“Having emotions and caring for people doesn’t make you weak.” I shake my head. “If anything, it makes you stronger when you care about someone. It means you have someone to fight for. Someone to live for other than yourself.”
“And now you want to walk away from that?” More tears run down her face. “From me?”
“I would never want to leave you, Pru, but I would rather it be me than you.”
“You just promised me you would never leave my side,” she reminds me, “and now you’re going back on that promise.”
“I also said I’m too stubborn to die.”
“What happens if you do?” she asks.
“We have plans in place to get you away from here as fast as possible. There’s a safe house we have in Colorado they’ll get you too, and they’ll keep you safe.” This time when I reach for her, she allows me to guide her face up to mine. I caress my thumb along her jaw. “I only care that you’re safe.”
“All I want is for you to be safe too,” she whispers, her big green eyes looking up at me. “I need you to stay alive.”
“I will,” I promise her, even though it’s not something I can guarantee. But I say it anyway. I lean down and brush my lips softly against hers, sealing my promise.
30
Pruitt
I stand in the window, staring up at the moon as I contemplate my next move. The soft kiss Ryker had given me before he left almost felt like a goodbye kiss, and that worried me. This whole situation worries me. I’m worried about Remington, I’m worried about the safety of the pack, but most of all I’m worried about Ryker. There’s a fairly big chance Ryker won’t be walking away from this fight, and I can’t allow that to happen.
So that’s why I’ve come up with this plan. A good plan? Absolutely not. But it’s the only plan I can think of that will keep everyone I care about safe and Ryker alive. And that’s my main priority right now—keeping the man I’m deeply and madly in love with alive.
I look down at the phone I hold in my hand and tap my fingers on the screen. I know what I need to do, but it doesn’t make it any easier. I know people will be upset, especially Ryker. But I’m willing to have him upset with me if it means he’s breathing. I take a deep breath and blow it out slowly to steady my nerves before I open the phone and go to my contacts.
I click Remi’s name and place the phone to my ear. With every ring, my heart beats faster and faster. My hands are sweating and shaking, and my stomach drops when the phone goes to voicemail.
No, he has to answer!
I end the call and immediately call the number again. I do this four more times before someone on the other picks up the phone.
I can hear the smile in his voice when he answers. “Grey,” he purrs.
“Nicolai,” I reply, my voice void of any emotion. “I want to make a deal.”
“I’m listening.”
I place the blanket over Margot’s sleeping form. She had finally cried herself to sleep on the couch. I can tell by her fast heart rate her sleep in not peaceful, and even in sleep, she’s worried about the safety of her children. I want to tell her they’ll both be okay, that the deal I’ve made makes sure of it. But I can’t tell her what I’ve done; she’ll try to stop me.
And I can’t let anyone stop me, but I am going to need some help to make my plan work, after I hung up the phone with Nicolai, I reached out through the pack link to the two people I believed would be willing to help me and would also be able to keep a secret from Ryker.
Ryker is taking a shower right now, and the house is quiet and still. Part of the deal Ryker made with Nicolai was that he would leave the rest of the pack alone until the challenge. Nicolai swore on his life he wouldn’t take any more pack members, and he was more than happy to take Ryker’s life instead during the challenge. Everyone is still on high alert, but we didn’t feel it was necessary to have everyone stay at the house tonight like we had planned.
Ransom and Ranger are still patrolling around the house with a couple enforcers. They didn’t believe Nicolai when he said he would leave me alone until tomorrow also, they felt the need to guard the house and me all night.
I quietly pad down the hallway and push open the heavy wooden doors that lead to Elias’ office. I close them as softly as I can behind me, so Margot doesn’t hear and wake up. I look at the two men I had called here to meet me and give each a nod.
“Thank you for coming,” I tell them. “We need to make this quick, Ryker is almost done with his shower, and I know he’ll come looking for me.”
“What is this about, Pruitt?” Sawyer asks, his hunter green eyes narrowing at me. “Why can’t Ryker be here?”
“Because he’ll try to stop me, and I can’t let that happen,” I tell them. I walk further into the room and farther away from the door.
“Stop you from doing what?” Sawyer crosses his muscled arms over his broad chest and looks down at me. “What are you planning to do?”
“I made a deal,” I say simply. I look at the older man who has been standing there silently and give him a sad smile. “I couldn’t risk letting anything happen to your children.”
Elias’ face is void of emotion, but I don’t miss the slight widening of his eyes. “You’re going to turn yourself over to him, aren’t you?”
I nod. “It’s the only way I could think of that would ensure Remington and Ryker’s safety. And they’re my priority now.”
“What the hell were you thinking?” Sawyer snarls. I know he wants to raise his voice, but he doesn’t.
“That I don’t want Ryker or anyone else in the pack to die for me,” I tell him.
“Ryker could win the challenge,” Elias says.
“And he could also lose,” I snap. “I’m not willing to take that chance.”
“You’re not thinking this through—” Sawyer starts to say, but I quickly interrupt.
“I didn’t ask you here for your opinion. This is what’s happening, and I need your help to make sure it works.” I hold up my hand, silencing him when he starts to speak again. “I know you both love Ryker as much as do, so, please. Help me keep him safe.”
“What happens after Nicolai takes you? How are we supposed to get you back?” Elias asks. “I want to keep my son safe, but if you’re gone, he’ll go to the ends of the Earth to find you. He’ll fight anything that gets in his way.”
“You’re not going to try and get me back.” I lift my chin. “As long as I’m with Nicolai, he’ll leave Ryker and the pack alone; you guys will be safe. And like I said, that’s all that matters to me.”
“Ryker is going to be devastated.” Sawyer grimaces.
“But he’ll be alive,” I remind him, “and so will Remi. Will you guys help me or not?”
Elias looks at me long and hard before finally speaking. “You’re just like your parents. They were so strong and always willing to put the pack before themselves. I’ll remind you that by doing so, they lost their lives.”
“I know.” I nod and bow my head. “But I understand now why they did it.”
“What do you need us to do?” Sawyer asks.
“First, I need you to make a phone call.”
I open the door to Ryker’s room and find him sitting in the dark on the bed with his back to me. His hair is still wet from the shower, and he’s bare-chested. I lean against the doorframe and scan his shirtless form. I knew there were angel wings on his back that extend over his shoulders and down the back of his arms, I never paid any attention to the fact that they were connected to a beautiful angel with dark tears streaming down her face. It’s a gorgeous piece, but very somber at the same time.
He doesn’t turn around to look at me when he speaks. “Are you still mad at me.”
“No,” I sigh, closing the door behind me. I walk across the room and sit down next to him on the bed. I lean into his side and rest my head on his shoulder. “I just want you safe.”
“I’m going to try really hard to come back to you,” he whispers to me b
efore wrapping his arm around me and pulling me close.
“I know,” I tell him. I push down the guilt I feel when I say it. I don’t need him to pick up on it and ask what’s wrong. “It sucks. It shouldn’t be like this.”
“No, it shouldn’t.” He sighs. “But no matter what, you’re going to be safe.”
I feel my body stiffen up when he says that. I have no idea what my future looks like, but I know for a fact I will more than likely not be safe. Nicolai does not give off the warm and safe vibe. I force myself to relax and push down those thoughts.
“I don’t want to talk about it anymore tonight.” I rise up from the bed and stand in front of him. I gather all the confidence I can muster before reaching for the hem of my t-shirt and pulling it over my head.
Ryker’s eyes widen and shoot up to look at me. “What are you doing?”
“Our lives are full of uncertainty right now, and we don’t know what our future together looks like,” I start, “but right now, at this moment, I’m certain how I feel about you, and I know that I want to be with you.”
“Pru…”
“I love you,” I say, rushing the words. “I’m so in love with you, Ryker, my heart feels like it might burst.” I place my hand over my heart as I look into his ocean-blue eyes.
Ryker doesn’t move. He doesn’t blink, and I barely see him breathe. He sits there staring at me with wide eyes. But then he moves so fast I barely register it. He pulls me onto the bed, and I can’t help the yelp of surprise when my back bounces against the mattress. My breath catches in my throat when I look up and find him looking down at me. He’s positioned himself over me, and only my thin cotton bra separates our chests.
“I never thought I would have the opportunity to tell you how much I love you. I always thought my only option was saying it to a headstone, but now…” He pauses. “To be able to tell you I’ve loved you since the day that golden halo of light appeared around you when we were kids is the greatest gift. I loved you as Grey Thorne, and I love you even more as Pruitt Bailey.”
My cheeks hurt from how hard I’m smiling at him. I reach up and hold his face between my hands. “I love you,” I repeat. “Please kiss me now.”
Ryker’s mouth crashes into mine with almost painful force. But I happily meet his passion and part my lips when his tongue pushes forward. This kiss isn’t soft and sweet, it’s full of desperation and pure instinctual need. Something primal comes over me, and I growl against his mouth and bite at his bottom lip.
His lips don’t leave mine as he makes quick work of unclasping my bra and throwing it off to the side somewhere. I rake my nails down his back as his mouth travels down my chin to the sweet spot on my neck. I shudder and groan beneath him when his tongue swipes against it.
I never thought I would want someone to bite me, but right now, I want nothing more than to feel his fangs sinking into my skin.
He nips lightly at the spot before abandoning it altogether and making his way down to my breasts. His hands lightly caress the sides before his hot mouth covers one of the peaks. My back arches into him when I feel his tongue swirl around a sensitive bud. I look down at him and find his glowing eyes staring back at me.
When he moves on to the next one, I hiss out a breath, and my eyes flutter closed. Just like the other night, starting between my breasts, he places a trail of kisses down to my naval. But this time he places two kisses on my hipbones too. He rises to his knees, and I feel his fingers undo my jeans. He looks at me in question, and after I give him a quick nod, he hooks his thumbs into my waistband and pulls both my jeans and panties down my legs.
The feeling of self-consciousness creeps forward, but I push it away as I lie completely naked in front of him. Ryker is my mate, and we’re meant for each other. Every part of us is meant for each other.
“You’re so beautiful,” he whispers to me, and I feel my face heat up. “I wish you could understand just how beautiful you are to me.”
I can’t help but watch as he pulls the low-slung athletic shorts down his hips, and he quickly kicks them off to the side. He keeps his boxer briefs on as he lowers himself back down to me. I wrap my arms around his neck and guide his face back to mine.
As I kiss him, my chest floods with emotion. I try not to think about how this is one of the last times I’ll kiss him or the first and only time I will make love to him.
Ignoring the sorrow, I move my hands down his sides. My fingers lightly trail down his sensitive ribcage before tugging at the waistband of his boxers. When he pulls back to look at me, I smile at him.
“I want this,” I promise him. “I want you. All of you.”
“Are you sure?”
“I’ve never been more sure of anything,” I assure him. “I’ve never slept with anyone because it never felt right—they never felt right. But I know you’re right.”
He lets me pull down his boxers, and when I can’t get them all the way down from my angle, he reaches down and removes them himself. Instead of bringing his mouth back down to mine, he positions himself lower and kisses the top of my thighs. I tremble and feel my skin break out into goosebumps.
His hand makes its way between my thighs, and I find myself arching into his touch. A single finger slips between my folds and strokes that sensitive center. I jerk and moan at the sensation. My hips lift on their own, aching for more. My breath catches in my throat when I feel his finger nudge my opening and stroke inside.
Within seconds, I’m groaning and shaking with need below him. Just when I think I’m not able to take anymore, his mouth replaces his hand, and I’m coming out of my skin when his tongue swipes against me.
“Ryker!” I gasp, rising to my elbows and looking down. With fascination, I watch his mouth move against me, and with every stroke of his tongue, my heart beats faster and faster.
While his tongue continues to lap at me, I feel his finger enter me again. Both touching me at the same time causes me to fall back onto the mattress. I find myself throwing my head back and moaning so loud I’m afraid someone else in the house may have heard. The concern only lasts a second because suddenly, Ryker’s mouth and hand leave me.
He repositions himself back over me, and I look into those brilliant blue eyes as he settles between my legs. I can’t help but reach up and trace his beautiful face with my finger. I want to remember everything about him. I want to remember how his eyes light up when he sees me or how, when he smiles, it’s slightly crooked. I want to remember the thin scar on his chin. I want to remember how amazing and safe I feel in his arms.
The good, the bad, and the beautiful parts—I want to remember everything.
Ryker turns his head and presses a kiss into the palm of my hand. I smile up at him and pull his face back down to mine. I guide his mouth to my lips as I lift my hips, urging him to continue.
His mouth swallows my gasp when he presses into my core. I feel myself holding my breath and stiffening up, but when pleasure replaces the quick bite of pain, I relax into him.
We move with pure instinct and primal need. There’s no awkwardness or uncertainty between us, only love and pleasure. His head rests on my shoulder, and I tuck mine into the side of his neck. Our breathing becomes quick, and I occasionally feel his teeth scrape against my sensitive skin.
I bite down—hard—on his shoulder when every nerve in my body explodes in pleasure. I barely taste the slight copper taste of blood as I whither and shake beneath him. Then instantly, his breathing quickens even more, his muscles lock up, and he shutters against me. He presses a sweet kiss to the corner of my mouth before he pulls out of me and rolls us to our sides.
I’m wrapped up against his body with his big tattooed arm thrown protectively over me. When I snuggle my back into his chest and close my eyes, a hot tear rolls down my cheek. I’m thankful I’m facing away from him, I don’t have to explain my sadness.
“Everything will be okay tomorrow,” he whispers after several minutes. “I promise.”
“I know you�
�ll be okay,” I whisper back.
31
Ryker
I never fell asleep. Instead, I spent the night holding Pru in my arms and memorizing her face. If the challenge doesn’t go the way I want it too, I want to make sure I soak up as much of her as I can, and there’s a voice in my head telling me to hold her tight and breathe her in because it’s going to be the last time I ever do.
It’s still dark out when I climb out of bed and throw on some clothes. I look once more at Pruitt’s sleeping form. I decide to let her sleep a little bit longer, she looks peaceful, and God knows today will be anything but.
I quietly slip out the door and head downstairs. I’m not surprised to find my mother already in the kitchen with a cup of coffee in front of her. The coffee is untouched, and she stares blankly out the back windows.
“Mom?” When I reach over and give her shoulder a squeeze, she jumps a little at the sound of my voice.
“Hi, honey,” she sighs, reaching up and placing her hand over mine on her shoulder.
“It’s going to be okay,” I tell her—the same thing I said to Pru, but the more I say it, the more I don’t believe myself.
“I really want to believe that.”
My stomach sinks when I hear her voice break. The last thing I want to do is hurt my mother, but we’re all out of options. I can’t pull out of the challenge, especially when my sister is being held, and my mate’s life is on the line.
“I do too.” I move to her side, leaving my hand on her shoulder, and we sit in silence, both looking out at the still dark sky.
“I’m sorry I was away for so long,” I say after several minutes of silence. “If I could take it back, I would. I didn’t realize how much I missed you guys until I was home.”
“I hated that you were gone, but I understood why you had to be. There was too much pain here for you, and being here just caused you more.” She pats my hand. “I just wish we had more time. And I wish you had more time with Pru.”
Wolf Bound (The White Wolf Prophecy Book 1) Page 22