CHAPTER 3

Iwent to bed before River got home. As perfect as our relationship was, the one thing that always got to me was going to bed alone—especially when it was a massive king sized one. But he always made it up to me when he'd get in; showering and then climbing into his sheets to cuddle me. And tonight was no different.

The strong smell of oud wood and roasted chestnut overwhelmed my senses, like a toasty fireplace. He smelt warm, comforting and capable.

"You're back." I happily mumbled in my sleepy state. I cosied up to him, basking in his body heat.

"I'm back, Vee." He nuzzled his face into my neck, holding me tight against him.

"Everything okay with the pack?"

He squeezed me tighter. "Nothing you have to worry about, sweetheart." He placed gentle kisses all along my neck and down my shoulder.

Everything was easy with River. We'd been inseparable from the moment I walked into Saint Claire Middle School and he gave me that lovable smile when I bumped into him at lunch. He invited me to his table like the caring soul he was and we became fast friends.

Everyone knew we would get together when we hit high school. It was only a matter of time considering we were basically tied at the hip. And it wasn't an awkward transition either, there was no worrying if we'd ruin the friendship and certainly no one-sidedness. It was just the logical progression of our friendship. There was no one else for either of us. Yes, we both had other friends of the opposite gender; River grew up in the pack and had flawless girls like Sky around him his whole life, but it was never like that, I never had to worry. They were just his pack, and I was different.

And of course my eyes never wandered to another guy after they landed on Riv. Even at twelve I knew he was the most beautiful boy I'd ever seen with his soft, warm features and gentle soul. We were the ‘best friends turned high school sweethearts'—the ones that everyone shipped.

We were also that annoying couple; you know the one that was always together and finished each other"s sentences. If you saw us on the street we were always holding hands or hugging—touching in one way or another. But we weren't big on the PDA. We had an image to uphold in our little nosey town. River was the boy next door, adored and looked up to by everyone, so we kept things PG. The bedroom was a whole other story, that's when his possessive nature often kicked in; the struggle between his dominating wolf and his loving human side. I'd never know which one I'd get. Which wasn't a deal breaker for me, it kept things interesting.

That night I got the wolf.

???

The smell of coffee wafted in the air the next morning, River greeting me in bed with two steaming mugs. We lazed around, enjoying the morning sun that always lit up his room perfectly.

"You're coming to the pack run bonfire tomorrow night, right angel?" He asked as he slipped back under the covers.

"Of course," I smiled warmly at him, cradling my coffee like it was precious.

Every month on the full moon, River hosted a bonfire to celebrate the pack run, a time for the wolves to shift together and sprint through the surrounding forest as one. As the alpha, he would always invite the whole pack to his place for food, music and an overall good time. He and the boys would put on a barbecue, serving everyone a feast while others mingled or sat around the bonfire singing and playing music. It was a time of bonding for them and I loved that I got to be a part of it. Most of the time I would help organise everything; gathering supplies, setting up the drinks and serving the food while the boys did most of the cooking. Skylar and I were always happy to be their kitchen hands.

After everyone ate and drank and socialised, when the moon would reach its apex, the pack would gather together, shed their clothes and run off into the woods. It was truly spectacular, seeing them all shift into their beautiful furred beasts.

I'd usually stay back with some of the other partners or children and we'd sit by the fire and share stories until the wolves returned. Some of the wolves also had human partners so there were a few others like me that I usually hung out with while the pack ran, meaning I never felt alone or too out of place. And it was nice to see how others in a similar position to us made it work, although it was still quite rare.

"Did you want me to head out to the shops today and pick up some things?" I offered. "I'm sure Sky or Axel wouldn't mind joining me."

River rubbed his chin in thought. "You know what, I'm gonna send the guys out to handle some pack business today. There's still a few things we need to get sorted and we can't let the pack run distract us too much right now. But the guys can handle it, at least for a bit. Let's go together."

"Are you sure?" I didn't want him to feel like he needed to if there were more important things he had to attend to.

"Of course. I hate to miss out on a chance to go grocery shopping with you like a normal couple." He flashed his pearly whites at me as he got up. "Get ready, I'll mind-link the boys to meet me for a quick debrief and then we can go." Leaning back down, he gave me a quick peck.

"Alright, sounds good."

I enjoyed a few extra moments in bed, savouring my favourite combination of sunlight and coffee, and then got up to get ready.

River's bathroom was peaceful and serene, and I always felt like one with nature when I used it. I stepped into the large open shower in the beige room. All the walls and the sink were rendered in this beautiful cream textured concrete and the back wall of the shower was a large window that looked over the forest, letting in rays of natural light. The decor was light wood, adding to the natural aesthetic that was so very River. He would shower outside in a waterfall if there was one. That was where we differed.

Once I was done in the bathroom, I threw on a pair of blue jeans, a white tee and a matching pair of trusty converses to complete my errand look. By the time I started drying my hair, River was strolling into the bathroom. His large arms snaked around my waist and he hugged me from behind, gently kissing my cheek.

In no time he had showered and gotten dressed in a brown oversized tee and black jeans, letting his longer locks dry naturally so they got that air-dried wave to them. When he was done, he grabbed my hand and led me downstairs and to his car that was parked in the garage.

The alpha family, and thus the pack house, were pretty secured wealth wise. The house was a massive cabin style mansion in the forest. Everything was oversized, from the enormous front door to the open windows and the large expansive living areas. It was a treat getting to spend so much time in such a magical place.

What was also magical was River's car. Considering he loved nature, and seemed like the type of guy that would rather walk somewhere—or at the very least own a hybrid—he didn't shy away from enjoying the luxuries that being an alpha bought him. And that included his stunning black Aston Martin.

We sped down the paved driveway and onto the main road that led out of the forest with our windows down and our hair flying wildly. I snuck a look over at River who beamed back at me with his bright smile. It was the little things we did together that we cherished the most.

The main town in Saint Claire was far from big, yet not too small that there was nothing to do. The local supermarket had everything we needed for a barbecue but the town centre itself was full of life, everyone in our smaller community out and about at the cute little cafes or bookshops, diners and restaurants or the strip of boutique stores that ran down the middle. The high school we all went to was a few streets away and our favourite little diner—that we spent way too much time in—was just around the corner. Everything in Saint Claire was cosy. Comfortable.

We strolled hand in hand into the supermarket, waving to a few people we knew along the way. When we got closer to the trolleys, I pulled away and raced to them as River chased me.

"I'm pushing!" I exclaimed excitedly.

"No way! Get in," he commanded with a laugh.

I giggled and then hopped into the trolley, my legs crossed in front of me as Riv pushed me along, gaining momentum and then lifting his feet off the ground so we floated along. We were all laughs.

Recently, he'd been so busy with pack stuff that we hadn't done this in a while, but we still had our routine down pat; Riv would push while I'd point to what we needed. He'd grab everything and hand them to me while I sat in the trolley arranging everything until I could no longer fit, at which point I'd jump out and sit on the front edge or pull it along.

Carrying the paper bags in our arms, we walked side by side back to the car and loaded it up. It didn't escape me that River had checked his phone a few times while we shopped and since then his demeanour had changed slightly. I could tell he was trying to act normal but was clearly distracted. I appreciated that he didn't want it to ruin our time together. But I was also worried about him.

He continued to attempt to ignore it all while we got back into the car and began driving back home. We were happily chatting about our friends and the latest rumours that were circulating Saint Claire when he got a call from Zander. River's expression soured as he picked up.

Zander's voice came through the bluetooth. He sounded flustered. "Alpha, I'm sorry to disturb you but you never replied and it's pretty urgent. We need to get your input on—"

"I'm on my way back now. I'll be there in ten," River cut him off. I could feel the tense edge that overtook him.

"Yes Alpha," Zander replied before the phone call was cut.

I turned to Riv. "Is there trouble in the pack?"

"It's fine. You don't need to worry." His reply was a bit clipped, causing me to bristle. Although I knew his frustration wasn't directed at me.

"I know, but maybe I can help? You seem more tense than usual this time."

"Sweetheart, honestly it'll be okay. We just need to take care of a few things." He offered me a weak smile.

I looked at him a bit disheartened. "You know you can tell me, Riv. We tell each other everything."

"There's some things that you're better off not knowing." He stared blankly ahead as he drove. His grip on the steering wheel was no longer casual. His shoulders were tight and his brows bunched together in frustration.

"Okay," I replied. It came out sounding small. I felt small.

After a few minutes River grabbed my hand and gave it a squeeze. He tried to continue our prior conversation about someone who we knew from school that was secretly hooking up with a friend of ours. Then he moved onto the topic of one of the human partners who always drank too much at the pack bonfire. But my replies were reticent and distracted. My mind was elsewhere. Watching the trees through the window, I decided I would head home once we got back to give him some space to deal with whatever it was that needed his attention.

When we returned to the pack house I gave River a hug, wrapping my arms around his waist and leaning my head momentarily on his chest as I told him I'd see him tomorrow.His head rested on the top of mine and he held me tenderly. Quietly. After a few moments he pulled away, trying to look me in the eyes to gauge if I was okay. I wasn't. But I tried to hide it and put on a brave face. He looked a bit concerned but it was best that I left him to deal with whatever was going on without him having to worry about me sitting around waiting for him. Besides, I could use some sister time anyway. Between her starting college and all the time I spent with River at the pack house, we hardly saw each other anymore.

When he realised I wasn't going to say anything else and there was no point trying to convince me to stay, a not-so-pleased River pulled me in for a kiss. For him a hug just wouldn't cut it, no matter how distracted or busy he may have been, he always made time for me. He'd never just rush off and he never wanted to leave me upset, even in the slightest. Which was why I needed to pretend I was okay. There was no way he'd leave if he knew how I was really feeling, and his pack needed him right now. That was more important.

He cupped my face as he kissed me in the foyer.

"I'm sorry, angel. It'll all be back to normal soon. I promise." I could see the pain in his eyes that leaving me in the state I was in was causing him. So I nodded with a smile and hugged him tightly before going in for one last peck on the lips. I didn't want him to feel guilty for doing what he needed to for his pack. After all these years, I understood that being the alpha was hard work and that came with the territory. The dynamics between us meant that I would almost always be unhelpful, no matter how much I wished otherwise. I was human, what did I actually think I could do? It was almost funny, if you really thought about it.

"It's okay." I ran my fingers through the back of his hair, "I understand. You're the alpha, this is your responsibility. They need you."

He smiled down at me as he leaned his forehead on mine. "Thank you for understanding." His eyes held so much love and gratitude for me and that was all I could ask for. It made the heaviness lingering around my heart lighten ever so slightly.

"I love you." I whispered.

"I love you, Vee." He breathed out, letting go of the worry he was clearly holding onto.

I pulled back and smiled at him. "I'll see you tomorrow okay. Don't stress too much, whatever it is, you can handle it." I offered encouragingly. River was such a light person. It was so hard seeing him weighed down.

He grinned at me, showing a glimpse of his normal self. "Thank you, Vee." He kissed my forehead gently. "I'll see you tomorrow."

With that, he headed to his office.

Skylar came down the hall not even a few seconds later, likely a result of River mindlinking her to help me with the groceries.

"Hey Vee!" She chirped with a massive smile as she strolled towards me and picked up one of the bags from the floor. Her brown, highlighted hair was let loose today and cascaded down her chest. She wore black ripped skinny jeans, converse and a light blue loose-fitting shirt on top that made her eyes pop.

"Hey Sky," I greeted. "Thanks for coming down to help."

"Anytime girl, thanks for going shopping. You saved me the trip," she replied as we walked to the large open kitchen. The midday light that cleared the canopy of trees streamed through the windows.

"Of course." I smiled at her.

"Are you gonna hang around? We can do something. I'm sure the boys will be fine without me," she asked, unpacking the groceries onto the beige island bench.

"No, I think I'll head home. Spend some time with Celeste while I have the chance. Plus the boys seem like they could definitely use your genius with whatever they're dealing with."

"You're a sweetheart. And not wrong." She grinned at me. "Tell that gorgeous girl I said hey and that I miss her." My sister never came to the pack house as we had agreed it would be a bit suspicious and didn't want her to find out about them being shifters, but occasionally in the past she would tag along when we'd hang out after school or go to parties. These days though, it was a rare occurrence.

"I will." I promised. "Hey, Sky?"

"Yeah?"

"Can you keep an eye on Riv for me? He seems stressed and a bit distant. He won't talk to me about it and that's okay. But I just need to make sure he's alright," I pleaded. I knew Sky would understand and want to make sure her alpha was okay.

"Of course, Vee. He'll be alright. The guys and I have his back. We always do. I'm sure it'll be over before we know it and things will go back to normal. You know he only keeps things from you to protect you."

I offered her a small smile. "I know. That's exactly what he says."

"Great minds," she crooned with a proud grin.