Destined for Disaster ✔️

Chapter 25

Austin returned from his patrol late at night, tired out and sweaty. He fully expected Ryleigh to be sleeping, since it was bordering on midnight. When he got to his room, however, there was no sign of her.

"Where's Ryleigh?" he linked her guards, hoping she hadn't ditched them again.

"She is with Sky. I don't know where they went," was the answer he received.

He frowned and donned a clean shirt before linking Sky. "Hey, is Ryleigh with you?"

He waited impatiently for an answer, a small breath slipping past his lips when Sky's answer came: "We're in the hall."

A lot of pack members frequently gathered in the hall at night to share each other's company. There would be music, conversation, drinking – everything that kept them amused. Austin went back outside and walked to the hall, not sure what to expect. He halted in the door opening, scanning the crowded space for his mate. Her scent reached him before he spotted her, and he followed it.

Usually evenings like this were loud, but right then it was silent. In the front of the room, sitting at the head of one of the long tables, Camden was telling stories. Being one of the senior werewolves, he'd seen a lot, and the others always loved to hear his experiences. All heads were turned to him. He was talking about a war he fought decades ago, and his story was made all the more ominous because he was telling it by little light. It was dark outside and the only light came from the candles placed on every table and the hearth fire burning in the back of the room.

At a table close to Camden's, Austin at last found Ryleigh. She was sitting beside Sky, leaning forward with her head resting on her hand, her elbow resting on the table. She was engrossed in the story, watching Camden with wide eyes. Sky gave him a little wave as he approached, but Ryleigh was still oblivious. She didn't even seem to notice his scent, which he knew must be very obvious to her, just like hers was very obvious to him. Not that he was complaining. He didn't usually catch her unawares and right then he saw a side of her he hadn't seen before. An innocent one. Shadows danced across her face, and the light of the candle reflected in her dark eyes, making them shimmer. There was a child-like wonder in her gaze that captivated him.

Sky got up and that, too, Ryleigh didn't notice. She walked over to Austin, smiling.

"She's been sitting like that for over an hour."

"I had no idea she liked stories," Austin said, still looking at her. Was that the woman that had attacked Sky? The woman that had escaped and ran for hours despite her numerous injuries? She looked so young right then, with her hair cascading down her back and framing her face and her lips slightly parted in wonder.

"Yes, which is pretty unfortunate for you," Sky said.

"What do you mean?"

"Well, now you have no choice but to admit you have something in common with her. That must be tough for you."

"Funny," he said. "She's my mate, it's to be expected that we have some things in common."

Camden concluded his tale and sat back, sipping from a glass of wine to revive his voice. Ryleigh slowly blinked back to reality, releasing a breath as though she had been holding it throughout the entire story. It was only then she noticed Sky was no longer beside her and she turned around with her brows drawn down in confusion. When she spotted her companion next to her mate, her bewilderment grew. She awkwardly waved at them.

"Will you take it from here?" Sky said.

"Yes, thank you for staying with her."

"My pleasure. It's been quiet without Julie. Ryleigh keeps me busy." She nodded at him and removed herself from his side.