Page 37 of Bite

First, I go back to Raine’s room and pack a small backpack with some clothes, a bar of soap, her toothbrush, and a few of the nesting materials that I had Tore secretly squirrel away. We may have needed to remove the evidence from her room, but in the coming days, she’s going to need the comfort of Ferris’s scent. I make sure to grab her axe and holster and then sneak into Ferris’s room.

It’s as plain a space as any in the After, devoid of any decor or personal effects aside from some weapons tossed onto a rugged desk in the corner, but the depth of his scent soaked into every wood plank is incredible. I’ve never met another person with such a dynamic, revealing scent. The way he expresses emotion and dominance with his scent is beautiful when he’s not hiding behind his defenses. I quickly find the most saturated shirt I can and slip it into Raine’s bag.

Back at the guest cabin, I help Tore examine and repair any tears to our tents and make a short list of things we will need to find and restock as we make the long trek west. We were already low on certain supplies, and now that I’m traveling with my omega, it’s imperative I have everything she needs.

I check on Raine, who is sleeping soundly in the bed I’ve been sleeping in, curled around the blankets that have just started to really smell like me. I close the door to let her rest and remind myself that I’ll need to make sure I tend her bite again tonight and ensure she gets a good portion of food for dinner. We might need to move slower than anticipated to ensure she’s not overexerting herself while she heals, but I know once she’s back to full capacity, she’s going to thrive outside of these walls.

Now that my wolf is satisfied that she’s comfortable and safe, we go hunting.

He’s punching a padded log in a relatively secluded section of the compound, completely unaware of the predator tracking his every move. My wolf salivates as we watch his strong body move and flex as he pounds out his frustration on the wood. His scent is the closest to being unrestrained as we’ve ever smelled, and all my wolf wants to do is kick his ass for hurting our mate and then lick the fight straight from his skin.

Part of me hates that he’s Raine’s scent-match because that means that despite his harm, he belongs with us. I haven’t decided how I feel about finding a way to incorporate him into the future I see for me and Raine. My wolf has other ideas entirely and loves to show me mental images of him and Raine tucked together in our den. His obsession with them is a near-constant reminder that we’re all twined together, whether we like it or not.

It would be a lie to say that I have zero issues leaving him behind, but Raine needed him to finally step up, and he failed. How can an alpha be so cut off from their own instincts that they don’t even tend a mate bite? Anger courses through my veins. He could have killed her, and I’m not going to hold his hand while he figures his shit out; he has to do that for himself, and ultimately, for Raine.

I clear my throat, and his head whips toward me, amber eyes aflame. “Here to gloat?” he rasps.

“Hardly,” I growl.

“Then you’re here to teach me a lesson, right? That’s how it goes with you dominant types.”

My head cocks to the side, intrigued. There’s a lot to unpack there, but my mind snags on the fact that he’s separating himself from me by insinuating that I am dominant while he is somehow not. Based on the brief moments where I’ve experienced his true pheromones, Ferris is the most dominant human alpha I’ve ever met. Why does he think otherwise?

“I should kick your ass for endangering Raine like you did and for breaking her fucking heart, but I’m not here to punish you. I think your current reality and self-flagellation are punishment enough.”

“Then why are you here?” he growls.

“To offer you the choice to come with us.” He stays silent, so I continue, “We’re leaving in the morning, and I think you should too. I’m not going to force you. I’m not going to lecture you. I can more than provide everything Raine needs, with or without you. The offer stands until the moment we leave this compound.”

I absorb the way he looks right now, all wrung out, curls plastered to his forehead with sweat, eyes burning like molten lava. He’s achingly beautiful, but it’s impossible to miss the trauma and fear that have chiseled every hard inch of his body.

“You don’t fucking understand,” he yells, eyes wide, wild, and panicked.

“Then explain it to me,” I plead.

When it becomes obvious he’s not going to reply, I simply say, “Goodbye, Ferris,” then walk away.

[ 24 ]

RAINE

Grand Prairie Compound

Days Since Last Attack: 2

Istare at the hole in the wall, wide open like a gaping mouth. The lake sparkles through the breach, each little wave winking at me in invitation. My body hums with a mixture of excited anticipation, heartbreak, and anxious fear. I haven’t set foot in the Wilds in ten long years, but the horrors remain scarred into my memory and flesh. Things will be different this time, I remind myself. I’m going to be protected by two wolves; we have supplies, weapons, and most importantly, a destination. The little nomad that first arrived here is no more. Today is the start of the adventure that will bring me home.

Dair’s loamy scent surrounds me seconds before the radiant heat of his body. “You ready?” he asks.

My life is on the other side of this wall. “Yes,” I say and reach over to twine my fingers with his.

The sound of crunching leaves alerts us to someone approaching, and we both turn to see River nearing, Tore at his side with the rest of our gear. My brother looks at me long and hard with an unreadable expression on his face. “Can we speak for a moment?” he asks. I nod, and Dair and Tore take that as their cue to recheck our backpacks while I speak with River.

He sighs deeply. “I don’t think this is what Mother envisioned for our futures when she settled here, but I know with certainty that she worried about you after you emerged as an omega. I doubt she’d have been pleased about you leaving, but I know she’d be so happy for you. It’s a miracle to find a scent-match, and I truly believe that Dair will care for you the way you’ve always deserved. He looks at you like you hung the moon.”

The sentiment is a sweet one, but would he be saying any of this if he knew the truth? Is he only saying this stuff because my leaving is convenient to him? Resentment and devastation burble in my stomach. “I guess this is goodbye then?”

His facade cracks a little as sadness seeps into his scent. “I’m going to miss you, raindrop.”