CHAPTER 2

RIVER

It was like no time had passed. Looking into those beautiful hazel eyes, it was like no time had passed.

It almost felt like a dream. Waking up and seeing her still lying there, looking radiant in the morning sun—just like old times.

I didn't want to fall asleep last night. I fought it as much as I could. Too afraid that I'd awake to find her gone again. Or that she was never there to begin with, and it was all some sort of sick nightmare. Punishment for what I'd done.

I didn't know when my eyes must have closed—I pushed them to stay awake. Silently begged them to keep fighting so I could remain in her presence a little longer. Even if it was just a dream.

Venus. My Venus.

She was back.

I still had so much to tell her and I knew she wouldn't react well to all of it. I'd told her as much as I could last night without spooking her. The situation was so fragile and I didn't know what might send the ticking time bomb exploding, causing this miracle of her being back to come crashing down on me.

But I would tell her everything this time. If I learnt anything last night, it's that she could handle it. She could handle anything. And I was a wrong, stupid bastard for thinking otherwise before.

I knew things might be different now. And I'd have to deal with that. But I wouldn't give up without a fight. Without trying to make it right and showing her that I was worth believing in again. Showing her that I could be trusted. And hope that this new honesty between us might make up for my past mistakes. And maybe—just maybe—we could go back to the way things were before. Without all the secrets, of course.

That meant telling her about Amelia. Even if it might crack the fragile veneer of happiness and peace we had built last night.

I didn't want to see her hurt ever again, her perfect features crumpled and her voice laced with pain. Seeing her like that the night she thought I had killed her friend was the worst thing imaginable. It added to my inability to speak and explain at that moment. But this needed to be done.

"Good morning, Riv." Her eyes were bright and calm as she replied, the sun causing them to glisten and the embers of green to pop. Green like the pine trees that I loved and cherished my whole life. "What do we do now?" she enquired, her tone light. Neither of us knew exactly how to proceed in this situation.

We were reunited but what would happen from here?

"Well, I know of a few furballs that would be very happy to see that gorgeous face of yours." The thought occurred to me that the pack could be a good segway. They had missed her. Although Zander masked his hurt with irritation.

That was going to be an interesting one to smooth over. He could be a bit of an impulsive baby at times, making his hurt come through as bitterness and anger—easier emotions for him to handle. But I knew when he saw her and they spoke, she'd be able to win him over again. He always had a soft spot for her and couldn't stay mad for long.

"I'm scared," she admitted, brows furrowed.

"Don't be. They all missed you." I looked at her and she gazed right back. I swear I got lost in those eyes again. "We all did," I confessed. Her gaze softened as we lay facing each other in my bed. The act seeming much more intimate now than it did last night.Last night it was comfortable, so familiar and normal that it felt almost like a knee-jerk reaction. There was still this undeniable attraction between us, but we were so focused on our reunion and talking things over that there was no time for anything more. We were the friends that we had always been—just sharing a bed. Not necessarily the couple. Even if every part of me wanted her back like that.I wanted to give her the space she needed to feel at ease again.

But now, as I watched her chew her plump bottom lip with that adorable nervous energy, all I wanted to do was taste them again and feel them against my own. My wolf stirred within me.

We were interrupted by the message tone of her phone and she whirled away to find it in the depths of the sheets. When she pulled it up, she smiled to herself. "Sorry, it's Kit. She's just making sure everything's okay here."

I nodded with an involuntary soft smile that always seemed to occur when I saw her happy. "That's alright."

She had told me all about the fire-cracker best friend she'd made, as well as all the others in their little cadre and how they'd made her transition as a Knight smooth and enjoyable. I was happy for her, even though a part of my heart panged with jealousy that we were not her only pack anymore. But I was grateful to them for being there for her when we couldn't, even if I had wanted nothing more than to find and look after her myself.

But she was a Knight. It was in her blood. And I didn't know how this would work or what it meant for us, but I knew that I wouldn't let it be what ended us. We'd figure it out together.

Seeing the strength and belonging it had given her, so clearly written across her face, I felt pride. Nothing but pride at her finding herself.

She got out of bed, fully clothed in a black t-shirt and tiny pyjama shorts that drove my wolf crazy. She could wear a sack of potatoes and I'd still find this girl irresistible and beautiful.

"Well, I guess I've got apologies to make and friendships to mend," she said as she finished off her text and put her phone down, waiting for me to get up. "Are they down there or should you mind-link them to have breakfast with us?"

I could see the mix of excitement and nerves contorting her features.

"They're around. But I'll tell them to meet us for breakfast," I replied, getting out of bed myself.

She nodded and although she was smiling, her eyes and scent held a hint of fear. The last thing I wanted to do was add to that, but I needed to tell her.

Now.

I walked around the bed and over to her and she watched me, unsure of why my expression was no longer calm.

"Vee, I need to tell you something."

The words were soft and laced with worry as they came out of my mouth.

She stilled. "What is it, Riv?"

I stopped in front of her, picking up her hand to hold it in my own in an attempt to comfort her.

"Amelia is alive. She wasn't dead the night you saw her."

I watched the surprise in her eyes but continued anyway, my tone soft and cautious. "You know about the rogues hunting and turning humans. It was a full moon, so we were aware that something could happen. They'd been taunting us for months. I had patrols out and was on high alert the whole pack run. There was nothing we could sense in our territory. But when I went out later, it was because the patrol had picked up on a scent. We followed it, but we were too late. We found Amelia's body being attacked by a rogue. We fought it off and took it down immediately. But it was too late for Amelia. She was in transition."

Vee's mouth gaped like a fish out of water before she composed herself. But not even her attempted composure could stop the tears that trickled down her face.

I stepped closer to her, wiping those tears away and squeezing her hand, hoping to rid her of that pain. Of any pain at all.

"Riv …" she swallowed, "the blood covering you?"

"Hers, from carrying her. But also the rogue we killed and buried."

"So, she's alive? She's a wolf?" Her head spun towards the door. "Is she here now?"

This was the other part I was dreading.

"Yes, she's a wolf. But she's not here."

She turned back towards me confused. "What do you mean?"

"When she woke up and I explained everything to her, and our need to figure out how to stop this, she wanted to play into their plan and join their pack to get us information. She's on our side. But she's there … with them. She's technically a rogue."