tell me once we get there.

It doesn’t take long before I begin to suspect I’ve been duped. I mean, unless he’s hiding out at the cabin Audrey shares with her mate because, look at that, that’s where she brings me. And since I left Aleks’s fang back with my Jeep, I can tell that he isn’t anywhere near this cabin.

I want to keep on going, but it’s been too easy to fall back into the role of omega around Audrey. She expects me to be soft and kind and accepting. Even though I don’t consider her a packmate any longer, I don’t want to disappoint her.

She leads me inside her home, offering me a seat on the comfy couch in her living room. I promise myself I’ll only stay for a few moments, then I’ll go look for Ryker on my own.

Audrey is still beaming at me as she asks, “Thirsty?”

“Um. Yeah.”

She leaves me in her living room, disappearing into the kitchen. She comes back a few moments later carrying two glasses. It looks like Coke, and I can scent the sugar and the carbonated bubbles even before she hands me one.

I’m not a big soda drinker, but I don’t want to be rude. I guess I thought she would offer me water. Oh, well. Bottom’s up.

I start choking before I even get the first sip down. Maybe she served me diet or something but it doesn’t taste like any soda I’ve ever had before. It’s harsh, almost metallic, and it burns the back of my tongue and the length of my esophagus as I force myself to swallow.

Audrey finishes her sip before an expression of concern crosses her pretty features. “Are you okay?”

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