Series: Unforgiven Country Series by Jenika Snow
Total pages in book: 14
Estimated words: 12868 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 64(@200wpm)___ 51(@250wpm)___ 43(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 12868 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 64(@200wpm)___ 51(@250wpm)___ 43(@300wpm)
I can tell my presence here affects him, but whether that’s in a good or bad way is yet to be seen.
“So, you might be staying in Unforgiven?” he asks and brings the bottle to his mouth, taking a long pull from it as he watches me over the rim.
“I was thinking about it,” I say honestly. I saw the flash of emotion cross over his face when I told him I might be staying in town permanently. I saw the way his eyes glowed yellow from his wolf, as if his inner animal was taking stock of how the situation was going.
He doesn’t say anything and I feel this heavy weight settle on my shoulders.
I should’ve called, shouldn’t have just inserted my life back into his like this. It isn’t right, and it isn’t fair to him.
We are so different, yet I feel he is—was—the first person, the only one, who truly knew me. I’m a human, he’s a wolf. Technically, us being together will never work, right? He’s destined to lead his pack, to be Alpha. How will I work in that equation?
A psychic human who is more fragile than the weakest female wolf shifter in his pack.
Yeah, I see that going over real well with everyone, see his pack accepting me as much as a thorn in their paw. I could snort at the very thought.
I avert my gaze and look at how he rests his arm on the back of his chair, his finger slowly moving up and down the edge of it. I can feel him watching me, but I’m too afraid to look into his eyes, to see his emotions reflected back at me.
I hurt him when I left, I know that. Hell, I hurt myself by leaving.
But surely Wyatt would have known I had to leave in order to survive?
“I’m sorry for just barging into your life like this.” I stand and smooth my hands down my skirt, and then promptly curl my fingers into my palms. I don’t want him to see that my hands are shaking.
I see the way his nostrils flare and I know he’s reading me, taking in my emotions. I don’t have to say anything for him to know what’s going on inside of me.
He doesn’t say anything as he stares at me, but I can see the play of thought on his face. He’s thinking hard.
I nod my goodbye because I don’t know what else to say. I turn, ready to leave, to lick my wounds—so to speak—when I feel a big hand wrap around my wrist, pulling me to a stop. I look over my shoulder and see Wyatt holding on to me. I didn’t hear him get out of his chair, but that’s not unusual given the fact that this shifter is stealthy on the worst of days, and a fucking immortal on the best.
“Nothing to be sorry about,” he says in his gravelly, growly voice. It is the same one that gave me goosebumps back in the day. Looks like that still holds true. “I’m glad you’re back in Unforgiven. I’m glad you’re back in my life.”
And just like that, my feelings for Wyatt come rushing back to the surface, so strong that I actually gasp from them.
And just like that, I am his.
4
WYATT
Kendra’s body softens and relaxes against me. We stand like that for a few minutes. I breathe in her scent and allow the beast in me to relax.
I’ve missed you Kendi.
I don’t give voice to those four words, but inside I’m screaming them.
“I’ve missed you too, Wyatt. So much,” she whispers.
My body stiffens when she echoes my thoughts.
For a minute, I let my guard down and forgot that she could hear my thoughts and feel my emotions. I keep a block in place, not wanting her to read too deeply, but maybe it’s for the best I let her in a little … especially if she’s going to be living here.
“You’re the one that left,” I tell her, and there’s no way to keep the bitterness out of my voice.
“I couldn’t stay, Wyatt. I thought leaving would be for the best.”
I lift her face up with my thumb and finger under her chin so her gaze locks with mine. I look deeply into her eyes, and there’s so much emotion there it makes my chest hurt and my wolf roar in hunger.
“No one asked you to leave, Kendi. I sure as hell didn’t.”
“I couldn’t stay, Wyatt. Surely you see that.”
“I don’t see that at all. Unforgiven is your home—just like it’s mine. You don’t belong in the city, Kendi. I’m surprised you didn’t wither up and die there.”
“That would have happened if I stayed here and…” She trails off, trying to pull her face away from mine, but I don’t let her. I keep our gazes connected.