the first full moon with my wolf so close to the surface. For regular weres, the full moon was a time of celebration. She had been on edge since Hunter and I fought.
“What in the world are you watching?” Jen asked as she came into my room.
She was my constant companion lately, and I didn’t mind. I needed a friend, and it seemed like Hunter was even more sparse than usual. As much as I tried to hold onto my anger, it had faded and I was growing desperate to talk to him again. Really talk to him.
It had been a week since I spoke to him. Naturally, I had held him at arm’s length. I had been pissed. But then my anger started to fade. I still wasn’t ready to forgive him. A part of me really wanted him to come to me. I knew it was selfish and childish, but I wanted him to say he was sorry. I wanted him to acknowledge that I was upset.
“The Hallmark channel.”
She looked at me like I was mad.
“Okay that’s it, you and Hunter are making up and this,” she pointed that the TV with an arched brow, “Is going to stop. Immediately.”
I rolled my head in her direction.
“And why should I do that?”
“Because you two need to get over yourselves. Hunter has been over at our house training with my brothers almost every single day for the past week. They’re about to go insane and kill him, I’m pretty sure. I know I want to. He is more broody since you and him started this stupid argument.”
“It’s not that simple,” I muttered.
“Things rarely are, but there is so much you don’t know about each other. Give Hunter a chance,” Jen asked moving onto the bed with me. I shrugged my shoulders.
“It’s strange with him. I feel, well, I should say my body likes him. My wolf loves him. All she wants to do is snuggle close and be playful. I guess I spent so many years thinking it wouldn’t happen and then he shows up. Things are complicated.”
“That’s true. But love is complicated,” Jen said, playfully bumping her shoulder into mine.
Jen stayed with me for a little longer, watching the movie with me, but left soon after that. While she was there, the movie was only background noise. I thought about what she had said. We were mates. Essentially we were all that each other could want for a promising future. Each wolf has their own mate, and I had Hunter. Plus, in this brief time, I had truly glimpsed my wolf, and I knew that she would never love any other.
I thought back to the night that Griffin and I visited the witch who bound my powers. She had said the spell hadn’t been a curse, but right now it seemed like it. If I were to lose Hunter, I knew my wolf would eventually die without him. I had only really connected with her through him, and I didn’t want to lose her. I didn’t want to lose my chance or make him lose his. Jen was right. I decided that night I needed to apologize to Hunter for my part in this. I wanted to make an effort with him.
****
I arrived to the kitchen before Hunter. We didn’t speak often when we were in the kitchen making dinner together the past week. It was like our safety zone. I kept wringing my hands nervously under the counter waiting for Hunter to show up. It would be in line with my luck that he wouldn’t show up. I waited a little bit longer. I hoped that he wouldn’t bail on me. This was our one constant.
“Colette.”
Hunter stood in the backdoor entrance. His brow was furrowed. He moved forward and stepped in front of me. His cheek had a yellowing bruise. But wolves healed fast, and it would disappear by the end of the night. I bit my lip. My head naturally tilted down.
“I’m sorry,” I said. I looked down, still not that brave to look in him in the eyes as I apologized.
“I had made a promise to you that I wouldn’t call Griffin. I didn’t mean to break that promise, but I was scared. I was looking for a piece of home,” I whispered the last word. It felt harsh in my mouth. I knew immediately that I was failing Hunter.
“Colette,” Hunter forced me to look up at him. He pressed a finger under my chin. “Why