CHAPTER 20

RIVER

The date had been everything I could have asked for. I was happy again. Felt like myself again.

I didn't know who I was without Vee in my life—she'd been a part of it for so damn long.

And I couldn't explain the serene calm she seemed to bring my wolf. He had claimed her long ago and without her he was restless and whiny these last few months, not to mention on edge from the threat to our territory. It had been a lot to deal with and controlling my wolf had never seemed harder.

I had always had a fairly good grip on him until then.

While the threat wasn't going away any time soon, at least Vee's presence was soothing.

Even having the Knight captain greet me at her door, my frustration magically dissolved when I heard her voice and saw her face. And she became all I focused on. She soothed the possessive, protective urges.

Somehow, when she laid her eyes on me, even my inner wolf, my innate inner Alpha, was able to dim his baser instincts that screamed at me to get rid of the other male.

Compared to what we'd been going through without her, having competition for her affection was manageable.

We'd take that over having to mourn losing her the way we did; with her hatred and distrust.

I might have had Knights at my pack house and rogues in my backyard, but I'd take it all just to be around her again.

With it came the realisation that I still loved this girl. I always had and always will.Even the new version of her that was my Vee, yet somehow also not.

Tonight was perfect.

She was smiling and happy and gods, that was all I wanted.

Hearing her bright laugh again made my wolf purr like a freaking cat.

Having the Knights here, having him stay at her house and not knowing what was happening there, having meetings and strategy sessions and all these hindrances between us, seemingly working against us, I wasn't sure if we'd get another chance so soon to just be us. And now that we had, it had solidified that we could be great again.

We could work. Just like I had always hoped. Her hunter status and my being a wolf, it didn't have to wedge itself between us. We could be the hunter and the wolf, but also the boy and the girl that we'd always been.

I wanted more than anything to kiss her on the doorstep when I dropped her home. Wanted to pull her into my arms and never let go. Wanted to show her how much I appreciated her being back and the second chance she was giving me.

My wolf wanted her back in every possible way. Wanted to bask in her being ours again. Wanted to look after her, and protect her, and cherish her, and love her like we were so used to doing.

But I knew we weren't there yet. As much as I wanted us to be.

I settled for pressing my lips against her cheek, allowing that soft touch to be enough for now and not letting it dim my spirits.