Ready or Knot (Knotted Paths #1) - Susi Hawke Page 0,18

some rest, Wyatt. I’ll see you in the morning, okay?”

I whined. Did he have to leave?

He might as well have actually heard me. “Sorry, fluffy. I gotta go face the music. I’m still technically on the clock, and I don’t think they’ll extend the rules about alphas in the residence too much further.”

He leaned down, so close his breath tickled the fur on the edge of my ears.

“Good night, fluffy.”

The soft words made me want to roll over and wiggle my belly. But he patted me on the head one last time and shut the door softly behind me.

I sighed and pulled my front paws over my nose. Without his presence, the room seemed so much colder.

I perked up at a soft knock on the door, but it wasn’t Jordan returning. Craig peeked in.

“How you holding up, Wyatt?”

I thumped my tail in answer. It was a pretty good universally positive indicator, I was learning.

“Right. Give me a minute.” Craig stripped his shirt off, just a normal t-shirt now, and unbuttoned his pants. He leapt out of his clothes as he shifted, a sleek red fox. “Sorry. Mind if I come up?”

“Uh... sure?”

“It’s yes, or it’s no, newbie. First rules of consent.”

I’d never met anyone as confusing as Craig. “Yes.”

He hopped up on the bed and nosed my nest, then sneezed. “Smells like alpha.” He dug at the blankets, making another little pocket, then curled up beside my neck. “I know it sucks to be alone after a panic attack. But I don’t like talking about it, and I’ll say you’re lying if you ever tell anyone about this.”

I shifted my head to see him more clearly. He’d placed his back against my side, his nose tucked under his tail. I thought Craig was trying to comfort me.

He was kind of terrible at it, but at the same time, the warmth against my shoulder was nice. Not Jordan nice. But still pleasant. My tail thumped a couple times.

“One running dream where you kick me, and I’m out,” Craig grumbled.

I was glad he couldn’t see my smile, even though he could probably feel my lungs huffing in breathy laughter. He didn’t say any more, though.

My wolf ears picked up the soft thump and click of the downstairs door closing and locking, then the soft pattern of Hunter’s feet on the stairs.

Was Jordan in trouble for following me? Would I see him again tomorrow?

I hoped so.

8

Jordan

My appearance seemed to be the signal to wrap things up for the night. Chance and Justin got to their feet, and we all bid the last resident good night.

The other two got into the golf cart right away, but I lingered. “I guess I’ll finish out my shift.”

“We already called in coverage,” Justin said. “You’d better get to your own bed, son. Wyatt isn’t the only one who’s had a long night.”

Chance peered curiously at me, then turned to Justin. “I think it’s a nice night for a walk. Decompress a little. You mind taking the cart back to admin, Justin?”

The older man smiled and shook his head. “Youth, with your endless tanks of energy. These old bones are ready for my bed and my mate. I’ll see you both tomorrow. I know it’s not your schedule, but why don’t you come by in the morning, Jordan? We’ll do a full debrief then.”

Bed and mate. I ached, having to leave Wyatt behind, but I couldn’t simply wild-animal-style drag him back to my lair or caveman grunt that he was mine. “Yes, sir.”

Tomorrow, I’d have to tell them Wyatt was my mate. I’d have to explain why I broke protocol. Would I have a job afterward? One of the main rules of working on the counseling campus was that you didn’t fraternize with the residents. I was fairly certain that discovering one of them was my true mate definitely fell under the category of fraternizing.

“You coming, Jordan?” Chance had started walking, and I’d been standing frozen in front of Wyatt’s house. I looked up into his window. Had I hoped I would see him there? If so, only disappointment awaited me.

But no, I hoped he was sleeping. He deserved it. I wanted to stay here and watch over his safety all night, but Chance waited expectantly. If I wasn’t working, I didn’t have any right to lurk around. No right that anyone knew of yet.

I hurried to catch up to Chance. Dammit. How was I going to help Mom pay her bills if I lost my job? If