Chapter Two Hundred and Thirty Two
RILEY.
I thought beating up Nick would make all the anger I felt disappear, but I was wrong; all the pent–up anger still remained.
I was somewhere in the middle of the woods; I should be more careful; I might be encroaching on another pack’s land, yet I couldn’t bring myself to care, not even one bit. Dawn came upon me, but I remained here, in the woods.
Thane would be worried; he must have discovered I was gone by now. Still, I couldn’t bring myself to return just yet. Maybe it was because I knew there was another option, another way I would be of no harm to Thane. If I ran, if I hid well enough that Bailey would never be able to find me, then they would all be safe.
But I only got Thane back; how could I lose him again?
If I did make this decision, if I did choose to leave, then I would forever be on the run, unable to live my life. I knew Thane would find me, but I could try hard to be one step ahead of him; all I needed to do was to be constantly on the move; never staying in one place for too long; it was just that simple.
Simple.
Nothing about this was simple. I couldn’t live without him, and though this would have been the best option for us all, I wasn’t Thane; he had let me go when he thought he was too dangerous for me, but I would do the exact opposite; I would fight and I would never stop fighting; I was going to go home; I was going to return back to him.
I landed gently on the balcony. With my wings, traveling did get easier. I willed my wings back in. I pulled open the doors, and I walked into my room. The familiar scent reminded me of home. I wasn’t going to give up on Thane, Axel, or this pack. They had become a part of me.
Thane sat on the couch, a piece of paper in his hand–the very same paper I had tossed on the floor and left behind.
“Welcome back, Riley,” he said, his eyes on the paper, like he was trying to figure out something.
“There’s nothing of importance on that paper.” I said to him,
“Then what is this?” he asked, referring to the note filled with gibberish.
“It’s nothing.”
“I returned back here to find you and of course apologize to you for what I did, but then I
Chapter Two Handres and The Two
discovered you were gone; all I could find was this. I couldn’t understand what you were trying to write down, and as crazy as it may seem, I thought it had a deeper meaning, so I spent hours staring at it, trying to figure out what it meant…”
“I’m sorry.” I say cutting him off. “I just… needed some time away; I should have told you before left, and I’m sorry I didn’t.”
“Is that all it had been about?” He asked, his gaze searching me, and more than ever, I wished he could look deeper; maybe he would be able to tell the truth without me having to say a word, but that was impossible.
“Yes, that was it.”
“I should have never tempered with your mind; it was wrong of me. Please forgive me, Riley, and unless you request it, I would never do that to you again…”
I walked to him, cutting his words off with a kiss, He kissed me back, my hands trailing below his shirt, touching him, feeling him, just as he did me. I didn’t realize I had been crying till he pulled away.
I quickly wiped my tears.
“Riley, you know you could tell me anything, right?” He said, and I nodded.
“I know that.” I responded. “I am not angry at you for what you did earlier; I knew you were
leaving- only trying to help me, and I appreciate that. The lash out back in the office and me… it was uncalled for, and I should be the one apologizing, so I am sorry.”
