Charlie’s words wouldn’t stop replaying in my head, even as a wolf. I get that he isn’t easy to please, but why do you try so hard?
They were like a bad song on repeat. I ran harder, trying to drown them out. A few minutes later, my wolf picked up a familiar scent. The rest of the pack was about half a mile west. I adjusted my path and pace accordingly. I wasn’t quite ready to catch up yet.
Stupid long-lost half-sister. She didn’t know anything about it. She’d been here five minutes and thought she knew the score. Please.
Charlie didn’t know what it was like, being the only daughter, the future alpha of the pack. My mother hadn’t made it easy win her favor either. Despite that, she and I had been close. One of the reasons everything felt so empty with her gone. But there was still always the pressure of being good enough, measuring up. And the demands, physically and mentally. You had to be better. Run faster, hunt bigger, patrol more.
Which is why I’d chosen to run with my pack despite my win on today’s hunt, and Charlie hadn’t. It was also why I had no choice when it came time for the competition. Shopping trips and shared DNA aside, I had to fight her. I had to put her down. I just hoped I could do it without killing her.
I concentrated on the huff-huff of my own labored breathing and made a wide arc. Despite my late start, my anger had fueled me and I was coming in from a wide loop—directly in first place on the pack run. That, at least, cheered me a little.
I’d just begun to clear my head when I sensed company approaching. Warm puffs of air ruffled my fur as Carter veered in from a side path and fell into step beside me. His shoulders bunched and rippled powerfully as he propelled himself forward. Flying noiselessly over the ground, he shot me a curious look.
I ignored it and pushed faster. He kept pace without a word. I was glad for the silence. And, even though I wouldn’t admit it aloud, the company.
About a mile out, I slowed and let the others pass by on purpose. Carter did the same, never straying from my left side. My wolf got a certain satisfaction out of watching the flanks of my pack as their paws covered the miles. It felt good to be a part of something, a part of them.
Carter and I were the last to arrive at the clearing. Most of the others were already gone but Bevin waited, shifted and sweaty.
“Where’s Charlie?” she demanded. I could tell by her smug look she already knew the answer.
“She went home,” I said.
“Good,” Lane muttered.
Bevin snorted. A few of the others rolled their eyes; at either Bevin’s comment or Charlie’s whereabouts, I wasn’t sure which. “Of course she did. Did she even take down that deer or did the poor thing trip and fall over Charlie’s awkwardness?”
My temper flared. At Bevin’s challenge, at my own tendency—already—to defend my little sister. “She did what she needed,” I said, probably too quietly.
Bevin narrowed her eyes. “What happened on your hunting trip, Vuk? The real story.”
“You saw the real story.” My eyes flashed at being directly challenged. It didn’t matter that I was lying. I was alpha. Almost. “The deer was hers.”
“You said that, but I’m not sure I believe it,” Bevin said. She wasn’t backing down. Usually, I liked that about her, when she was directing it at someone else. Not at me.
I closed the distance between us, hands on hips. Tension crackled in the clearing. No one else moved. “Drop it, Bev. Before I drop you.”
The tension thickened. No one breathed. Bevin glared at me, nose to nose. My skin quivered. My wolf wanted out. Not to hurt Bevin, and she knew it. I wanted to show her who was boss, though.
Eventually, she backed down, stepped away. “Whatever.” Her eyes flickered to me. “You’re our alpha. Not her.”
Finally, with nothing else to do, I exhaled and let the tension go. Bevin acknowledged it and turned away. The spell was broken.
Still, no one moved to leave.
“Show’s over. Hit the showers.” Carter waved a hand, making his point, and the crowd finally dispersed.
Lane, her scar glinting in the sun, lingered behind the others. She looked disappointed there hadn’t been a fight. They all did. That was the animal in us. Bevin fell into step beside her and, heads tipped close in quiet whispers, they made their way toward home.
Tension ebbed slowly as the clearing emptied. Dad was waiting on me. I needed to shower and get over to the office, but I wasn’t ready to face him yet after what Charlie said. I hesitated, tempted to run again. If nothing else, I’d wear myself into exhaustion. Maybe I’d even be too tired to think. It seemed like a good idea right now.
“You wanna walk?” Carter asked, startling me. I hadn’t realized he’d stayed behind.
I rolled my shoulders. “Yeah.”
I let him pick the direction. Not surprisingly, he walked straight back into the forest. I followed, hands in my pockets, ponytail bouncing. The wind shifted and for some strange reason, I widened the distance between us, suddenly aware of how sweaty I must be. I shook my head, trying to convince myself how ridiculous this was. I’d never been self-conscious around Carter before. Charlie was getting to me. Her girliness was rubbing off or something. As if to prove my own self-assuredness, I veered in, once again closing the distance until our shoulders almost brushed.
We walked for a while, taking the trail we’d run earlier. It wound deep, toward the boundary line we shared with the vamps, before circling back toward my house on the hill.
“Your dad sure likes to come out swinging,” he said finally, and I recognized the fishing tone immediately. He wasn’t so much stating a fact—although we both knew it was—as he was checking to see how I felt about it.
“Don’t manage me,” I said, but the flick of temper I’d used on Bevin wasn’t there, and I knew he wasn’t done yet.
“I’m just stating a truth,” he said, hands up as if in defense.
My mouth twisted wryly. “Uh-huh. Well, here’s another: I don’t need you managing me every time I get irritated.”
“I wouldn’t dream of it,” he said. “We’d be here for days at that rate, and I’m way behind on my Netflix binging.” I shot him a sideways look. He swallowed a smile. “You’ve got to admit, your percentage rate for brooding walks in the woods has shot way up over the past couple of weeks,” he said.
“So what if it is? That’s my business. Like I said, you don’t have to come out here and … talk me down or whatever it is you’re doing,” I said.
“And you shouldn’t let every little thing get to you,” he shot back. “Bevin’s probably PMSing. You should ignore her.”
I cocked a brow at him. “Seriously? That’s your excuse? Are you trying to get on my bad side today, too?”
“No, why?”
His cluelessness seemed legit, and I shook my head. “Girls don’t like it when you blame everything on chemical mood swings. It makes us want to defend each other for it.”
“Oh.” He grinned. Not the cocky grin he usually wore when he wanted me to think he was better at something. It was sheepish. Boyish. I liked this one so much better than the first.
We walked in silence a while longer.
“Are you going to ask me what happened on the hunting trip?” I asked.
“No.” He ducked beneath a low-hanging branch, held it out for me to pass underneath.
“Why not?”
“I don’t need to.” He shrugged. “I know something happened but I also know you aren’t going to tell me or anyone else about it until you’re ready. If ever. I’m not looking to waste my time.”
“Is that what I am? A waste of time?” I couldn’t help the nasty look that went with my words. Most of the time Carter treated me like a little sister, bickering, fighting, one-upping. That was, if he even acknowledged me at all. Although, he had been hanging around a lot more lately. I’d chalked that up to the beta position he wanted so bad but now I wasn’t sure…
“Hardly,” he said and the sarcastic tone I’d come to despise was back. This was the Carter I knew and loved to fight with. “The insults alone are more entertainment than I see around here in a week. And the way you handle Charlie.” He whistled. “Your dad must be so proud of the sister bond you’ve got going.”
“Shut up, Carter. I’m not in the mood.”
“You killed both of those deer, didn’t you? Admit it, Vuk. I’m sure you’ll feel better.”
Something inside me coiled too tight at his flippant remarks. I whirled on him, my eyes blazing. “Go ahead, laugh it up. I bet my life looks picture perfect to you, doesn’t it? Brand-new sister to show off like a shiny toy, alpha position is in the bag. Whatever, Carter. You don’t know anything.”
“Regan—”
“Just leave me alone. I can walk the rest of the way by myself.”
His hand closed over my arm and whatever was coiled broke free. Only, to my horror, instead of shifting and taking a chunk out of his bicep, my expression crumpled. Tears rained down, and I sobbed. It was mortifying, which only made me cry harder.
“Shh.” Carter pulled me to him. He wrapped one arm around my back and stroked my hair with the other, as if he’d done this a thousand times. Which he hadn’t.
“I’m … sorry. I don’t … normally … do this.” I could barely talk coherently. The sobs wouldn’t quit, which only added to my embarrassment—which only made me cry harder.
“It’s okay, Regan. I’m here.” His voice was gentler than I’d ever heard it. I told myself it was just pity. Otherwise, I had no idea what to make of his kindness. “I’m sorry I said those things. I was being an ass on purpose, trying to distract you.” He continued to stroke my hair. He leaned closer, his lips grazing the top of my head.
I stiffened. Carter was apologizing? And kissing me? What was happening?
“I was just trying to make you feel better,” he said.
I sniffled loudly and frantically wiped the wetness from my cheeks. Crying in front of Carter was a horrible show of weakness. Regardless of the nice words he used now, he’d no doubt taunt me with this memory later.
“It’s fine,” I said pulling away. I smoothed my hair. I couldn’t make myself meet his eyes. “It’s just a lot right now. With the contest and Charlie and my dad. Lots of pressure, but I’ll handle it.”
“I know you will,” he said, his voice still way too gentle.
His gaze was piercing. It took every inch of alpha I had in me to hold it. The effort sent waves of heat through me. I told myself it was the hysteria. Not a reaction to Carter himself. But the waves kept coming.
“Carter…” I couldn’t finish it. He was staring at my mouth and just like I’d wanted so badly earlier, my mind went utterly blank.
“Regan.” His voice was low and hoarse. He leaned in. I parted my lips parted without meaning to.
When our lips met, it was a shock.
The kiss itself took my breath away. Delicious heat crept up from the tips of my toes and out through the top of my head before crashing back down over me like a tidal wave. I’d kissed a few boys before, and it hadn’t been horrible. But it hadn’t been this, either.
In the depths of my heart, a tectonic plate seemed to shift and my entire world spun.
The fact that this was actually happening—with Carter of all people—made me dizzy. I pulled away, taking a full step back, struggling to clear the haze in my mind.
“What … just happened?” I stammered.
Carter shoved his hands in his pockets. Some emotion flickered. Disappointment? Did he regret kissing me? Of course he did. It must’ve been a reflex reaction to my tears, some masculine need to protect or something. It sounded scientific, so I made myself believe it.
“That was…” Carter trailed off.
Fear speared through me when I realized I wanted to know what he’d been about to say. “I, um, have to get back,” I said.
Before the words were even out I was running. I tore through the trees. Branches scraped my arms, pulled my hair. I didn’t bother shifting. The humanity inside me felt too ashamed to be a wolf right now. I wanted the sanctuary of home. My own room, my own pillow. The woods felt far too public.
Carter didn’t try to stop me. I wasn’t sure whether to feel relieved or disappointed.