Ascended (War of the Covens 3)

Finally, she lay in wolf form, panting into the forest floor. She wondered if she would be happier as a wolf. And then she saw a rabbit dash from between the trees, its frightened eye catching sight of her before it tore off into the camouflage of the woods. A real wolf would see the rabbit and lick its lips at the thought of the hunt and kill, but a lykan like her still had “aw, a bunny” thoughts running through her head. Probably wouldn’t be happier as just as a wolf, then.

Ignoring the frightened lump of fur, Jae got up and ran in the opposite direction. Her mind cleared with the run, her muscles unknotted, her soul forgotten along with the time. She ran for hours, the fading light suggesting she head back and change into her clothes for dinner. With a huff through her snout, she raced back through the trees and skidded to a stop when she came to her clothes and the broken china. The change back was faster, and the cold night air made her hurry back into her clothes. She was just pulling her T-shirt over her head when a familiar voice sucked the breath out of her body.

“You were gone awhile.”

Jaeden finished dressing and spun to find Ryder leaning against the tree she’d used as target practice. He gave the broken plates a pointed look but didn’t say anything.

She gulped as he crossed his arms over his chest, his biceps rippling as he moved. Oh goddess, he looked good in those jeans and white T-shirt. Smells good too, she thought longingly as she caught his scent in the breeze.

“No hello?” he asked, straightening. His eyes were narrowed and challenging. Full of dislike.

She shrugged defensively. “What do you want?”

He laughed, low and grim. “What do I want, she asks. That’s funny.”

Her stomach churned, not liking his tone at all. They hadn’t spoken in weeks, and before when they had, she’d still had all that anger keeping her nice and detached. Now she was just a vulnerable mess. An easy target.

“What’s funny?” she asked quietly, trying to infuse some belligerence into her voice.

He moved slowly toward her, and she felt herself back up unconsciously. “You. Asking me what I want? Not really something that’s crossed your mind these last few weeks.”

Jaeden didn’t reply. There was nothing she could say. She had abandoned him when he needed her most.

“What?” he mocked. “No witty comeback, no insult to cut me to the quick?”

“Ry—”

“How about telling me you don’t love me anymore … ’cause I gotta tell you, I really enjoyed that the first time around.”

“I—”

“No. Forget about me for a minute. Why don’t we talk about the fact that you haven’t spoken to your mother since her husband died—”

She growled, “My father!”

Ryder glared at her and smacked a hand off his forehead. “Oh, stupid me, I forgot Jaeden was the only one to lose someone that day!”

She groaned, feeling frustrated tears burn her throat and eyes. “Ryder, please don—”

“Ryder, don’t what?” he spat. “Finally give you hell for all your bullshit?”

Jaeden squirmed, wishing the ground would swallow her whole. Her mate had finally snapped, and he wanted to have it out, here and now. She didn’t think she could handle it. So she did what she’d been good at lately and walked past him toward the hotel. A frightening snarl ripped from the back of his throat and his hand shot out, gripping her by the T-shirt and propelling her back with force into a tree. He loomed over in the darkness, his amber eyes bright with fury as he pinned her there.

“You’re not going anywhere until I’m finished,” he cursed. “I lost my mother. Julia lost her husband. Mal and Fin lost their parents. And Draven and Kade lost their kids, for Gaia’s sake.” His hot breath rushed over her face, and she couldn’t help but tremble under the heat of his anger. “I am sorry about Dimitri. I know how close you were, but that does not give you the right to treat the people who still care about you like dirt.”

“I ne—”

“I’m not done!” he roared, and she flinched back, truly scared of him now. This was a Ryder she’d never encountered before. “This might be the last real conversation you and I ever have, and I want you to know exactly what I think about you.”

Oh goddess, no, please no, let it end, let it end, please let me be deaf, please let me be deaf.

Ryder took that moment to take a deep breath, clearly trying to control himself. He stilled, and his eyes washed over her face as if he were tallying up her features. “I never thought you would ever be this selfish. I never thought you would ever be this cruel or hateful. And I never thought there would come a day, and so soon into our mating, that I would say I couldn’t trust you—” He broke off, the words catching in his throat.