spoke volumes—resentful volumes.
“I put lumber by the front door. We should probably prepare to guard our rooms, too. Do you want me to put some by your bedroom window?”
Abel grunted.
“I can get Levi to do it if you’re busy,” Seth ventured.
“Yeah. Fine. That works.”
Aunt Gwyneth stepped out the back door, brushing out one of her thick gray braids. “Have either of you seen Rylie since dinner?”
Adrenaline rushed through Seth. “No. Why?”
“She’s not inside. I thought she might be with you boys.”
Abel stood, clenching the knife. “I’ll look for her.”
But Seth was already backing down the hill. “I’ve got it. She probably just went for a walk. It’s almost the new moon—she always gets restless about now.”
He jogged into the night, stretching out his senses for the tickle at the back of his neck that would tell him werewolves were nearby. He could always feel plenty of them around the ranch, but Rylie’s energy resonated with him in a different way. Seth wasn’t sure if it was the Alpha thing or if he just loved her so much that he couldn’t keep away.
Seth found her pale form by the highway. She climbed over the fence onto their property again when she saw him approach.
Every time he went away to college, he started to forget just how beautiful Rylie was. He always knew she was pretty—just thinking about her made him feel warm and possessive. But the reality of her beauty never failed to shock him.
She looked surprised to see him approach, but she extended her hands toward him anyway, and Seth caught her in an embrace.
“What are you doing out here alone?” he asked, scanning the fields without releasing her. Rylie fit under his arm perfectly.
She leaned her head on his chest. “Look at this.” She pointed to tracks in the mud on the other side of the fence. “I smell Pagan. She was here this afternoon.”
A surge of protectiveness rocked through Seth, so sudden and strong that it was hard to breathe. “She’s checking us out. You shouldn’t be out here.”
“I couldn’t sleep. I’ve been worrying.”
“Nothing’s going to hurt you,” he said. “I promise. I won’t let it happen.”
She shuddered against his chest. “But it’s already July. You’ll go back to school next month—and then what? I mean… it’s fine. But it’s easy for you to tell me not to worry when it’s not going to be your problem soon.”
Seth pressed her hand against his heart and took a long look at her.
He hadn’t told Rylie yet, but he wasn’t going back to college that fall. He had rushed through the last few semesters with almost double the normal credit load. Between his crazy schedule and the summer and winter terms, he had already completed his undergraduate degree.
He was taking the year off before entering medical school, which gave him a lot of time to be with her. There would be plenty of time to explain that later, when she wasn’t trembling with fear.
“Your safety is always my problem,” he said firmly. “You fill my mind and heart. I’m not going anywhere until I know you’re safe.”
It didn’t seem to soothe her at all. She remained tense. “We should go inside.”
The hint of sadness in her voice was just too much for Seth to bear. He felt the weight of the ring box in his pocket.
He gave her a weak smile. “Wait a second. You never asked about the surprise I have for you.”
She blinked. “Oh—what is it?”
“Well, I wanted to wait until we could go somewhere special or something, but since it sounds like things might be getting crazy soon…” Seth blew a breath out of his lips. “I’ve been thinking a lot lately. About our relationship.”
She pulled away from him and hung her head. “Yeah. Me too.”
“I want to be with you more, and I just worry we don’t have enough time. You know?” he asked.
Rylie didn’t seem to know. She gave him a blank look.
Was he speaking in a foreign language? Everything was coming out in
“I put lumber by the front door. We should probably prepare to guard our rooms, too. Do you want me to put some by your bedroom window?”
Abel grunted.
“I can get Levi to do it if you’re busy,” Seth ventured.
“Yeah. Fine. That works.”
Aunt Gwyneth stepped out the back door, brushing out one of her thick gray braids. “Have either of you seen Rylie since dinner?”
Adrenaline rushed through Seth. “No. Why?”
“She’s not inside. I thought she might be with you boys.”
Abel stood, clenching the knife. “I’ll look for her.”
But Seth was already backing down the hill. “I’ve got it. She probably just went for a walk. It’s almost the new moon—she always gets restless about now.”
He jogged into the night, stretching out his senses for the tickle at the back of his neck that would tell him werewolves were nearby. He could always feel plenty of them around the ranch, but Rylie’s energy resonated with him in a different way. Seth wasn’t sure if it was the Alpha thing or if he just loved her so much that he couldn’t keep away.
Seth found her pale form by the highway. She climbed over the fence onto their property again when she saw him approach.
Every time he went away to college, he started to forget just how beautiful Rylie was. He always knew she was pretty—just thinking about her made him feel warm and possessive. But the reality of her beauty never failed to shock him.
She looked surprised to see him approach, but she extended her hands toward him anyway, and Seth caught her in an embrace.
“What are you doing out here alone?” he asked, scanning the fields without releasing her. Rylie fit under his arm perfectly.
She leaned her head on his chest. “Look at this.” She pointed to tracks in the mud on the other side of the fence. “I smell Pagan. She was here this afternoon.”
A surge of protectiveness rocked through Seth, so sudden and strong that it was hard to breathe. “She’s checking us out. You shouldn’t be out here.”
“I couldn’t sleep. I’ve been worrying.”
“Nothing’s going to hurt you,” he said. “I promise. I won’t let it happen.”
She shuddered against his chest. “But it’s already July. You’ll go back to school next month—and then what? I mean… it’s fine. But it’s easy for you to tell me not to worry when it’s not going to be your problem soon.”
Seth pressed her hand against his heart and took a long look at her.
He hadn’t told Rylie yet, but he wasn’t going back to college that fall. He had rushed through the last few semesters with almost double the normal credit load. Between his crazy schedule and the summer and winter terms, he had already completed his undergraduate degree.
He was taking the year off before entering medical school, which gave him a lot of time to be with her. There would be plenty of time to explain that later, when she wasn’t trembling with fear.
“Your safety is always my problem,” he said firmly. “You fill my mind and heart. I’m not going anywhere until I know you’re safe.”
It didn’t seem to soothe her at all. She remained tense. “We should go inside.”
The hint of sadness in her voice was just too much for Seth to bear. He felt the weight of the ring box in his pocket.
He gave her a weak smile. “Wait a second. You never asked about the surprise I have for you.”
She blinked. “Oh—what is it?”
“Well, I wanted to wait until we could go somewhere special or something, but since it sounds like things might be getting crazy soon…” Seth blew a breath out of his lips. “I’ve been thinking a lot lately. About our relationship.”
She pulled away from him and hung her head. “Yeah. Me too.”
“I want to be with you more, and I just worry we don’t have enough time. You know?” he asked.
Rylie didn’t seem to know. She gave him a blank look.
Was he speaking in a foreign language? Everything was coming out in
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