Red Ribbons (Forgotten Series #1)

Epilogue

Four Months Later

I sat in the summer sun on the porch, a book in my lap as I read the words carefully. It was an adventure romance novel. The heroine, Avaline, was cast aside from her lord lover, Antoine, and as a result she became bitter and ran away. Only to be captured by pirates who she then defeated and stole their ship. It was exciting and I was having a hard time fighting the urge to flip to the back to see if she got together with the pirate captain in the end. He was a true. True he was a terrible asshole in the beginning but Avaline kicked his ass seven ways to Sunday and stole his ship in return to his dickish behaviour.

I chuckled lightly at the remembrance of how she threw him beaten and bruised onto a deserted island with his first mate as she waved at him with the hat she stolen from his head during their sword fight.

Any man worth his salt knows better than to treat a lady as such, you cad. Now you are left without a ship and the lady for your boorish behaviour. If you ever get off of this island, Ryder. Be sure to get some lessons from a true gentleman and you might get the ship back.

What about the she-devil who stole it?

That, my dear Ryder, is one lady no man can have.

I smiled and shook my head, turning back to the book. Currently, Antoine was trying to win her back after seeing her at a ball, not knowing that she and Ryder were going to rob the party goers at the stroke of midnight. Her life was filled with adventure and romance and I almost envied her. Almost because Ryder was no Bennett. The thought of him filled my chest with happiness and love. Four months we had been together and despite some set-backs and blow ups I was beyond happy with him by my side.

It had taken a month before my emotions had settled enough for me to feel remotely normal and I had been thankful for it. I wasn't sure if I could handle more bipolar moments like I had been experiencing during the first month of our bonding. I was quick to anger, quick to cry, I became oppressively happy at the drop of a hat and the only time I felt remotely stable was when Bennett wrapped me in his arms and rubbed my back. The world faded away and it made me realize that the claiming didn't affect him as it did me. I knew it would have bred a bit of resentment but the guilt he had over it was enough to make me push it away.

I wasn't sure how long he would hold onto his guilt for but even now could see a flash of it in his brilliantly blue eyes and it always made me wince. He didn't need to be guilty, not about the claiming. I had forgiven Luka, my wolf too. After we had gotten control over our emotions we realized everyone had just tried to help and that the situation was just a consequence to that.

I frowned and tucked my bookmark into the book, knowing I was too distracted to continue reading. Bennett was running patrols and Alpha Linton was coming for a visit. It had been nearly half a year since I had last seen him and the visit had me more than excited. Bennett, on the other hand, not so much. I knew he was jealous of me being around other unmated males he didn't know but I also knew how hard he tried to push his possessive nature away so I could be with my friends. So when he got tired and snappy with them or became a touch possessive with me, I let him. I would lean towards him, touch him, let him and his wolf know that despite everything surrounding me, that I was his and he was mine. We had made a vow that we would take on this life together and I would remind him of that ever single chance I got. I was invested in us just as much as he was, if not even more so.

I set the book in my lap and looked towards the trees, enjoying the small breeze that blew across the sweat on the back of my neck. The days were almost oppressively warm and I found myself spending more and more time outside. My pale skin had acquired a slight tan from the constant exposure to the sunlight and my hair had lightened, the rays bleaching it just a fraction. Bennett was very fond of pressing his face into my hair and inhaling before telling me the strands smell of honey and sunshine. I let out a content sigh and relaxed further into the rocking chair Bennett had placed on the porch for me. I didn't ask him why he had done so but I appreciated the gesture. It had quickly become my favourite place to relax.