Chapter Eighteen

Roan The sound of their silverware scraping against their plates dominated dinner. Mrs. Samantha cleared her throat. “So, what do you have planned for the rogues, Roan?” “We’re waiting it out right now. I think they all know one another, now I’m trying to keep ears close by to see if they’re planning anything.” His dad nodded. “Good idea. It’s strange they showed up so suddenly. Do you think it’s another pack, maybe?” He shrugged. “The first one we captured has a pack tattoo on his shoulder. We’re going to try to see what pack, so I can get in touch with their alpha. Maybe I can find out why he was cast out.” Another silence settled over them. Roan glanced to his right where Sullen sat eating her food quietly. Mrs. Samantha met his stare and smiled. “Sullen. I know you’re interning and taking classes, but there is an opening for a midwife in the pack. We have several shewolves that are expecting—” Sullen’s fork dropped. “Mom. If I’ve told you once, I’ve told you a million times, I don’t want to be a midwife. I don’t like blood or babies.” Roan choked on his food and glared at her. “You don’t like pups?” Sullen sighed and twirled her fork around her plate. “I don’t like to see babies move in women’s stomachs, it grosses me out. Plus, they all look like little aliens when they’re born." “Sullen,” Mrs. Samantha hissed. “For Heaven’s sake, you’re almost thirty years old and you’re still acting like a child.” Sullen abruptly stood up and glanced down at Roan. “Are you finished with dinner? I think I’d like that tour now.” Roan saw the plea in her eyes and took one more bite. He was anything but finished, but he had enough food in the pack house to eat later. “Sure. Let’s go. Thank you for dinner, Mrs. Samantha. It was great.” He didn’t miss the upset look on her face, but Sullen was halfway out of the backdoor. Roan found her standing in the backyard, staring up at the moon. “What was that about?” he asked from behind her. She sighed loudly. “About my mother’s ability to piss me off. She’s always wanted me to be a midwife. The more I resisted, the more she pressed.” She turned and looked at him. “It doesn’t matter. I’m not interested in becoming a midwife. So, where are we going on this tour?” Roan shoved his hands into his pockets and gestured toward the road. It was a dead-end, with family houses lining each side, all the way to the cul-de-sac. “This is where all the families live. Mated wolves. The single, unmated wolves live in the pack house.” She looked down the road and stared at the forest at the end. “That is where we do our running. We go on a monthly run with all the pack, but anyone is free to shift and run whenever they please.” Sullen seemed distant for a few moments. “Do you miss it?” he asked. “Miss what?” she replied in a whisper. “Shifting. I didn’t see a place where you could run in the city.” Sullen looked down at her shoes, suddenly irritated that he asked. “I don’t need to run much.” It was a lie, but he didn’t press her. “Come on, I’ll show you the conference room, and the infirmary.” Roan took her around the pack house that seemed mostly vacant. Most of the wolves were in their rooms, or the dining hall that Roan avoided. He’d show her in the morning before it was packed with shewolves. Roan led her out to the back of the pack house where a swimming pool and terrace sat. “This is pretty,” she whispered. “Is this where you wanted to take a dip?” He chuckled. “No. That’s in the woods. Are you up for a run?” She nodded quickly. Roan tugged his t-shirt over his head and watched as Sullen turned to strip out of her clothes. Roan longed to turn her around, angle his mouth over hers, and put his wolf out of his misery, but he knew getting her here was step one. Everything else would fall into place. Sullen shifted first. Her wolf was smaller than Roan’s, but he knew they would fit together nicely. She took off toward the woods, not knowing the way, but trying to keep a distance between their wolves. He didn’t blame her. His wolf was on the hunt. He wanted Sullen almost more than Roan did—almost. Roan chased behind her, smelling her scent twirling in the air around him, luring him forward. When she took a left, and they needed to take a right, he jumped in front of her and stopped. She glanced up at him with big eyes. He nudged her jaw with the top of his head and ran the opposite way. She chased after him as Roan’s wolf showed off, jumping over upturned trees, and large roots that grew up and then back into the ground. Roan stopped when they neared the pond, and shifted. Sullen shifted beside him. Her dark hair hung loosely down her shoulders, her ivory eyes shifted toward his. “You swim here often? Are their river monsters that will bite my ass if I get in?” He chuckled and ran his fingers into his hair. “Nah. Nothing that isn’t more scared of you. We swam here a lot when I was young. The dock,” he said, pointing toward the corner, “We would see who could jump the farthest.” Sullen nibbled on her bottom lip, and Roan watched as she debated something in her head. “I bet I can jump farther than you.” “Yeah? I doubt it, but I’d love to see you try.” She started walking around the pond, glancing back over her shoulder, Roan’s gaze lifted from her ass. “Not even trying to hide it, huh, Alpha? I was certain Mr. Kevin taught you better than that.” Roan smiled. “Mr. Kevin taught me a lot of things, but he never prepared me for the uncontrollable lust that comes with finding your mate,” he said behind her. She walked onto the deck, her soft footsteps light on the old wood. “I don’t think there is a way to describe the way your wolf reacts to their mate—” Roan grabbed her arm, gently, and turned her to face him. “I’m not talking about my wolf, Sullen.” Sullen stared at him for several minutes, before pulling away and jumping halfway across the pond. Roan chuckled half-heartedly. “Don’t cheat,” he said when she came up to the surface. “If you move, I’ll know.” She laughed. “I don’t need to cheat.” Roan jogged down the deck, jumped and soared over Sullen’s head, slicing through the water, he came up several feet away, realizing she’d moved around him. “I beat you,” she lied. “You’re a dirty cheat,” he laughed. She shrugged, and laughed when he swam toward her. Roan’s leg brushed hers, and she became still. “Was that a fish or you?” “Me. You don’t get that zap of electricity when I touch you?” Sullen’s face turned red. “Yes,” she said breathlessly. “I knew it was you.” Roan fought the urge to touch her skin, make her feel the electricity that a mate bond formed inside. Instead, he splashed water into her face, and she gawked at him. “Oh yeah? That's how we're going to play it?" She splashed him back, and he ducked under the water to get away. He loved that she was opening up a bit, and hopefully, he’d be able to gain her trust soon. Maybe hold her hand. Or bend down and crush his mouth over hers. Before his wolf combusted from the distance.