The Human In The Wolf Pack
Chapter 18

I was eyeing the space around him, watching the colors as they shifted in the space around him, as if they were alive. I recognized these colors and what they meant now. The light yellow was curiosity, the greenish blue relief.

“You’re perfectly fine. Though it is a little odd that your symptoms all disappeared out of nowhere,” Doctor Henry announced.

I smiled and looked up at Rider as he nodded his head, glad.

“See! I’m all good,” I pointed out, proving my point. Now, he no longer needed to fuss over me.

He gave me a serious look.

“You still need to be careful, Vera. You’re fragile,” he said.

I sighed and rolled my eyes.

“Fragile my a-“

He scooped me up, surprising me before I could finish.

“Let’s get you something to eat.”

I pouted but let him hold me. I relaxed against his chest, listening to his heart beat. I was scared to tell him. I felt like he would think I was lying, or that I was crazy. I mean, we barely know each other and we were just starting to get along. I didn’t want to ruin the good relationship we had just started to build, by telling him something that sounds so insane. A gift? But why me? Sighing, I felt a bit frustrated. My whole life I was nothing but a regular human being, and now that I have finally started to accept it, things changed.

I know that it was most likely just the mate bond influencing my emotions, but I liked Rider. He was fun, and he took care of me. I felt safe with him, and I appreciated how hard he has tried, opening up and fixing his mistakes. I know that… he had a reputation with women, and I doubted that I was his type even if I was his mate. Rider had always gone for tall, confident blondes. I was short, definitely shorter than all the naturally tall werewolves, and I had plain, mousy brown hair.

I doubted whether he was attracted to me, or not. Sure, I had been keeping him at a distance because I wasn’t sure what I wanted, but now, I did at least want to give the mate bond a real shot, you know? But how did he feel? We hadn’t ever really discussed it, we hadn’t really had a moment to. I wasn’t sure if Rider wanted to mate with a human, I seemed to make him a bit nervous. He acted like I was made out of porcelain.

“What’s wrong?” He asked, concerned.

I shook my head.

“I can walk,” I told him, squirming a bit in his arms.

He was silent, but didn’t do what I said.

“Rider. I want to be put down,” I said again, my tone firmer.

“No.”

“What?”

“No.”

“I wasn’t asking, if I want to walk, I can walk now put me down!” I said, getting angrier at the situation.

Now, we were not walking but instead Rider stood in the middle of the hallway. I squirmed in his arms, trying to get out of his grip.

“Vera. Stop. Why are you upset with me?” He growled.

I stopped and eyed his aura. There were plenty of pretty colors. He was angry, confused, and even a little hurt.

“I’m fine, let me go,” I said, pushing against him. He didn’t budge.

“Don’t lie,” he said.

“Fine!” I shouted.

“I’m just confused, ok? I have no idea what we are doing. You’re so sweet, but is that really you, or are you just trying to please me? And, even though you always want me to sleep in your bed, you never try anything. Are you not attracted to me? I heard you liked blondes… well that’s besides the point. You called me Your Luna to the pack, but you said you didn’t want a human as a mate, so I don’t really understand our relationship. Are we together, or are we just friends? When it comes to mates, does that logic even apply? I’m just kind of lost.” I ranted, my worries flying out of my mouth before I could even control myself.

He held me a farther away, as he looked at me with wide eyes, not expecting that.

“Blondes? Um… I never really thought I had a type or anything. I haven’t been with anyone since the night I screwed up, I made sure the girls I used to, uh, see knew that I had a mate now too. I shouldn’t have said that to you before, I definitely don’t feel the same as I had before,” he replied awkwardly, seeming a bit taken aback before he sighed, frustrated and set me down. He rubbed the back of his neck, agitated as he seemed to struggle with something before he let out an aggravated growl. He turned back to me fiercely, the intensity of his grey eyes surprising me.

“You’re the only one for me. I don’t want to be with anyone else, you’re my mate, and more than that, I think you’re amazing. You are strong willed, but I like that you don’t just give in to whatever I say. I think you’re adorable, when you pout or rely on me. I should have said this in the beginning, but I just assumed we were on the same page. Ever since you agreed to come back to my pack, I have seen you as my mate. We definitely aren’t friends. I… I don’t want to k**s my friends, or brand my mark into their skin, or want to bury my entire being within them so that we’ll never be separated,” He explain, his voice heavy and intense.

I blinked at him, a bit stunned, but my heart felt like it was soaring out of my chest. I couldn’t stop the smile that broke over my face as I looked up at him, and he turned his head to the side, blushing a bit as he avoided my eyes.

“And to set the record straight, the only reason I haven’t tried anything, was because I didn’t want to scare you off. You have no idea how hard it was, even from day one. I have to fight my wolf back every day,” He said gruffly, his embarrassed face slowly turning back to look at me.

I nodded, still beaming at the man. Honestly, I don’t mind waiting. I was just happy knowing he had feeling for me. My heart kept fluttering in my chest.

“But since you’re complaining…” Rider continued slowly, as if he had just come to a realization. I watched, a bit nervous as his blush disappeared and a wide grin took over his face.

“I won’t hold back anymore.”

I gulped, knowing I had just opened up a whole new can of worms. He took a menacing step forward with a devious smirk. I yelped and bolted. I ran to the guest bedroom down stairs and locked the door. All you could hear was Rider’s amused laughter as it echoed through the house. I stood there panting as I held my heart then a light smile grazed my lips.

He makes me… Happy. Maybe he can accept my abilities.

He will, Vera. He was made to love you. Terran said in my head.

I nodded, glad she was there to reassure me.

You’ll be receiving a guest soon. He’ll help with your abilities. We have to prepare you. Terran claimed.

That statement made me pause.

“A guest?” I asked, nervous.

But I received no response. Once again, Terran had sunk to the back of my thoughts where she laid dormant until she felt the need to appear. I unlocked the door and joined Rider in the kitchen, watching him make grilled cheese.

He said something, teasing me. I grumble at him, embarrassed as he chuckles, and his aura floods with gold. Love. Though I wasn’t certain about most things at the moment, I knew Rider was important to me, so no matter what I have to do, I’ll make this work.