Free Me From the Wolves

[39] Free Me From the Wolves

Author's Note: Howdy, the next book in this series is called "Embracing the Wolves." I hope y'all enjoy!

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When I woke up, there was sunlight streaming in from the windows and whatever cracks there were in the Everton house. I could already tell it was gonna be a hot day outside because the interior was hot and humid—and that was without the werewolf I was sleeping against because right now he was missing. In his place was a soft blanket that was thrown across me and a bag note on the couch. I sat up and grabbed the note.

"Good morning. Here's some breakfast. I was going to get you a coffee, but I figured by the time you would wake up it would be cold...and I also remembered that you don't like coffee so there's that detail," I smirked at the beginning and left the note in order to look in the bag to see a boxed up omelet and chocolate chip muffin. I smiled at the gesture and starting eating the muffin before I returned to the message. "I'm sorry I wasn't there to wake you. It's not because of school or football, but because I didn't know how to tell you I had to leave. I can't keep hurting you. I should've just listened to you about loving you and going away."

I didn't even bother to dwell on the next line when he dared to sign it "Love, Ryder" because it didn't matter. It made me question if anything mattered because I had given every ounce of emotions and inch of my body to Ryder only for him to do exactly the thing we feared. But I hoped that he was somewhere collapsing from the pain that I was causing him from the massive heart break I had just read. I was hurt and confused and angry and broken all at the same time that it didn't just hurt in my chest, it hurt all over at I hated it. I hated that I couldn't hate him. All I could do was allow the pain to paralyze me and watch tears drip out of my eyes to release any sadness I had within me before the rage took over.

Between the time it took for me to get dressed and grab the keys that Ryder had conveniently left in my pocket, I was more upset because I didn't know if I was more mad at him or me. To anyone, including myself, it appeared that he had betrayed me like any downhill drama had dictated—to leave me after we finally had sex, but I was angry because I was supposed to be angry. Most of me didn't even believe or process what was happening because it didn't make sense. The way he spoke and acted and even left me with a blanket and food and a way home proved that he wasn't just some heartless bastard wanting to play me, so why do the one thing that would crush any girl—after he knew him going AWOL was my kryptonite. I sounded pathetic and weak and I hated it more than anything.

"I love you, just trust me," I suddenly kept hearing on repeat when I furiously drove home. I didn't know if it was my wolf's last ditch effort to not completely reject the bond or what, but it was in Ryder's voice so calm and soothing every few moments or so when I had refueled my rage at him. I didn't even need him to say it because I knew I loved him and I still pathetically trusted him. I mean, if he said and acted as he has last night, him leaving must have been serious, right? UGH.

"I love you, just trust me," rang out again and I finally stopped hearing him after either me telling him not to tell me to do something I was already doing or maybe to shut the hell up, but it didn't matter when I made it home. When I pulled up, there were three cars already there despite none of them needing to be there at this time when Cassandra should've been at work, Andrew at school, and Zander anywhere else on the planet where I wasn't. At this time, I figured I had shut off the telepathy because I began urgently asking Ryder what was going on and got no reply.

When I unlocked the front door, as soon as the chambers spun, the door was being opened from the inside and I was being dragged in.

"Where have you been!?" Andrew and Cassandra yelled at me in their own personal ways while only Cassandra hugged me. My eyes only met the bruised ones of Zander. They weren't the only indications of Ryder's retaliation.