Winter's Rise (The Winter Series Book 1)

by Breezy Jones

  “You ready to go?” Ryker asked, laying a few bills on the table and stood up. Lexi hadn’t returned, and I could only assume Ryker had given her some sort of silent signal to stay away.

  I peeked up at him and bit my lip, trying to figure out a way to stand up without falling again, when Ryker reached down and scooped me back up into his arms. His movements were fluid, graceful, and fast—leaving me no time to protest. I knew arguing was pointless. My stomach both sank and somersaulted.

  It wasn’t more than a mile to my apartment, but with my body pressed tightly against Ryker’s the trek took forever. The scenery around me flew by in a blur. I couldn’t tell if it had stopped snowing or if summer had come early from the heat radiating through my skin. My brain was too foggy to think past anything more than the hard-solid mass that made my blood heat and my nerves vibrate.

  When we reached my door, Ryker fished my house key from my pocket and let us inside. He moved through the foyer, passing my living room and heading straight toward the stairs.

  “Uh, s’cuse me but, uh what are you doing?” I asked as he climbed the stairs, the movement forcing my body against his.

  “Taking you upstairs to run you a bath,” he said.

  “Oh,” I squeaked out quietly.

  Ryker took the last few steps into the bathroom and set me on the edge of the porcelain tub. The motion didn’t stop the butterflies fluttering around in my stomach though.

  I wrung my hands in my lap as he turned on the water. Once he had it where he wanted it, he twisted toward the linen cabinet and grabbed two towels. When he faced me, I gave him a questioning look.

  Ryker arched a brow. “I figured I’d shower downstairs.”

  “Oh,” I said. “Okay.”

  Ryker handed me the soft blue fabric, his hand brushing mine. My skin instantly buzzed from the contact.

  “You don’t have to stay,” I said. “Here at the house,” I added to be clear.

  “If you think I’m leaving you here injured and by yourself, you’re crazy,” he said.

  I cut my gaze to the rising water before glancing at Ryker. “I’m not an invalid,” I said.

  He shifted toward me, the dim lighting from over the mirrored sink highlighting his body and his lips twitched to the side. “I disagree,” he said.

  “It’s a sprained ankle not an amputation. I think I’ll survive on my own.”

  “I’m not leaving you alone until you’re healed.”

  I tilted my head to the side. “That could take days.”

  “Werewolves heal fast. You’ll be fine by morning,” he assured me with an amused quirk to his lips.

  “Fine,” I said, relenting.

  The garden tub was now almost full of water, and I shifted on the edge, unsure whether Ryker planned to stay to help me into it. My skin grew hot at the thought.

  “I’m gonna grab you some clothes.” He walked out, and I reached over and cut the water off.

  A lusty feeling of warmth spread through me just thinking about Ryker searching my drawers.

  After a few minutes, he returned with a stack of clean clothes and a hair brush. I drew my lower lip between my teeth nervously. “Thank you,” I squeaked as he laid the items on the counter next to him. He glanced down at the clothes then at me. My stomach flip-flopped from his intense golden stare as he studied me.

  Something passed between us and I was certain it hadn’t only been on my end. Ryker felt it too. But then he blinked and shifted his gaze away. With a tight-lipped smile, he slowly backed out of the room and shut the door behind him. When he was gone, I let out a breath I hadn’t realized I’d been holding.

  What the hell?

  I glanced at the ceiling, forcing my heart to slow and the prickling sensation on my skin to fade. I listened as his footsteps sounded on the stairs. He was headed for the spare bathroom, and the thought of his body wet with soap made my thighs ache.

  Shaking it off, I wrenched my sweat-soaked shirt over my head and tossed it to the floor. I fumbled with my pants, hopping on one leg to pull them off. One leg free, I wobbled, and my thigh hit the edge of the tub. I tumbled backward and landed in the full tub with a splash. My pant leg dangled from my injured ankle, half-soaked now. I sucked in a painful wince pulling the fabric off and dropping it aside. Huffing, I blew away a strand of hair that had fallen in my face and pushed myself upright against the back of the tub.

  I slid down until my head was submerged, allowing the water to block out the surrounding sounds. Too bad the water didn’t cool the heat from my skin. It was a vain hope with Ryker so close by. I pressed my thighs together and sat up. Taking a deep breath, I dismissed the idea of a soap-covered Ryker and set to work washing the dirt and grime from my skin. I took my time, every movement sending a jolt of pain from my ankle to my thigh.

  I started to pull myself from the tub but then Ryder knocked. I tensed glancing at the white door.

  “I’m almost done,” I said, climbing clumsily from the tub.

  I wrapped the towel around myself and dried off as quickly as I could. Grabbing the pile, I shimmied on my clothes thankful that Ryker had gotten me a long night shirt rather than pants that I’d have to struggle to put on.

  I ran the brush through my hair quickly and called out, “Okay, you’re good.”

  Ryker walked in, and I felt my breath catch at the sight of him. His wet hair dripped onto the cotton towel wrapped around his naked shoulders. The images from earlier came rushing back. I clenched my thighs together.

  Ryker lifted a brow as if he had some idea of the thoughts making my heart pound against my chest.

  “You, all done?” he asked his voice tight.

  “Yeah,” I said, pushing out the word on a shallow breath. Without warning, Ryker picked me up and pulled me against his chest. I tried to force myself not to react, reminding myself he’s just doing his job as alpha, but my skin heated regardless.

  A few seconds later, we were downstairs, and Ryker was setting me on the couch.

  “Hungry?” he asked. I shifted against the cushions, making myself comfortable as he continued, “I ordered wraps from the diner for dinner.”

  “I’ll get you some money to pay the delivery guy,” I said, struggling to my feet. In a blink of the eye, Ryker was at my side pushing me back down.

  “No, stay. Lexi already dropped it off,” he said.

  I gave in and leaned back into the cushions. “How long was I up there?”

  “Only about an hour,” Ryker said, disappearing into the kitchen. A second later, he returned with two paper bags and plates. He handed me one of the bags and a plate and sat where he’d been earlier.

  I wrestled open the foil and inhaled the scent of the sandwich. “Mmm…” I moaned approvingly. “It looks good… Thank you.”

  He waved me off, taking the remote and flipping on the TV. He was so close; my body couldn’t relax from the warmth running through my blood. But one whiff of the food in front of me and my energy refocused. I hadn’t realized how hungry I was but now, my stomach growled at the sight of the meal. I scarfed down my food, finishing in minutes, then set my plate on the coffee table.

  Beside me, Ryker had downed his food too. He sat with his attention on the TV—some nature show about the Pacific Northwest. I pretended to watch for a few minutes, but then curiosity got the better of me and I faced Ryker.

  “Why are you here?” I asked.

  Ryker’s eyebrows furrowed and then released, “I’ve already told you,” he pointed toward my leg. “Because of your ankle.”

  I shook my head. “No, that’s not what I mean.” I faltered, choosing my words carefully. “It’s just…Well, wouldn’t a lesser pack member take the menial tasks like babysitting the injured rather than the alpha himself?”

  “Ah…” Ryker breathed out knowingly. “Normally, yes.” He paused. “I just thought yo
u would be more comfortable with me.”

  I gave a small nod but my stomach sank. He was right, it would have been incredibly weird to have a complete stranger in my house, but part of me wished he’d had other reasons for being here.

  “You’re right. Thank you. It’s just… Don’t you have a job?”

  Ryker gave me a cocky masculine grin. “Of course, I do.”

  I eyed him, waiting for him to continue, but he didn’t. “Well…” I prompted.

  He looked back at me, quirking a brow. “I own a contracting business. We do renovations. Mostly historical properties. It allows me flexibility with my hours.”

  I tilted my head, imagining him working out in the sun all hot and sweaty without a shirt on. My cheeks heated, and I swung away to hide my reaction. My body was really starting to piss me off. Especially when Ryker had made it clear that he wasn’t having the same reactions.

  When I risked a glance at him again, Ryker was focused on the TV. I tried to as well, but my mind was racing now, and concentrating on anything with Ryker so close was nearly impossible.

  Now that I’d entertained the thought, I could almost feel the heat wafting from his body. I needed a distraction before I embarrassed myself.

  “But you’re so young,” I said, fixing my stare on him. “You’re like…what? In your early twenties? Have you had the business long?”

  “I’m twenty-three. It was my father’s business, passed down to me.”

  “How old were you when you changed?”

  “Young,” he answered quietly.

  I took the hint he didn’t want to talk about that.

  “After what you told me about how the change is triggered, I keep thinking back to that night¬¬,” I said, playing with my hands in my lap. I glanced at the TV, not really seeing it. “I can’t remember who I killed, but maybe it was my mom. I can’t… I don’t want to think I could do that, but I have to remember. I need to at least know.”

  Ryker faced me and laid his hand on my leg. “It’ll come back to you,” he said.

  I shrugged and asked, “Do you remember who you killed?”

  Ryker glanced downward then back. “A vampire.” His eyes shifted painfully before hardening once more. My hands itched to reach out to him.

  I didn’t pry, not when offering that much had seemed so hard for him.

  “Tell me about vampires,” I said instead. “Do they actually drink human blood and burn in the sun?”

  “Yeah,” he said. “But it’s a little more complicated than that. Once they’re blooded, they have no humanity left. All they see is red and will kill anything and everyone in their path.”

  Goose bumps rose on my arms.

  They reminded me of a horror movie except they were real. “What do you mean ‘blooded’?” I asked him nervously.

  Ryker breathed in deeply before explaining. “They’re blooded once they make their first kill.”

  “And how soon after they change does that happen?”

  “It’s the second part to their change. The first is becoming a vampire physically. But once they’re blooded, they’re a monster mentally,” he explained, and I must have looked hopeful as he put up a hand and continued on, “Theoretically, they could live a normal life if they never killed, but it doesn’t happen. The need for human blood is too strong, and they always give in, usually before they even realize what they are or what they’re doing.”

  I sighed. I didn’t like the picture I was getting of these vampires. “I think I prefer the Twilight version much better.”

  Ryker snorted. “You and me both.”

  “Can vampires walk in the sun?”

  Ryker shook his head. “No. Just like in the stories, they would burst into flames.”

  I gathered a couch pillow onto my lap and snuggled against it. “How do you become a vampire?”

  “You have to die with vampire blood in your system,” he said.

  “That must be pretty rare, right? A vampire giving their blood rather than taking someone else’s?”

  “It’s in their nature to create as much as kill, so it happens more than you’d think. Preservation of the species, I guess.”

  “They sound awful,” I said. I’d never seen a vampire but listening to Ryker talk about them made me think I never wanted to either.

  “This is what you grew up with though, right? Killing vampires?” I asked Ryker nodded, and I tried to picture what that must have been like as Ryker shifted toward the TV.

  “What was it like growing up in a pack?” I asked.

  He spun toward me and tossed his arm over the back of the couch, leaning into the cushions. “You are just full of questions today, huh?” he asked with a smirk.

  I smiled innocently. “Must be the injury talking,” I said, and he tilted his head back in a mocking gesture.

  “It’s like growing up in a really big family. Everything’s always a competition.” Ryker stared at the TV as if he saw right through it. “My father was alpha, of course, so I trained harder and more often than any of my pack brothers. There was more pressure to be the best, the fastest, the smartest.”

  I watched him closely, noting the pride in his eyes. When he glanced over at me, it was gone and his expression was a mask again.

  “That sounds kinda shitty,” I told him bluntly.

  Ryker snorted. “Nah, it wasn’t so bad. I always knew someone had my back. And Lexi kept me from being too serious.”

  I smiled, thinking of her cheerful personality, wondering if our girl’s night had meant as much to her as it did to me.

  “It was hard, but there were times we could relax. Mostly at big family gatherings and parties. You’ll see for yourself. Thanksgiving’s tomorrow.”

  My lips pulled down along with my slumping body. I’d forgotten about the upcoming holiday. “I do Thanksgiving with Joe,” I said, but even as I said the words I wondered. Joe had family in town now. And he hadn’t mentioned any plans when I’d seen him earlier for inventory. Would he want to be with his relatives instead?

  “Not this year,” Ryker said in a tone that held no room for argument. My eyes narrowed, and he added, “Bring Joe too if you want.”

  I blinked. “Bring Joe? Are you sure that’s a good idea?”

  “Yeah, why not?” Ryker asked.

  My frown deepened. “Um, because we’re werewolves,” I reminded him, as if this should be obvious.

  Ryker only shrugged. “He knows, right?”

  I dipped my head to the side, playing with the fringes around the pillow.

  “Then it’ll be fine.”

  “What do you even do on the holidays?” I asked, trying to picture it. My insides tightened and sank all at the same time. There would be a lot of people, that much I knew, but Ryker would be there too. And last time I’d gone for dinner, it had felt nice to be included in the family atmosphere. My shoulders relaxed as I admitted to myself that I wanted to be a part of that.

  “Oh, you know. The usual.” Ryker’s face lit up. “We dance naked under the moon and dine on the entrails of a human sacrifice.”

  I stuck my tongue out at his little joke, and Ryker’s answering smile was all male.

  “Seriously, little wolf, it’s very normal. We eat way too much and decorate Hot Shots while Lexi blares Christmas music and serves up hot chocolate. It’ll be fun, you’ll see.”

  I formed my lips into a tight line but shot off a text to Joe, nonetheless. Thanksgiving with muscle man and his family. You in?

  A minute later, I got a reply. Sounds fun!

  Huh. Avoiding the holidays was mine and Joe’s tradition, but it looked like that wasn’t going to happen.

  Not having dinner with your cousin? I shot back, my fingers tapping across the screen.

  Nah, she’s back with the fam.

  I waited, but he sent nothing el
se. So I texted back,

  Oh. Cool, See you tomorrow then.

  Yep.

  I scowled even more.

  Ryker ran his hand lazily across my leg just above the knee, raising goose bumps along the skin. I eyed his hand and then over at him. His eyes held mine for a beat and he leaned forward. Just enough to make me want to close the space. My breathing accelerated, but I held still. His coarse fingers on my bare leg sent a shudder through me. His fingers froze as if he’d only just realized what he was doing. Sinking into the couch cushion, he drew his hand away, and returned to watching his program.

  I shivered from the lack of touch, wishing he hadn’t stopped. His neck muscles were taut, and I wondered if it took him as much self-control as it did me not to jump into his lap. And if it did, what the hell was stopping him from acting?

  Chapter Seven

  Hot Shots was crammed full with most of the pack and their families for Thanksgiving dinner. All the square tables had been shoved together to create one large one for everyone to gather around. Ryker had been right, my ankle was fully healed by this morning, but having him resting on my couch all night made sleep hard to come by. By morning, it was everything I could do to not jump into his arms. My stomach sank at the thought.

  Christmas music played softly in the background as Lexi and I stood behind the counter organizing all the food platters. We had everything for a traditional meal—ham and turkey with all the fixings. My shoulders racked with tension as I eyed Ryker at the table across from where I stood. Next to him was a blonde I’d just met today. After welcoming me to the pack, Seth had introduced her as Ryker’s date. Her name was Yasmin. Everything from her perfectly curled hair to her stiletto heels screamed stuck-up, and so far, she hadn’t proved me wrong.

  While I watched, she flipped her hair over her shoulder, pushing her arms together. The low-cut pink dress she wore already displayed an impressive amount of cleavage but her not-so-subtle move worked in gaining Ryker’s attention. I snorted and crossed my arms. She pursed her lips and whispered something in his ear. I couldn’t hear it from here, but I shot invisible daggers in her direction.