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Section 1
### Chapter 1: Chapter 1
This story will be moving to Galatea soon. This is the first edition of this story. An updated version will be available on Galatea.
Emily and Ryder were inseparable once—bound by friendship, loyalty, and a shared past that began with a single act of courage. But when Ryder left for college, their connection faded into silence, leaving Emily with more questions than memories. Years later, the world isn’t quite the same. Shifters walk openly among humans, and love has its own kind of magic. When Emily attends her best friend’s mating ceremony, fate throws her face-to-face with the boy she thought she’d lost forever. Only now, he’s not exactly the same boy she remembers. In a world shifting beneath her feet, Emily must decide whether some bonds are meant to be rediscovered—or left in the past.
Complete Chapters 18 Rating 4.5 ( 36 reviews ) Age Rating mature {"language":"en","storyId":1660333,"genres":[{"name":"Romance","path":"/genres/romance"}],"authorName":"N. SWANSON","authorPath":"/nswanson","status":"complete","lastUpdatedAt":1773360983,"chaptersCount":18,"rating":4.472222222222222,"reviewsCount":36,"ageRating":"mature"} Chapter 1 I hated my brother. I really, really hated him.
Okay, maybe hate was a strong word. Mommy always said we shouldn’t use that word, but right now, sitting on my bed with tears streaming down my face, it felt like the right word. Tyler was so stupid. Why were boys so stupid? Daddy wasn’t stupid. Daddy was smart and kind and always knew what to say to make me feel better. So why did Tyler have to be such a...such a...jerk?
He’d broken my favorite doll. Not by accident either. He’d grabbed her right out of my hands and thrown her across the room, and her arm had popped off when she hit the wall. When I started crying, he just laughed. Laughed! Like it was the funniest thing in the world.
I’d screamed at him. He’d screamed back. Then Mommy came in and sent us both to our rooms, which wasn’t fair because I hadn’t done anything wrong. Tyler was the one who broke my doll. Tyler was the one who was mean. But I got in trouble too, just for yelling.
It wasn’t fair. Nothing was fair.
I wiped my eyes with the back of my hand and looked out my window. The woods behind our house stretched out like a dark green blanket, the trees swaying gently in the afternoon breeze. I loved those woods. I walked in them all the time, following the little path that went between the oak trees and past the creek where I sometimes saw frogs.
The woods always made me feel better.
I didn’t even think about it. I just jumped off my bed, opened my door as quietly as I could, and tiptoed down the hallway. I could hear Tyler’s video game blaring from his room and Mommy talking on the phone downstairs. Nobody would notice if I slipped out for a little while. I just needed some time alone. Time to think. Time to not be angry anymore.
The back door creaked a little when I opened it, but not loud enough for anyone to hear. I stepped outside, and the warm summer air wrapped around me like a hug. Our backyard was big, with Daddy’s vegetable garden on one side and Mommy’s flower beds on the other. But I didn’t stop to look at any of it. I headed straight for the tree line, where the path began.
The woods were cooler than the yard, shaded by the tall trees that seemed to reach all the way up to the sky. I knew this path so well I could probably walk it with my eyes closed. Past the big oak tree with the knot that looked like a face. Past the fallen log that I always had to climb over. Past the berry bushes where I wasn’t allowed to eat the berries because Mommy said some of them might be poisonous.
I walked and walked, and slowly, the angry feeling in my chest started to fade. Out here, with just the birds singing and the leaves rustling, everything felt peaceful. Everything felt okay.
I don’t know how long I’d been walking when I heard it.
A howl. Long and lonely, echoing through the trees.
I froze, my heart suddenly pounding in my chest. That didn’t sound like a dog. That sounded like...like something wild. Something big.
Another howl answered the first, this one from a different direction. Closer.
I wasn’t supposed to be scared of the woods. I came here all the time. But I’d never heard sounds like that before, and suddenly, the peaceful feeling was gone, replaced by something cold and tight in my stomach.
I needed to go home. Right now.
I turned around, but nothing looked familiar. Had I passed the berry bushes already? Where was the fallen log? I started walking faster, my eyes darting around, trying to find something I recognized. But everything looked the same. Trees and more trees and shadows that seemed darker than they should be.
Another howl, and this time it was definitely closer.
I didn’t care about the path anymore. I just ran, my feet pounding against the forest floor, branches scratching at my arms and face. I had to get away from those sounds. I had to get home. Why had I come out here? Why hadn’t I just stayed in my room?
My foot caught on something—a root, maybe, or a rock—and suddenly I was falling. I hit the ground hard, my hands scraping against the dirt and leaves. Pain shot through my knee, and when I looked down, I saw blood seeping through my jeans.
Not just because my knee hurt, though it did. But because I was lost. Really, truly lost. I didn’t know where I was. I didn’t know which way was home. And those howls were still echoing through the trees, making my whole body shake with fear.
“Help!” I screamed, my voice cracking. “Somebody help me!”
But nobody answered. Just the wind in the trees and the distant sound of birds.
I pulled my knees up to my chest and wrapped my arms around them, making myself as small as possible. Maybe if I just stayed here, Mommy and Daddy would come looking for me. They had to notice I was gone eventually. They had to.
I cried until my throat hurt and my eyes felt puffy and sore. The shadows were getting longer, and I realized with a jolt of fresh terror that it was getting late. What if it got dark? What if I had to spend the whole night out here?
“Help,” I whimpered, but it came out so quiet I barely heard it myself. “Please, somebody help me.”
Time felt weird. I didn’t know if I’d been sitting there for minutes or hours. Everything hurt—my knee, my hands, my chest from crying so hard. I was just about to start screaming again when I heard something.
A rustling sound. Close. Too close.
I looked up, my heart hammering, expecting to see whatever had been making those howling sounds. A wolf, maybe. Or a bear. Something with teeth and claws that would—
But there was nothing there. Just trees and shadows and the rustling leaves.
“Hello?” My voice came out shaky and small. “Is something there?”
For a moment, nothing. Then, slowly, a figure stepped out from behind a large oak tree.
He looked a little older than me—maybe ten or eleven—and he was staring at me with the bluest eyes I’d ever seen. His hair was black and messy, like he’d been running through the woods too, and there were leaves stuck in it. He was wearing jeans and a t-shirt that had some kind of symbol on it I didn’t recognize.
He tilted his head, studying me. “Are you lost?”
I nodded, not trusting my voice.
He took a step closer, and I noticed he was barefoot. Who walked through the woods barefoot? But somehow, he didn’t seem to mind. He moved like he belonged here, like the forest was his home.
“My name is Ryder,” he said, and his voice was kind. Not like Tyler’s voice when he was being mean. This was the voice of someone who actually cared. “What’s yours?”
Ryder smiled, and it made his whole face light up. He came closer and held out his hand to me. “Come on, Emily. Let me help you up.”
I hesitated for just a second, then reached out and took his hand. His skin was warm and tingly. His grip was strong as he pulled me to my feet. My knee throbbed when I put weight on it, and I must have made a face because Ryder’s smile faded into concern.
“You’re hurt,” he said, looking down at my bloody knee.
“I fell,” I said, wiping my eyes with my free hand. I realized Ryder was still holding my other hand, but I didn’t want him to let go. Something about his touch made me feel safer, like everything might actually be okay.
“Come on,” Ryder said, giving my hand a gentle squeeze. “I’ll take you home with me, and my parents can call your parents. They’ll come get you.”
We started walking, and Ryder kept hold of my hand the whole time. He seemed to know exactly where he was going, never hesitating, never looking confused. He led me through parts of the woods I’d definitely never seen before, past trees that were bigger and older than any near my house, through clearings filled with wildflowers that glowed in the fading sunlight.
“How do you know where you’re going?” I asked after what felt like forever.
Ryder glanced back at me and grinned. “I know these woods really well. I’ve lived here my whole life.”
He laughed. “Sort of. You’ll see.”
We walked for so long that my legs started to ache, but I didn’t complain. Ryder kept looking back to check on me, and every time our eyes met, I felt a little braver. A little bit less scared.
Finally, the trees started to thin out, and I could see something ahead. A building. No, not just a building—a huge wooden structure that looked almost like a lodge or a cabin, but bigger than any cabin I’d ever seen. It had multiple levels, with balconies and big windows that reflected the orange and pink sky. Smoke curled up from a chimney, and I could hear voices and laughter coming from inside.
I stopped walking, my mouth falling open. “You live here?”
Ryder laughed again, and I decided I really liked the sound of his laugh. “Yeah. With my family and other members of my pack.”
“Pack?” I repeated, confused. That was a weird word. Wasn’t a pack something that wolves had?
But Ryder was already pulling me forward, toward the big wooden building. As we got closer, I could see people moving around inside through the windows. Lots of people. Way more than just a regular family.
The front door opened before we reached it, and a woman stepped out. She was beautiful, with long dark hair like Ryder’s and the same bright blue eyes. She was wearing jeans and a soft-looking sweater, and when she saw us, her eyes widened.
“Ryder,” she said, her voice full of surprise. “Who is this?”
Ryder squeezed my hand. “Emily, this is my mom. Mom, this is Emily. I found her in the woods. She’s lost.”
The woman—Ryder’s mom—immediately came down the steps and knelt in front of me. Her eyes were warm and kind, just like Ryder’s, and when she looked at me, I felt tears starting again.
“Oh, honey,” she said softly, reaching out to brush a leaf from my hair. “You must have been so scared. Let’s get you inside and call your parents, okay? They’re probably worried sick.”
I nodded, not trusting myself to speak without crying.
Ryder’s mom stood up and put a gentle hand on my shoulder, guiding me toward the door. Ryder stayed right beside me, still holding my hand, and I was grateful for it. I didn’t want him to let go. Not yet.
Inside, the building was even more amazing than the outside. The main room was huge, with high ceilings and big wooden beams. There was a massive fireplace on one wall with a fire crackling in it, and comfortable-looking couches and chairs scattered around. People were everywhere—adults and kids, all talking and laughing. Some of them looked up when we came in, their eyes curious.
“Come on,” Ryder said, tugging on my hand. “Let’s go to my room while Mom calls your parents.”
I followed him up a wide staircase and down a hallway lined with doors. Ryder’s room was at the end, and when he opened the door, I saw it was exactly what a boy’s room should look like. There were posters on the walls—superheroes and cars and one of a wolf howling at the moon. His bed was unmade, and there were toys and books scattered around.
“Sorry it’s messy,” Ryder said, sounding embarrassed.
“It’s okay,” I said. “My room’s messy too.”
That made him smile. He led me over to his bed and we both sat down. My knee was still throbbing, and Ryder noticed me looking at it.
“Does it hurt a lot?” he asked.
“Mom will clean it up when she’s done calling your parents,” he said. Then he jumped up and went to a shelf, pulling down a comic book. “Want to read this while we wait? It’s really good. It’s about a superhero who can turn into a wolf.”
I nodded, and Ryder sat back down next to me, close enough that our shoulders touched. He opened the comic book and started reading it out loud, doing different voices for the different characters. I found myself laughing, the fear and sadness from earlier fading away.
Ryder was nice. Really nice. And funny. And he made me feel safe in a way I couldn’t quite explain.
We were halfway through the comic when there was a knock on the door. Ryder’s mom poked her head in, smiling.
“Emily, your parents are here,” she said gently.
My heart jumped. Mommy and Daddy were here! They’d come to get me!
But at the same time, I felt a weird sinking feeling in my stomach. I didn’t want to leave. I didn’t want to stop reading comics with Ryder.
Ryder must have seen something on my face because he stood up and held out his hand again. “Come on. I’ll go down with you.”
I took his hand and let him lead me back downstairs. In the main room, I saw Mommy and Daddy standing near the door, talking to Ryder’s mom. When Mommy saw me, her face crumpled and she rushed over, dropping to her knees and pulling me into a tight hug.
“Emily! Oh, baby, we were so worried!” She pulled back, her hands on my shoulders, her eyes scanning me for injuries. “Are you okay? Are you hurt?”
“I’m okay,” I said, even though my knee hurt and my hands were scraped. “Ryder found me. He helped me.”
Daddy came over too, and he looked relieved but also a little angry. “Emily, you know you’re not supposed to go into the woods alone. Especially not without telling us.”
“I’m sorry,” I whispered, feeling tears starting again. “I just...I was mad at Tyler, and I wanted to be alone, and I didn’t mean to get lost.”
Daddy’s expression softened, and he reached out to ruffle my hair. “We’ll talk about it at home. Right now, we’re just glad you’re safe.”
The whole time, Ryder stayed right next to me, his hand still in mine. I could feel Mommy and Daddy noticing, but they didn’t say anything about it.
Ryder’s mom brought out a first aid kit and cleaned up my knee while Mommy and Daddy thanked her over and over. I watched Ryder the whole time, and he watched me back, those blue eyes never leaving my face.
Finally, it was time to go. Daddy picked up my jacket that I’d apparently left on the couch, and Mommy took my hand—my other hand, the one Ryder wasn’t holding.
“Come on, sweetie,” she said gently. “Let’s go home.”
I looked at Ryder, and suddenly I felt like crying again. I didn’t want to leave him. What if I never saw him again?
But Ryder smiled at me, that same bright smile that made everything feel okay. “Don’t worry,” he said. “We’ll see each other at school tomorrow.”
I blinked. “We go to the same school?”
“Yeah. I’m in fifth grade. What grade are you in?”
“See? Same school. I’ll look for you at recess, okay?”
I nodded, feeling a little bit better. Then, without really thinking about it, I let go of his hand and threw my arms around him in a hug. Ryder hugged me back, and something inside me settled. Something that had been scared and anxious and lost suddenly felt calm and safe and found.
“Thank you for helping me,” I whispered.
“Anytime,” Ryder whispered back.
When I finally let go and followed Mommy and Daddy out to the car, I kept looking back. Ryder stood in the doorway with his mom, waving. I waved back until we turned a corner and I couldn’t see him anymore.
In the car, Mommy and Daddy asked me questions about what happened, but I barely heard them. I was thinking about Ryder. About his blue eyes and his laugh and the way his hand felt in mine. About how safe I’d felt with him, even though I’d just met him.
The further we drove from that big wooden building, the heavier I felt. Like something was pulling at my chest, trying to drag me back. I pressed my face against the window, watching the trees go by, and felt tears sliding down my cheeks again.
But these tears were different from the scared, lost tears from before. These tears were because I missed Ryder already, and we’d only just met.
I didn’t understand it. I was only eight years old. How could I miss someone I barely knew?
But I did. I missed him so much it hurt.
“Emily?” Mommy’s voice was soft. “Are you okay, baby?”
I nodded, even though it wasn’t quite true. “I’m just tired.”
“It’s been a long day,” Daddy said from the front seat. “When we get home, we’ll have dinner and you can go straight to bed. How does that sound?”
But I knew I wouldn’t be able to sleep. I’d be thinking about Ryder. About his smile and his laugh and the way he’d held my hand and made me feel safe.
About how, even though I’d been lost and scared and alone, he’d found me.
And I couldn’t wait to see Ryder at school tomorrow.
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### Chapter 2: Chapter 2
I looked...good. Not like I was trying too hard, but good enough that maybe Ryder would notice.
God, when had I started caring so much about whether Ryder noticed me?
I knew exactly when. It had been gradual at first, so subtle I hadn’t even realized it was happening. But somewhere between freshman year and now, my feelings for my best friend had shifted into something that made my stomach flip and my heart race whenever he was near.
Ryder was leaving for college in a week. One week. Seven days. And then he’d be gone until Christmas break, and I’d be here without him for the first time since I was eight years old.
The thought made my chest ache.
Tomorrow was his eighteenth birthday. Tonight was his party—the big blowout at the field that everyone had been talking about for weeks. Half the school would be there, including every girl who’d spent the last four years trying and failing to get Ryder’s attention.
Because Ryder didn’t date. He didn’t hook up at parties or flirt with the cheerleaders who threw themselves at him. He was always polite, always kind, but never interested.
Which, of course, made me the target of more jealous glares and snide comments than I could count. I’d learned to ignore it mostly, but sometimes it still stung. Especially when girls like Brittany Chen or Madison Foster would make pointed remarks about how Ryder was “wasting his time” or how I was “keeping him from having a real relationship.”
As if what we had wasn’t real. As if the way he looked at me sometimes, with those impossibly blue eyes that seemed to see straight through me, didn’t make my entire body feel like it was on fire.
My phone buzzed on my dresser, and my heart jumped.
Just one word, but it was enough to send butterflies exploding in my stomach.
I grabbed my white cardigan from the back of my desk chair—the nights were getting cooler now that it was late august—and took one last look in the mirror. My cheeks were already flushed, my eyes bright with anticipation.
This was fine. This was normal. Just another night with Ryder.
Except it wasn’t, because in a week he’d be gone, and I didn’t know how I was going to survive without him.
I headed downstairs, my sneakers quiet on the hardwood steps. Mom was in the kitchen, putting away the last of the dinner dishes, and she looked up when she heard me.
Her face softened into a smile. “Oh, honey. You look beautiful.”
“Thanks, Mom.” I felt my cheeks heat even more.
“Big party tonight?” She dried her hands on a dish towel, her expression knowing.
“Ah.” She nodded slowly. “And how are you feeling about him leaving next week?”
I shrugged, trying to play it off like my heart wasn’t breaking. “It’s fine. He’ll be back for Christmas.”
Mom gave me a look that said she saw right through me, but she didn’t push. “Well, have fun tonight. Be safe. Text me if you need anything.”
“I will.” I kissed her cheek and headed for the door.
The evening air was crisp and cool, carrying the scent of pine and the faint hint of woodsmoke from someone’s fireplace. Our house was on the edge of town, backing up to the woods where I’d gotten lost all those years ago. Where Ryder had found me.
His black Jeep was parked in our driveway, and my breath caught when I saw him.
He was leaning against the driver’s side door, one ankle crossed over the other, looking down at his phone. He was wearing dark jeans and a gray henley that stretched across his broad shoulders and chest in a way that should be illegal. His black hair was slightly messy, like he’d run his hands through it, and even from here I could see the sharp line of his jaw, the curve of his lips.
God, when had Ryder gotten so hot?
I knew the answer to that too. It had been gradual, just like my feelings. One day he’d been the cute boy who’d saved me in the woods, and then suddenly he was six feet tall with muscles that came from hours of training with his dad and a face that made every girl in school lose their ability to form coherent sentences.
As if sensing me—and he probably did, because Ryder always seemed to know when I was near—he looked up from his phone.
His eyes found mine, and I watched as they traveled slowly down my body and back up again. It wasn’t creepy or leering like when other guys checked me out. It was...appreciative. Hungry, almost. Like he was memorizing every detail.
My face burned, but I couldn’t look away.
When his gaze finally met mine again, I gave him my biggest smile, trying to ignore the way my heart was hammering against my ribs.
“Hey,” I said as I walked toward him.
“Hey.” His voice was deeper than it used to be, rough in a way that did things to my insides.
He pushed off the Jeep and opened the passenger door for me, like he always did. Such a small gesture, but it never failed to make me feel special.
I climbed in, and he closed the door gently before rounding the front of the vehicle. I watched him through the windshield, admiring the easy, confident way he moved. Everything about Ryder was graceful, controlled.
He slid into the driver’s seat and started the engine, and then his hand found mine on the center console.
The tingles started immediately, spreading from where our palms touched up my arm and through my entire body. It had been happening for years now, ever since I was twelve or thirteen. At first it had freaked me out, but Ryder had explained that it was normal, and for whatever reason I never questioned him.
I didn’t think too much about it anymore. It was just part of being near Ryder. Part of what made being with him feel so right.
He laced our fingers together as he backed out of the driveway, and I settled into my seat, content just to be near him.
“Are you excited for your birthday dinner tomorrow?” I asked, even though I already knew the answer.
Ryder groaned. “No. You know how much I hate birthday dinners with my family.”
I laughed. I’d never actually been to one of his family birthday dinners—they were family only, some kind of tradition—but Ryder’s stories about them were legendary. Apparently they were always full of drama, with various family members arguing, while Ryder was forced to sit at the head of the table and pretend to enjoy being the center of attention.
“You’ll survive,” I said, squeezing his hand. “And afterwards, you get to spend the night with me.”
His expression softened, and he glanced over at me. “Yeah. That’s what I keep telling myself.”
It was our tradition. Every year on Ryder’s birthday, after he suffered through the family dinner, he’d pick me up and we’d drive out to the cliffs overlooking the valley. We’d build a fire, roast marshmallows, talk for hours, and then sleep under the stars.
When we were younger, one of our parents had always come with us—usually his dad or my dad. But now that we were older, they trusted us to go alone.
Those nights were my favorite. Just me and Ryder, away from everyone else, with nothing but the stars and the fire and each other.
This year felt different though. More significant. Because it would be our last night together before he left for college, and I didn’t know when we’d get another chance to do this.
The thought made my throat tight.
“Em?” Ryder’s voice pulled me from my thoughts. “You okay?”
“Yeah.” I forced a smile. “Just thinking.”
He squeezed my hand, and I knew he understood. He always understood.
The field was already packed when we arrived. Cars lined the dirt road leading up to it, and I could hear the bass from the music thumping even before Ryder turned off the engine. Someone had set up a massive bonfire in the center of the field, and people were scattered everywhere—dancing, drinking, talking in groups.
“Ready?” Ryder asked, but he didn’t let go of my hand.
We walked into the party together, and I felt the eyes on us immediately. Whispers followed in our wake, and I caught more than one girl shooting daggers at me with her eyes.
I ignored them. I’d gotten good at that over the years.
Ryder kept me close, his hand never leaving mine. When people came up to wish him happy early birthday or congratulate him on getting into college, I stayed tucked against his side. When someone offered him a drink, he took it with his free hand, because the other one was still holding mine.
We weren’t dating. We’d never kissed, never done anything more than hold hands and hug and occasionally fall asleep curled up together on one of our couches during movie nights.
But everyone thought we were together. And honestly? Sometimes it felt like we were.
I’d had a few drinks—more than I probably should have—and I was feeling warm and loose and happy. The party was loud and chaotic, but I felt safe with Ryder’s arm around my waist, his body solid and warm against mine.
“I need to use the bathroom,” I said, leaning up to speak directly into his ear so he could hear me over the music.
He nodded and reluctantly let me go. “Don’t be long.”
The porta-potties were set up on the far edge of the field, away from the main party. I wrinkled my nose as I approached them—they were disgusting, but it was better than trying to find a private spot in the woods.
When I came back out, I scanned the crowd for Ryder’s familiar dark head. He was tall enough that I could usually spot him easily, but there were so many people...
I turned to find a guy I vaguely recognized from school blocking my path. He was a senior, I thought. Played football. His name was... Derek? Derrick?
“Hi,” I said politely, trying to step around him.
He moved to block me again. “Where you going so fast? Party’s just getting started.”
“I’m just trying to find my friend.”
“Your friend?” He grinned, and I could smell the alcohol on his breath. “You mean Ryder Black? Come on, everyone knows you two aren’t really together. He’s just too nice to tell you he’s not interested.”
I tried to push past him, but his hand shot out and grabbed my wrist.
“Hey, don’t be like that. I’m just trying to talk to you.” His grip was tight, almost painful. “You’re really pretty, you know that? Way too pretty to be wasting your time on a guy who doesn’t want you.”
Fear spiked through me, cutting through the pleasant buzz from the alcohol. “Let go of me.”
“Come on, just give me a chance—”
“I said let go!” I shoved at his chest with my free hand, but he was so much bigger than me, so much stronger.
He laughed, and then suddenly I was falling. My back hit the ground hard, knocking the air from my lungs, and panic flooded through me as he loomed over me.
“You shouldn’t have done that,” he said, and there was something dark in his eyes that made my blood run cold.
I opened my mouth to scream, but before I could make a sound, a growl ripped through the air.
Not a human sound. Something primal and terrifying and absolutely furious.
Derek was suddenly gone, tackled away from me by a blur of motion. I scrambled backward, my heart pounding, and watched in shock as Ryder slammed his fist into Derek’s face.
Derek tried to fight back, but he didn’t stand a chance. Ryder was faster, stronger, and absolutely savage. Blood sprayed from Derek’s nose, and he made a horrible gurgling sound as Ryder hit him again.
“Ryder!” I screamed, finally finding my voice. “Ryder, stop!”
He didn’t seem to hear me. His eyes were wild, almost glowing in the firelight, and I could see his hands shaking with barely controlled rage.
A crowd had gathered, people shouting and pulling out their phones, but no one was brave enough to get between Ryder and his target.
I pushed myself to my feet, ignoring the pain in my back and the way my hands were shaking. “Ryder, please!”
I ran to him and grabbed his arm, and the moment I touched him, something shifted. He froze, his fist raised for another blow, and then slowly turned to look at me.
His eyes were definitely glowing now, an eerie blue light that should have terrified me but somehow didn’t.
“Em,” he breathed, and his voice was rough, almost broken.
“I’m okay,” I said softly, keeping my hand on his arm. “I’m okay. You can stop now.”
He looked back down at Derek, who was groaning and bleeding on the ground, and I felt the tension in his body. He wanted to keep going. Every instinct in him was screaming to finish what he’d started.
“Please,” I whispered. “For me.”
That did it. He lowered his fist and stood, pulling me against his chest. I could feel his heart racing, could feel the tremors running through his body as he fought for control.
“Matt!” he barked, and one of his friends—a tall guy with sandy hair who was one of Ryder’s cousins—appeared at his side. “Get him out of here. Make sure your dad knows what he did.”
Matt’s expression darkened. “Consider it done.”
He grabbed Derek under the arms and started dragging him away. The crowd was dispersing now, the show over, people muttering and whispering as they went back to their drinks and their dancing.
“Come on,” Ryder said quietly, his arm tight around my waist. “Let’s get you out of here.”
He guided me back to his Jeep, and I let him, still shaking from the adrenaline and the fear and the shock of seeing Ryder lose control like that.
He opened the passenger door and helped me in, his hands gentle despite the blood on his knuckles. Then he rounded the Jeep and climbed into the driver’s seat, but he didn’t start the engine. Instead, he turned to me, his eyes searching my face.
“I’m sorry I ruined your party, Ryder,” I said, my voice small.
His expression twisted. “You didn’t do anything, Em. It was that idiot, and he will be dealt with.” His voice was hard on the last part, promising retribution that made me shiver.
Then his gaze softened. “Are you hurt?”
I shook my head automatically, but when he reached for my arm—the one Derek had grabbed—I couldn’t help the small wince that escaped me.
Ryder’s jaw clenched. He gently pushed up the sleeve of my cardigan, revealing the red marks on my wrist where Derek’s fingers had dug in. They’d probably be bruises by tomorrow.
“I’m going to kill him,” Ryder said quietly, and I believed him.
But he wasn’t listening. He lifted my wrist to his lips and pressed a soft kiss to the red marks, so gentle it made my breath catch.
My entire body flushed hot. The tingles that always came from his touch intensified, spreading like wildfire through my veins, and suddenly I was hyperaware of everything. The way his lips felt against my skin. The way his thumb was stroking the inside of my wrist. The way he was looking at me, his blue eyes dark and intense and filled with something that made my heart race for an entirely different reason.
The air in the Jeep felt thick, charged with an electricity that made it hard to breathe. Ryder was still holding my wrist, his lips just barely touching my skin, and I could see the war playing out on his face.
He wanted to kiss me. I could see it in his eyes, in the way his gaze kept dropping to my lips and then back up again. In the way his breathing had gone shallow and quick.
I wanted him to kiss me. God, I wanted it so badly I ached with it.
“Ryder,” I whispered, and I didn’t even know what I was asking for.
His eyes flashed that eerie blue again, and for a moment I thought he was going to do it. Thought he was going to close the distance between us and finally, finally kiss me the way I’d been dreaming about for months.
But then he dropped my wrist like it had burned him and turned away, starting the engine with shaking hands.
“I should get you home,” he said, his voice rough and strained.
Confusion and hurt crashed over me. “Ryder—”
“It’s late. Your parents will worry.”
He pulled out of the field and onto the road, driving faster than he normally did. His hands were white-knuckled on the steering wheel, and he wouldn’t look at me.
The drive back to my house felt like it took forever and no time at all. When he pulled into my driveway, he barely put the Jeep in park before he was saying, “I’ll see you tomorrow night. For the cliffs.”
“Okay,” I said quietly, trying to understand what had just happened. Why he was suddenly acting like he couldn’t wait to get away from me.
I climbed out of the Jeep, my heart heavy, and he drove away before I even made it to the front door.
I stood there in the driveway, watching his taillights disappear down the street, and felt tears prick at my eyes.
He’d wanted to kiss me. I knew he had. So why had he pulled away?
Why did it feel like he was running from me?
And how was I supposed to survive him leaving for college when I couldn’t even survive one night of him pushing me away?
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