Moon Dancer - Hidden Wolf 1

Grayson

The wolf walks out of the room, leaving just the pack.

I am hyperventilating, my fingers trembling at my sides. This was it.

There's only one reason why Ryker would make him leave.

No witnesses.

I swallow my whine and close my eyes, letting my tears run off of my cheeks onto my shirt.

I had told them, and now they were going to kill me.

But they needed to know. I couldn't lead them on. I couldn't keep such a huge secret from them.

"What the hell man?" Finn says.

"Ryker, what the fuck was that about?" Ares growls. "He's trying to help. And we've got no idea-"

I hear movement, and know that Ryker has stood up. He slowly walks toward me, his pack talking to his back.

"I thought you wanted him here?" Jagger says.

The footsteps stop right in front of me and my heart drops to my stomach. He was going to hit me. A small whimper escapes me as I flinch back against the wall.

"Grayson." Ryker whispers. At some point, he had kneeled down in front of me.

"Did she hear all that?" Finn asks.

"How long has she been there?" Ares says in a harsh voice. My bottom lip trembles. Would he want the first hit?

"Ignore them." Ryker says.

A featherlight touch caresses my cheek the same time Ryker caresses my mind. I gasp, having forgotten that he was still there. I try to shove him out, but he surrounds himself with an impenetrable storm of wind.

This was different than just talking down the bond - mindlinking. We were fully linked. Part of him was in my mind.

"Grayson. I am not going to hurt you." Ryker says softly. His fingers hold my cheek gently. "I am not going to let anyone hurt you." He switches to talking in my mind. "I honestly don't care that you're a Gypsy. You're Grayson. That's all that matters."

I squeeze my eyes tighter and slap my hands over my ears, bringing my head down in between my legs. "You're lying!" I shout into his head, cowering away from him.

"No. I'm not." Ryker says out loud and then repeats it in my head.

He grasps my shoulder and tugs me into a kneeling position in front of me.

"Look at me, Grayson. Feel that I'm telling you the truth." His voice booms with power, yet he doesn't use his bark.

"I do not care that you are a Gypsy. I will care for you no matter what race you are." He says.

His brown eyes are laid bare in front of me, and when his skill reaches out and runs along my spine in soothing strokes, the panic in my mind clears a bit.

"Do you hear me?" He asks.

I nod.

A small smile tilts the side of his mouth. "Good."

Ryker wipes away my tears and I find myself needing to hear him say it one more time.

Still in my mind, Ryker feels my need right away. But instead of repeating the same thing again, he leans in and presses his lips to mine.

It only lasts a second, but he doesn't pull more than a hair-length away. With his lips resting softly against mine, he speaks into my mind. "I accept you as my mate, Gypsy."

More tears well in my eyes as I tremble. He meant it. He really truly meant it.

I lean forward and pressed our lips together again. Ryker's hands move from my face and wrap around my torso. He pulls me onto his lap, ever so gently. I lean back from his face and look into his eyes again.