Total pages in book: 120
Estimated words: 113406 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 567(@200wpm)___ 454(@250wpm)___ 378(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 113406 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 567(@200wpm)___ 454(@250wpm)___ 378(@300wpm)
When Bracken had left the lodge earlier, she’d expected him to be back within an hour. More than four hours later, she was still waiting for him to show—and still feeling his cold rage through their bond. It was a good thing she hadn’t held off on having dinner until he returned, or she’d be starving right now.
Politely turning down Harley’s offer to eat with her and Jesse, Madisyn had instead helped herself to some microwavable mac and cheese—all while taking a call from a highly anxious Dawn, assuring her that she was fine, and there was no need for Dawn to come all the way down here to check on her.
Dead leaves crunching.
The sound made Madisyn turn her head. The light spilling out of the lodge’s back window illuminated the large gray wolf that slowly padded her way, seeming . . . not tired, but weary. Her brow creased. She wondered if Bracken’s cold rage was somehow draining or weighing the wolf down.
When she’d called Nick not so long ago to ask if everything was okay, he’d replied, “Bracken got the answers he needed, he’ll be with you soon.” He’d waited a beat before adding, “He’s not himself right now. Try to be patient with him.”
Crossing right to her, the wolf nuzzled her hair and licked at her face.
“Ew.” She covered his muzzle and gently pushed it away with one hand while petting his neck with the other. There was a hint of soap in his scent, making her wonder if Bracken had showered at the main lodge before making his way here in his wolf form. She didn’t have to wonder what he’d been washing away from his skin.
The wolf settled beside her on the blanket and rested his head on her chest. She continued to pet him, running her fingers through all that surprisingly soft fur. They stayed there like that for a while. He usually pulled back after some affection from her, but she soon noticed that his eyelids were beginning to droop.
Madisyn arched a brow. “Not planning to shift back soon, huh?” Either Bracken wasn’t ready to talk yet or the wolf needed touch. Maybe it was both. Fine. Bracken was much easier to talk to when he couldn’t butt in anyway. And if he was still stuck in detached mode, she wasn’t in a rush for him to shift back. Maybe he’d be better for having the time to snap out of it. And while she was interested to hear what the hyena had said, she already suspected he was likely to be a lone shifter hired by Archer.
“I noticed the rockery over there by the porch,” she said, knowing Bracken would hear and understand her. It wasn’t there that morning, which meant he’d built it while she was at the shelter. The realization had melted her frustration at his detached manner. “Thank you. My cat had a lot of fun in it while we waited for you.”
The wolf’s eyes flashed human as he licked at her jaw, which she translated into Bracken acknowledging her gratitude and assuring her that she was welcome. Eyelids once more falling shut, the wolf drifted off. Madisyn decided to do the same. Tomorrow. They could talk tomorrow.
Madisyn woke alone. Her stomach growled at the scent of eggs, bacon, pancakes, and coffee.
Apparently, Bracken was cooking. Thanks to the mating bond, she sensed that the cold rage was gone. But since the only thing she was picking up from him was hunger, she couldn’t quite gauge his emotional state.
Getting to her feet, she grabbed the blanket from the ground and dumped it on the porch swing as she made her way into the lodge.
Bracken looked up from where he was loading two plates with food. He stilled, clearly unsure what reception he’d receive, bracing himself for impact. “Morning, baby.”
She could see that he was waiting for her to condemn him for emotionally bailing on her. Waiting for her to yell at him for selfishly making yesterday all about him and what he felt when she’d been the one who’d been attacked. Waiting for her to go to war with him over his very firm statement that he’d be her shadow whenever she left his territory.
God knew he deserved to hear all those things.
The thing was . . . she didn’t want to fight with him. “Next time you swan off leaving me with members of your pack, you and I are gonna have problems. Do you have any idea how chatty Shaya and Ally can be? Harley, Roni, and Gwen all turned up. I like them well enough, but I’m not used to dealing with visitors. I don’t make a good host.”
Bracken let out a long, relieved breath. He crossed to her and took her hands. “I’m sorry, baby. I’m sorry I shut down on you. It happens sometimes, and I never know how to undo it. I wasn’t there for you last night. Not physically or emotionally. I didn’t mean to take that long, but it doesn’t change the fact that I left you on a night when you’d just been attacked.”