Destined (War of the Covens 2)

“Cy’s got Lucien wrapped around her little pinkie and vice versa.”

“Before I left, I got the impression they were going to ignore their mating.”

“Nothing’s changed. They’re still idiots.”

Jaeden chuckled and sipped at her Coke. “I’ve missed the pack and all the drama.”

“I would’ve thought breaking coven laws and hunting vampyres would have been enough drama.”

“That was bad drama. The pack is good drama.”

“So why did you leave?”

She went back to glaring at him. He enjoyed annoying her further by grinning at her.

Jae sighed. “You never give up, do you?”

“I’m tenacious. Persistent. Determined. Dogged—”

“You’re like a rash that won’t go away.”

His smile widened, but he didn’t have a chance to retort because their food arrived. The first few minutes of silence descended on their table while they dug in. Ryder decided to choose his moment carefully, waiting until a moan of pleasure escaped from Jaeden. Now that she had eaten, she might be more amenable to answering the damn question.

“Why did you leave?”

This time she watched him as she chewed carefully, swallowed, and sipped her drink. She was deliberately tormenting him, fully aware of his lack of patience.

“You really want to know?”

Finally.

He nodded, afraid he would say the wrong thing and lose the moment.

At first as she spoke, Jae held his stare, strong and steady. “After what happened, I was in too much pain to be comforted, and I knew my coldness would only hurt my family.” She stopped and her gaze dropped. “I didn’t know how to tell them all that had happened to me. I didn’t want to hurt them any more with that knowledge. And I was just … a mess … I didn’t want them to see me like that.”

She refused to meet his eyes.

You’re lying.

Oh, he was sure what she’d just revealed was partly the truth, but there was more. He could feel it. What was she hiding from him, from them all?

Ryder concealed his interest. She ate the rest of her food, seeming more relaxed, believing he had bought it.

Well, let her relax, he mused, while I find out what the Hades she’s been up to.

Jae was feeling lighter. She didn’t have any nightmares last night, no telekinesis kicking in. Ryder seemed to have bought her story and was no longer asking annoying and prying questions. In fact, the rest of breakfast had been fun. They talked and laughed, and he filled her in on what had been happening with the pack while she was gone. If the rest of the pack was this easy, perhaps her return would go smoother that she’d thought.

Ah, she couldn’t wait to go on a run. Her body was screaming for the change.

“We’ll be home soon enough and you can run as much as you like.” Ryder smiled, walking closely by her side as they crossed the lot back to her motel room.

Goddess, she hadn’t realized she’d said that out loud.

“My stuff’s already in the truck. You got your bag together?”

“It’s already packed.” She unlocked the door and wrinkled her nose as she stepped inside the rank room. “I can’t believe you made me sleep here.”

Stepping farther in, a slight coppery smell tickled her nostrils, and she abruptly stopped.

“Oof.” Ryder banged into her back, sending her stumbling forward.

She whirled to face him, her eyes narrowed in concentration. “Do you smell that?”

He puckered his brow, twirling his keys impatiently. “Don’t smell a thing except urine, beer, and sex. Can we please go?”

She shook her head, unconvinced, eyes searching the room. “I smell … I dunno … something familiar.”

“What’s not familiar about urine, beer, and—”

She smirked at him as he flushed. “And?” she prompted, enjoying his discomfort.

“Just get your bag,” Ryder muttered, turning away from her.

Jaeden laughed and turned toward her things, only to stop again. “Hey!”

“What?” Suddenly he was right at her back in defense mode.

Her T-shirt and jeans lay strewn across the ancient chair in the corner of the room, crumpled beside her now-open backpack.

“I could’ve sworn I packed this before we went for breakfast.”

“Is that all?” he whined. “Goddess, Jae, I thought there was an actual problem, not some hormonal imbalance causing female memory loss.”

“Hey!” She snapped around at him, glaring while she stuffed her things back into her bag. “I know you’re more of a gentleman than that to talk chauvinistic crap to a lady, so stop trying to irritate the life out of me, Ryder, before I go crazy and end yours!”

He grinned, his golden-brown eyes glittering with humor. “Why would I stop when it’s this much fun? Truly …” He placed a hand on his chest. “You bring such joy to my life.”

She was not going to laugh at him.

Or think about how lighthearted he made her feel.

How good.

No. Down that road, there be complications.

Instead she threw her backpack at him and strode past his laughing face. “You’re funny,” she said sarcastically. “The fact that you’ve been designated the pack golden retriever really doesn’t seem to have dampened your spirits at all.”